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The Auckland starlet might be best known for her lengthy stint as Shortland Street’s Sophie McKay, but these days the 24-year-old is busy transforming herself into a brand with a global empire.
And with her skilful use of social media to cultivate an ongoing fanbase, she is the face of a type of celebrity New Zealand has not seen before, jumping genres from TV to literature, scriptwriting and acting, singing and even motivational coaching.
Crossman made a splash in the US last year, appearing alongside LL Cool J in the hit TV show NCIS, and in Justin Bieber’s home-made video for the hit single Call Me Maybe. She even donned the red lycra suit as a Power Ranger.
Closer to home, she made her literary debut with the self-help book for teens, Love You. And between sharing inspirational thoughts to her nearly 30,000 Twitter followers, 21,000 Facebook friends, and reaching out to fans via her staff-of-nine website Kimberleycrossman.com, Crossman has succeeded in creating her own, bankable brand.
If Crossman gets her way, 2013 is going to be even bigger.
Already in the pipeline is a new local TV series, a role with charity For Everyone and filming and writing for telly shows Jono and Ben at 10 and The Erin Simpson Show – and that’s just the beginning.
‘‘Apart from that I am excited to start designing in 2013 and being open to new and exciting opportunities that come my way. I am looking into motivational speaking as well.’’
But Crossman’s real focus for the year is still on screen. She will split her time between New Zealand and the US, hopefully helping her tick off some big goals when the clock ticks over to 2014.
‘‘[By next year I want to be] the lead actress in a successful American comedy series, have had lots of fun, travelled, spent time with family and friends and continued to work in New Zealand, while inspiring others to live authentically and pursue their passions and dreams.’’