Who are the stars in the new Kia commercial?
_A deep dive into the faces behind Kia’s latest campaign* _*
(By Carmichael Phillip)
What qualifies as the “new” Kia commercial?
Before we identify the stars, it’s worth clarifying what counts as the “new” Kia commercial. In the past year, Kia has rolled out several high‑profile spots — including the 2026 Kia Sportage X‑Pro “T‑Shirt Tripping” campaign, the “Elevated by the Dark” spot promoting multiple Kia models, and others listed in ad‑databases.
Because Kia uses multiple campaigns, models, and creative treatments, the “stars” may vary depending on which version you saw. For this article we’ll root our examination in the widely‑distributed 2026 Sportage X‑Pro “T‑Shirt Tripping” commercial and other recent Kia spots from 2024‑2025.
What we know about the credited cast in the 2026 Sportage commercial
According to the ad‑listing for the 2026 Sportage X‑Pro spot titled “T‑Shirt Tripping”, the clip shows a male protagonist on a road‑trip who finally meets a woman wearing the exact same t‑shirt as his. The database notes:
“Finally, he stops at a landmark in Texas to find a woman wearing the same exact t-shirt: the two bond and drive off in the Sportage X‑Pro together.”
However — and this is a key point — the listing also states:
“Actors – None have been identified for this spot.”
That means while we can describe the lead characters (male road‑tripper, female matching t‑shirt woman), the actors themselves are not credit‑listed publicly in that database. So: these are “stars” in terms of being lead characters, but their real names aren’t yet confirmed in public records.
Other recent Kia commercials and known talent
In addition to the 2026 Sportage spot, Kia has used other recognizable talent in past campaigns. Some examples:
The “Elevated by the Dark” series of spots (2025) promoted multiple models (Sorento, Sportage, Telluride) and are listed in iSpot, but again show “Actors – None have been identified.”
According to a profile article, Kia has over the years used actors and models like Christina Hendricks (in the 2017 Cadenza ad) and various international models.
Tuko.co.ke – Kenya news.
So in short: while some Kia commercials list full credits, many of the newest spots do not publicly disclose cast names yet — making it difficult to “name” the stars definitively in many recent cases.
Why many recent spots don’t list actor names publicly
There are several reasons why a commercial might not publicly identify the actors:
Talent contracts & non‑disclosure: Often actors in commercials sign contracts that limit public attribution of their names, especially for short‑form media.
Database lag: Commercial databases like iSpot rely on user submission for actor names; when no actor submits, the entry remains blank (“None identified”).
Focus on brand, not celebrity: Some commercials are designed to emphasize the product and setting rather than star‑power. Kia’s “T‑Shirt Tripping” seems to emphasise the narrative (road‑trip, matching t‑shirts, adventure) more than celebrity casting.
Regional variation: Some ads may have been filmed in multiple versions (for different regions) with different actors; the national listing may simplify by not listing all.
Thus, the absence of publicly named stars doesn’t mean the actors are unknown — just that their identities haven’t been recorded in the major ad‑databases yet.
How to identify the actors if you’re curious
If you saw a specific Kia commercial and want to identify the actor(s) you saw, here are steps you can take:
Pause and screenshot: Capture a still of the actor’s face, outfit, or unique feature from the commercial.
Search social media or actor‑casting forums: Sometimes actors post their commercials on Instagram, LinkedIn, or on casting directories.
Check Kia’s press materials: Kia’s media site sometimes lists talent (especially for major launches).
Use ad database submission tools: On sites like iSpot.tv or AdForum, you can submit actor information for review in their “Actors – Add” section.
Check credits at end of commercial (if any): Some spots, especially longer ones used online, may list talent credits in the small print.
By doing this, fans of automotive ads often successfully “name” previously anonymous actors.
Summary: Who are the stars in the new Kia commercial?
Putting it all together:
In the latest widely‑seen Kia commercial (2026 Sportage X‑Pro, “T‑Shirt Tripping”), the leads are a male road‑tripper and a female matching t‑shirt hijinks character.
As of this writing, their real names are not publicly identified in major ad‑databases.
In older or international Kia commercials, there are known actors (e.g., Christina Hendricks) but these may not apply to the “new” spot you referenced.
So if someone asks “Who are the stars?”, the honest answer is: we can describe them (male and female leads) and indicate that their names are not yet publicly credited for that specific commercial. If you provide the exact model, ad title, or a screenshot, I can attempt to dig deeper and possibly identify the actors by name.
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