Today we’d like to introduce you to Ulato Sam.
Hi Ulato, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been in Los Angeles for 6 years now. I came for Grad School and found UCLA to be a BARS Press of sorts. As an Actor, UCLA TFT was a space that refined and exposed me to skill sets and concepts that I’ve been able to utilize and expound upon. As some of your readers may be aware, I’m originally from Jamaica and studied at Morehouse College for undergrad; and since moving to LA, these two experiences have informed so much of how I move through the city and industry. As I grew as an Actor, I received the Mariska Hargitay Scholarship for Actors and became a Hollywood Foreign Press Association Acting Fellow and Zuri Adele Acting Fellow, which further impressed upon me ways of refining my skill sets and exfoliating my craft. I’ve worked to integrate my education and culture into my second nature and strive to be an innovator as I stand on the support of so many who believe in and invest in me. It’s been thanks to a spirit of kindness, an understanding of mindfulness, and an openness/desire to collaborate that I can say I’ve gotten here. If you’re reading this and there’s an opportunity for us to tell a story, I’m preparing at this very moment for our paths to cross, I’m ready.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely been a winding country road. Personally, I’ve struggled with finding direction, luckily, I’ve had a small yet informed community that I can trust to confide in. Navigating life is challenging enough but to add navigating the industry to the equation can feel overwhelming at times. Whether it’s help with self-tapes, wardrobe before an event, media training, or just dealing with constantly auditioning and not yet booking that “breakout” role, my community of friends and family have kept me motivated. I also ask myself constantly “what more can I do?” Not because I don’t feel as though I’m doing enough, but because I know there’s still so much more to learn and I’d like to be in spaces that challenge me to grow. So many of us are here in Los Angeles working towards such similar dreams and I’ll continue to be courageous in the face of uncertainty because I know that the dream is tangible. We’re bound to find those who are looking for us, we just have to keep going because you never know what lies around the corner.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an Actor with a diverse skill set. Not only do I tell stories on stage, film, and television, I dance, explore wellness, and I apply science to my art. I specialize in storytelling and creative development/exploration. Whether developing a role or helping someone develop their own ideas and concepts around a story, I put my M.F.A. and experiential learnings to use. When it comes to what I’m known for it depends on where you are. In Jamaica it might be Track & Field and ListenMi Caribbean’s ListenMi News, in England, it might be my performances of Birdy at the Place Theatre and Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts; whereas here in the states I’m known for Carnival, being an Oprah Winfrey Scholar, and my creative abilities and talents in Film, Movement, and Stage. When I think of what I’m most proud of the first thing that comes to mind is my younger brother; outside of that, I’m proud of the diverse cannon of work I’m building and the abilities I’m employing to do so. I’m also proud of my collaborations with WalkGoodLa, Toasted Life, and other grassroots organizations dedicated celebrating black people and other people of colour while serving underrepresented communities. I’ve also recently started as a Professor at AMDA Los Angeles Campus and have found what sets me apart from others is that I believe and act upon the notion that education is the first step towards liberation, but action and innovation change the world. I haven’t had the same experience or journey as some of my contemporaries, but if I’ve learned anything from my hero Harry Belafonte it’s that “If I’ve impacted on one heart, one mind, one soul, and brought to that individual a greater truth than that individual came into a relationship with me having, then I would say that I have been successful.”
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like best about our city is how eclectic it is. I can be experiencing east African culture one day and the next explore Middle Eastern culture for breakfast, Caribbean culture for lunch, and Central American culture for dinner. It’s not limited to food, it’s in conversation, collaboration, and entertainment. This city attracts people with a desire to share and preserve their culture and thus encapsulates the world within its borders. What I like least about our city is that even though the city is comprised of so much diversity and culture, there seems to be a disproportionate representation of that diversity and culture in our city’s media, institutions, and positions of influence. I’ve found since being here that the communities that fuel this city are not the ones always celebrated in what the city produces. My hope is that as I continue to be invited to explore the city as an Actor, that I can also be an ambassador of its diversity and bridge the gaps while celebrating the real melting pot that this country and city is.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ulatosam.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/youlatoe
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Youlatoe
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Youlatoe
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@youlatoe
Image Credits
Connor Mitchell
Anthony Hadley Jr.
Alchemii Studios
Teron Beal
ABDM Studio
Andrew J Cunningham
