Sami Stumman of North Hollywood on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Sami Stumman shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Sami , thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Basically anything sensory or creative. A solid cup of coffee definitely helps me get back to myself, heh! But seriously, it’s more than just coffee because the whole thing is about ritual right? Sitting in a comfy spot, the smell of fresh ground beans, the temperature of the cup…and then getting to read, write with a notebook and pen, or even drawing. I relish time for self reflection. I adore hunkering down with a good book and cuppa, and there really is nothing like coffee to help fuel writing, which I can definitely get lost in. Even better if it’s all happening in nature where birds and running water can be heard – prime settings to just let the imagination go wild. All of these sensory and creative activities help me to come back to myself.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an actor and writer who grew up in San Diego doing theater and musical theater. I knew early I loved acting and wanted it to be in my life in some way, but wasn’t quite sure how. Then I saw Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. I joke that I don’t really remember life before watching those movies but it’s kind of true. Seeing such an expansive and extraordinary world brought to life while watching characters (and actors) deal with very human themes was extremely moving for me. Those movies really inspired me to focus on film and television because it was the first time I saw how much that ability to immerse an audience in a world or story could be effective and create real change. Plus filming on snow capped mountains in New Zealand? Sign me up. My love for film pushed me while going to drama school, where I would often drive up from San Diego to do extra work starting out, just to get a taste of what sets big and small were like. Haven’t looked back since. 

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
On stage. As a kid you feel a lot of big emotions that can be difficult to name, and it can feel scary to stand out. That fear can make it tempting to hide parts of yourself. I definitely felt at a point it was safer, and as a result, unknowingly cut off access to things that made me, me. The first time I got on stage opened my world because you are actively encouraged to take ownership over the role. Being encouraged to express freely through characters and stories gave me an incredible sense of agency over myself and feelings, and made pathways to tap back into those cut off parts. Reclaiming agency then, allows me to understand myself and how I exist in the world. That experience can’t help but expand you as a person both on and off stage or screen. Creating and experiencing real connection with others through acting, can create unlimited potential, and that connection is a very powerful feeling.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Definitely watching movies. Reading books and writing were also big outlets. Going to different worlds and reading about what a character was going through, either for fun, to escape, or being able to apply them to my own world, made me feel less alone. I do think art can have a lot of different functions in society and is so important for many reasons. To be reading and think “Oh someone else has experienced what I’m feeling, what are ways I could handle it?” And then also – “Oh this person is experiencing something I haven’t” and expanding your worldview.  To realize that if the potential to fall apart is real, then so is the potential to come back together. I know how much it has meant to me when art has made me feel seen or less alone and I definitely want to give that back through stories I help create and characters I play. 

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I feel super grateful for my experiences so far, and the wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure to work and start building things with. Short term, I perform regularly with the theater company Open Door Shakespeare, and look forward to expanding into acting for network television and film. Getting to work on The Pitt or a show similar to Yellowjackets are definite goals. More long term, I currently have a finished feature script in line for production. It’s a story near and dear to me and I can’t wait to take next steps bringing it to life. I’m a firm believer if you’re being authentic to who you are and going towards that, and you know, not a jerk, you will find your people, whether it be a project, relationship, community, etc.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If immortality were real, what would you build?
Oohh this is a fun one! Okay, if I’m immortal I’m gonna say I’ve also managed to figure out how to have limitless funds. First off, I would definitely still be acting and creating to the nth degree. I’d travel the world, maybe with a fun home base like the Scottish Highlands, and rotate where we lived every decade or so. Hopefully friends also are immortal? Maybe we’ve just discovered the secret to immortality by then. I would be fluent in Spanish again, and have always wanted to learn French and Gaelic, among so many other languages. If I was immortal I’d also drink coffee with abandon without heart palpitations being a concern! I’d be funding projects while doing things I and our community cared about like investing in sustaining the arts by building theaters, making programs accessible, and using art to help people visualize a more communal world. And of course, we are for sure making some awesome movies!


Contact Info:

• Instagram: @trusamiam

Image Credits
Cathryn Farnsworth
Eric Keitel
Craig Polding