We were lucky to catch up with Sam Harding recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sam , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Confidence and self-esteem are like a roller coaster. Ups and downs, constantly feeling on top of the world some days, then the next feeling low. I truly think all people are insecure in some capacity. Some are just better at hiding it than others, especially in today’s era with social media and the fraudulent lifestyles of so many people being blasted all in your face. It’s unhealthy, and no one needs to know what you are doing all the time. All social media is are the highs of life and shows none of the lows. I fell into this trap of living this fake lifestyle I thought people wanted to see, and it was miserable. I didn’t even realize I was living this way until I took a step away from social media. I stopped living for that high of others’ approval. It wasn’t until I fully unplugged and got rid of my iPhone, got a flip phone and lived off that for 30 days. It was one of the most peaceful times of my life. I still use it to unplug 1-2 days a week. I truly think the less you’re focusing on everyone else, and the more you take time with yourself, that’s where you find the root of confidence because you won’t find it from others.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am an actor and musician based in Los Angeles. I was born in Kansas City, Missouri. I knew was going to be an actor at eight years old after booking my first role in the musical “Annie.” With constant support from my family to keep pursuing this dream, I pursued theater for the next few years. During my theater career in Kansas City, I deeply fell in love with film and telling stories. I started shooting short films with my older brother at ten years old, and we have never stopped collaborating since. I continued to work in Kansas City as an actor, starring in various films, commercials, and some of the biggest theaters in the Midwest. When the time came for me to graduate high school in 2020, my brother and I moved to Los Angeles to pursue our dream of film and television. I have trained under Steve Eastin and Brian Culter and I continue to train with different schools and coaches. I am also mentored by Brian Thomas Smith (Big Bang Theory) and producer/director David Venghaus (Spider-man: No Way Home). Since moving to Los Angeles, I have participated in several short films and indie projects, as well as writing and producing projects for myself and others.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Acting tips and life tips that I live by: Dont compare
Success isn’t linear
Don’t act. Just be
Enjoy art for art. Not everything you create artistically needs to be made for everyone else. Art can be just for you too
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My family without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today with their constant support and love. As well as, being able to work with my brother as a director-actor duo has been a huge blessing. It’s been really fun to grow together in the industry, and I am grateful for that. Not many people get to have family alongside them their whole lives and in the industry, but I’ll always have my brother, and I think that’s really cool.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_sam_harding_/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHaHwzUljCBpvyHRylJD75w
Image Credits
Mathew Mohamid, Cory Vetter, Joanna Adams
