We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sam Menzou a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sam, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Growing up alongside my three brothers, our home was a hub of creativity and camaraderie. We didn’t have the distractions of the internet or social media, our world revolved around human connections and the shared experiences we created together.
With the arrival of a camera in our household, now it was time to put into practice what we saw in the mountains of movie cassettes in my old brother’s room. Me and my three brothers were filming sketches and short scenes of random different stories and showing them to our friends, cousins, aunties, uncles and even neighbours. And everytime we went somewhere they were asking to see more tapes about us and slowly they started sending their kids to our home in order to do sketches and films with us. In those moments, I found my purpose to use the power of storytelling to uplift, inspire, and connect with others. Whether through laughter, tears, or moments of reflection, I believe in the transformative power of stories to touch hearts, spark conversations, and bridge divides.
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?
From a young age, I’ve been fascinated by cultures, geography, language, and especially history. allowing me to approach things without judgment. This fascination has been instrumental in shaping my approach to acting.
I truly believe that in acting, understanding human relationships and knowing people from different cultures, backgrounds and countries is crucial. It’s not just about memorizing lines or hitting marks, it’s about digging into the intricacies of human interaction, capturing the nuances that make each culture unique.
This understanding informs my portrayal of characters, whether I’m playing someone from my own background or immersing myself in a completely different culture. It allows me to grasp what will truly resonate with audiences, making my performances more authentic and relatable.
Whether I’m on stage or on screen, I strive to bring a depth of understanding to my roles that goes beyond surface-level stereotypes or biases. By drawing on my knowledge of cultures and human relationships, I aim to create characters that feel genuine and true to life, enriching the stories I help bring to fruition.
What gets me excited about acting is the chance to tell stories that touch people’s hearts. I want to make characters feel like old friends, real and relatable.
I’m all about keeping it authentic. It’s like when you travel and skip the tourist traps to discover the hidden gems, the places that make a culture shine. That’s how I approach my roles. My purpose is to show the genuine side of my background, not just what people expect.
And as for the Rising Star Program, I feel incredibly privileged to be honored and chosen. It opened the door for me to attend the Cannes Film Festival, the most prestigious film market in the world. I’m excited to meet genuine people who entertain and impact the world, and I can’t wait to see what opportunities await.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, I believe three qualities have been crucial: curiosity, empathy, and Versatility.
For those starting out, I suggest nurturing curiosity by seeking information about anything related to your acting craft. Practice empathy by listening and understanding others no matter who you meet in the industry each person will tell you or bring something that you might find helpful for you so be open to listen and ask questions. Versatility will help you discover better choices for your character according to the context and the story of the project, discover new ways of reacting, moving and saying by inspiring from people you know in your life or watching documentaries.
Engage in workshops and classes to refine your skills and always remember that workshops are gym sessions for an actor. Discovering techniques like method acting and improvisation can be incredibly beneficial for actors. Understanding the Stanislavski method is essential, but it’s equally important to find the approach that best suits your personality and abilities. For me, delving into the Meisner technique has been enlightening.
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop where I was introduced to a fascinating technique by Patricia Chica called Chi Energy. This method focuses on harmonizing your body, brain, and energy levels to achieve a flawless performance while warding off any external factors that might subconsciously impact your acting.
In summary, keep learning, stay open-minded, and seize new opportunities to refine your craft.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
The person who has been instrumental in helping me overcome challenges is definitely Toufik Kediha, a friend I met on one of the film sets. Since then, we’ve become inseparable, and he’s been my saving angel whenever I face obstacles on this journey.
There are several key individuals who have played significant roles in my journey. Stephanie Martin and Andrew Sabiston provided me with invaluable tools and insights from their extensive careers in the industry. Amir Sam Nakhjavani served as a crucial mentor during my early days, offering guidance on navigating the industry as an actor from the MENA region.
Holly Gauthier Frankel has continually shared her wealth of knowledge in acting, enriching my understanding of the craft. My agent, Maria Morella, deserves special recognition for believing in my abilities from day one. She was the first and only agency I reached out to, following my intuition, and her support has been unwavering.
Lastly, Patricia Chica, a genuine individual, coached and helped me on the knowledge needed to succeed and progress rapidly in this journey. I’m also grateful for every fellow actor and crew member I’ve had the privilege of working with or meeting, as each of them has contributed something valuable to my growth.
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