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Samantha Pearl is an American actress from the state of Virginia. She took theater classes and performed in numerous plays throughout middle school and high school, including 'Peter Pan,' and 'Troilus and Cressida,' and also took some Shakespeare classes as an English major. After college, she worked for years in IT as a technical and business writer but later got into film and TV acting and made her TV debut on Investigation Discovery's "Dead of Night." From the various roles she has played, she developed a deep love for embodying characters and exploring the full spectrum of emotion. She loves inspiring others through acting and enjoys projects that push her towards honing her craft and challenge her to grow as she explores her capabilities as an actress with a dynamic range. Samantha genuinely loves her craft since it allows her to harness her thoughts and energy into the ability to tell a story by embodying a character.
When Samantha had a moment, she chatted with Gemma Magazine about being an actress, the characters she is drawn to, and her unique creative process. We thank her for speaking with us! So, let's get started.
What inspired you to become an actress? I was looking for a more creative outlet and had done some theatre in middle school and high school. I love acting because it enables you to harness your thoughts and energy into the ability to tell a story by embodying a character. And through that, you can make people laugh, feel inspired, or evoke deep thoughts, which is very powerful.
Tell me a bit about growing up on the east coast.
I grew up in Sterling, VA. It's only around 40 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. and is right around the Potomac river, so it’s great for hiking and outdoor activities but also there are a lot of cute towns and cities nearby. I was mainly in Sterling my whole life, but also lived in England for two years in high school when my dad got a temporary job transfer there. It was a culture shock but was an incredible experience, and I got really into tea after living there!
Did you train to be an actress? I did some theatre in middle and high school and later took acting classes after I got into film & TV acting. I love studying improv, comedy, and drama and being aware of all the different acting techniques, such as Method acting.
How do you like auditioning and the industry in general? I love auditioning because it's a great way to explore new types of characters and discover an actor's strengths and weaknesses. It's also a chance to have an audience and sometimes practice things like improv. The industry changes daily, but I adapt to it every day and love the number of possibilities in it.
What characters are you driven to? I love that I have been able to portray many different types of characters so far in my career, and I especially love the ones that enable me to grow as an actor. I think I am interested in playing characters that are similar to how I am personality wise, but I’m also fascinated by roles that are very different such as villain types. I feel as if there is a lot to work with for a villain type role, and I am inspired by many performances such as Heath Ledger’s Joker, as well as Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, and also Robin Lord Taylor’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot. I think the roles that are extremely dynamic and challenging are some of the best kinds that many actors should aspire to get if they want to expand beyond their capabilities as performers.
What was it like to be on Investigation Discovery's Dead of the Night? It was my first TV role, and it was an incredible experience! I just learned so much about being on set from that day and met some lovely people. It was an intense role but was very memorable.
What are some of your favorite characters you have played? I played Birdie in a psychological thriller, "Psychopomp," and I liked how dynamic the nature was and how many different emotions there were. I also played a divorce lawyer in a series, "Anacostia," and it was a different and fun opportunity to get into the mind of a rigorous but stressed-out person.
Do you still do a lot of theatre? I am not currently doing theatre, but I would consider getting back into it.
What actresses do you admire?
Audrey Hepburn, Hilary Duff, Anne Hathaway, Alexis Bledel, Lauren Graham, and Emma Stone are some of my favorites. I admire their work immensel
Tell me about your musical interests. I have yet to play a character that sings, but I have a lot of musical interests and think it would be fun to be involved in a production with singing and dancing.
What is coming up next for you? I'm excited about new opportunities this year, taking more classes, and growing as an actor.
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