At some point, while growing up, everyone has wanted to act. Whether it’s in front of a camera or on a stage, the idea of pretending to be someone outside of your everyday personality has always crossed people’s minds. For Samuel Smith, he managed to make the childhood aspiration come true.
Born in Miami, Florida, Samuel Smith grew up under a single mom’s care with his sister. The life of a single parent is never an easy one, and Samuel watched as his mother pulled the family together through many trying days. He made a promise to become successful in entertainment so he could show his mother the other side of life.
Samuel Smith went through his undergraduate studies at Alabama State University under the direction of Dr. Tommie Stewart. Under her guidance, he and his classmates were taught to get the job done. The reason being there weren’t always funds to hire the help needed to prepare the show’s production that was held where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts. He would continue to further his education at Brandeis University, earning his Masters Degree in Theatre Arts.
When he completed his studies, he found himself moving to the Big Apple, New York City. Samuel would start teaching Theatre Arts to school children. He approached the job with an underlying thought of helping them build their confidence and communication skills. Samuel enjoyed it so much that he created a company so he could continue to teach on his own terms.
As he worked in the New York school system, he saw there was a need to be filled in the way of empowerment. To do so, he made it a point to start his classes by encouraging them to share something about their lives and support each other. This empowerment breathed life into a workshop and a non-profit called ‘Bridge Builder Camp,’ where he does after-school programs and summer enrichment geared toward empowerment and education.
As an actor, Samuel Smith has worked in several shows, bagging additional credits on significant shows like House of Cards, Daredevil, The Inspectors, The Blacklist, The Good Wife, Leftovers, Elementary, Person of Interest, and the pilot Uptown Girls. His roles also include being cast as 6 and 8 in Godfather of Harlem on Epix, and has even managed to nail down a recurring guest star role on NBC’s Shades of Blue. His first roles include featuring on Cadillac Records as ‘the guitarist,’ the hit HBO series The Sopranos, and Law and Order: Criminal Intent.
Samuel has also performed on stage with roles in The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Brother Size, Camp Logan, The Diary of Black Men, and August in April.
Apart from teaching and acting, Samuel Smith also has other ventures. He owns a few businesses called Samuel Leon Leather and Better Than Perfect athletics, with a third business coming called Samuel Leon Men’s Suit Line. He knows that it’s important to not only be an artist and entertainer but also to own and create opportunities and wealth for oneself and family.
To find out more about Samuel Smith, you may visit his website.
