Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Grullon Ferrer.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Once upon a time on a tropical night in the Dominican Republic when I was maybe four years old, my dad held me and said something along the lines of, “Whatever you want to do in life, do it. Don’t think of anything else and just follow your passion.”
And ever since then, I’ve tried out different skills to see what stuck. I’ve always been a storyteller, had a big voice, was extremely animated, and wasn’t afraid to be in front of people or make a fool of myself in front of strangers. Then in grade 9 when my drama class was working on a production of The Wizard of Oz, it really hit me as I stood behind the curtains of that drama room that I really like this! I feel so happy and free performing, and it was the one way of expression that made sense to me. With my dad’s words engraved in me, I’ve been chasing acting ever since.
I started professionally training when I was 15 back when I lived in Toronto, and when my family came to the US, I started doing theatre when I attended Savannah Arts Academy. Outside of school, I was able to do my first bit of film work with a group of actor friends I met during my time in Savannah. Now I live in Atlanta (A.K.A “Y’allywood”) and diving into bigger stages and studios!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am very grateful for the fact that I knew exactly what I wanted from very early on. Regardless, there were times I completely lost faith in myself, which is something there really isn’t any room for in this industry. My vision for what I wanted to seem so far away, it was like trying to find a firefly in the middle of the thickest fog ever.
I touched down in the U.S. so sure of myself having started off so right in Toronto, but the culture shock coming from up there to down here hit me way harder than coming from the DR to Canada. I didn’t like my first experiences here, I went to the worst school I’ve ever been to, I was losing friends while trying to make new ones, and nothing was happening to me. I thought to myself, “what the heck am I doing in this city that no one knows about, there’s nothing here!”
Things got better when I got accepted into Savannah Arts and I am so grateful for all the wonderful opportunities I got there. Then I graduated in 2019, moved to a new city again, took a gap year, and just when I was packing to go to my first choice school in New York, the world shut down. I felt so stuck. It felt like everyone around me was moving forward while I fell behind. I fell into this hole of self-doubt and quasi-depression and really didn’t know what to do with myself. I wanted things to happen for me already and I was seeing no results yet. I was lonely, But I wasn’t alone.
I had my loving and supportive family at home who looked out for me and helped me find my way out of my rut. Thanks to them, I was able to go back to school online doing what I love and honing my craft more, I was able to go back to the gym, my social life was slowly repairing itself, and for the first time in years, I finally felt like my feet were steady on the ground again. I remembered my vision. With their help, I was finally able to catch that firefly in my hands.
From the moment I was born, my parents have done anything and everything in their power to put me in a better place, support me, and help make me into who I am today and where I am right now in my career!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an actress. I do anything that has to do with performing! Mostly theatre, film, and voice acting. I’m known for being extremely animated overall and having a face that reads like a billboard.
Some of my best and favorite performances were when I played Kramer in a theatrical performance of “Seinfeld” and when played Lady Bracknell in a performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest”. I think the thing that sets me apart the most is my big curly hair, my voice I can easily ramp up to volume 11, and my ability to fully learn songs or scenes from TV or movies to a T, even if I haven’t heard or seen it in ages!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The thing I like about Savannah the most is the historical aspect of the city that has been so well preserved. It’s a beautiful city with a vintage aesthetic that makes it so amazing to go to. I remember taking walks every day after school and my path would be tunneled with the Spanish moss trees and the gorgeous Victorian-esque houses on the streets.
No matter how bad of a day I had, those walks down these picture-perfect paths always cheered me up. I do wish Savannah was a more pedestrian-friendly city. Unless you’re in the heart of downtown, you need a car to safely get anywhere else, unless you’re like me who doesn’t mind walking a lot! It’s taken me a good while, but Savannah has grown on me.
Its distinctive southern aspect makes it so charming, from the infrastructure to the people. My favorite movie theatre is there, and it’s where I had my real first taste of that southern hospitality!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @samaramaaaa
Image Credits
Connor Newman
