EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

SAM ASGHARI

THE ASCENT
A journey shaped by resilience, cultural duality, and earned ambition.

Conducted by Guillaume Jean Lefebvre

1. You have recently taken part in several television and film projects — from NCIS to Hacks, Hot Seat alongside Mel Gibson, and more recently The Traitors. Among these roles and experiences, which one are you most proud of, and why? Which upcoming projects are you most excited about?

Each project has represented a step forward in my evolution as an actor. Shows like NCIS and Hacks sharpened my technical discipline and respect for storytelling, while Hot Seat immersed me in a cinematic environment where emotional stakes mattered moment to moment. The Traitors stripped away performance entirely and tested instinct, psychology, and presence. What I’m most proud of is earning trust — proving that I can move fluidly between genres while continuing to grow as a serious actor. The projects I’m most excited about now are those that demand emotional depth, restraint, and truth.

2. Your journey began long before Hollywood. After immigrating to the United States, you chose to transform your life through fitness and bodybuilding before moving into modeling and acting. Can you tell us about this personal transformation and what motivated you at each stage?

My transformation was never about reinvention — it was about preparation. Immigration forced me to mature early, and fitness became my first form of discipline. It taught me how to show up daily, even when no one is watching. That discipline carried into modeling, and eventually into acting, where emotional availability replaced physical armor. Each phase prepared me for the next, all rooted in resilience and self-respect.

3. Before your work in film and television, you gained attention through memorable music videos such as “Work From Home” by Fifth Harmony and “Slumber Party” by Britney Spears. How did these early experiences influence your career path and your confidence?

Music videos were my introduction to camera language. They taught me awareness — how stillness, movement, and intention communicate emotion without dialogue. Those experiences gave me confidence, but more importantly, clarity. I realized I wanted to explore character, vulnerability, and narrative — not just presence.

Actor, entrepreneur, and rising Hollywood talent, Sam Asghari embodies a journey shaped by discipline, resilience, and ambition. From his notable on-screen appearances in major productions to the creation of his own fitness coaching platform, he has built a path where rigor and sensitivity move hand in hand.

Born in Tehran and raised in the United States, he carries a rich cultural perspective that informs both his craft and his worldview. On screen, he gravitates toward authenticity and emotional intensity; off screen, he stands for consistency, hard work, and integrity.

In this exclusive interview, Sam Asghari reflects on his artistic evolution, his career choices, and the deeper convictions that guide every step forward. A portrait of a talent in full ascent, determined to build a legacy that endures.

INTERVIEW

4. You founded Asghari Fitness, a platform offering personalized training programs, reflecting a strong passion for wellness and coaching. What inspired you to build this entrepreneurial project, and what values do you hope to share through it?

Asghari Fitness reflects the same principles I apply to acting: consistency, honesty, and longevity. It’s about mastering fundamentals and respecting process. Fitness saved me at a critical point in my life, and building this platform allowed me to give that structure to others while continuing my own growth.

5. The creative industry is evolving rapidly, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence. Are you concerned about the impact of AI on artists and creativity, or do you see it as an opportunity?

Technology will continue to evolve, but storytelling remains human. AI can support efficiency, but it can’t replace lived experience, intuition, or emotional truth. Acting is about listening, reacting, and understanding subtext — things that come from life, culture, and memory, not algorithms.

6. Having lived between different cultures — born in Tehran and raised in the United States — how have your multicultural roots shaped your outlook on life and your professional approach?

Being born in Tehran and raised in the United States gave me a layered emotional vocabulary. I understand contrast — freedom and restriction, silence and expression. This shoot draws from pre-revolution Iranian aesthetics because it reflects a time of cultural openness and cinematic elegance. That history informs my work as an actor and my responsibility to tell stories with authenticity.

Actor: Sam Asghari
Photographer: @Perbernal

7. Immigration is currently a sensitive and widely discussed topic. How do you personally experience the current situation in America and around the world, and what message would you like to share on this subject?

Immigration is not a statistic to me — it’s lived experience. It taught me empathy, perspective, and accountability. I carry gratitude for the opportunities America provided, alongside responsibility to represent those whose stories are overlooked. Film has the power to humanize complex realities, and that’s where I believe my voice belongs.

8. If you could go back in time and give one piece of advice to the child you once were, just beginning to dream big, what would you tell him today?

I would tell my younger self to trust the process and never disconnect from identity. Struggle builds range. Silence builds depth. Everything you experience becomes material — if you’re willing to listen.

9. For young people who aspire to follow in your footsteps — whether in fitness, modeling, or acting — what practical advice would you give them to prepare for such a diverse career path?

My advice is simple: take the craft seriously. Train. Observe. Fail privately. Build discipline before chasing recognition. Longevity in acting comes from patience and curiosity, not shortcuts.

10. Looking toward the future, what would be the ultimate project for you — perhaps a challenge you have not yet undertaken — that would push you to surpass all your current limits, whether through a role, a production, or an entirely new creative adventure?

The ultimate project for me is one that challenges me emotionally and culturally — a role that requires restraint, transformation, and truth. I’m drawn to stories rooted in identity, human rights, and moral complexity. My ambitions are expansive, but my approach is grounded. I want to earn every step forward and use cinema as a tool for impact, not noise.