And That's What You REALLY MissedGlee's favorite dreadlocked, barefoot character is on the pod!
Samuel Larsen got the role of Joe Hart after co-winning Season 1 of "The Glee Project." Now, he is opening up to Kevin and Jenna about his experience on both shows, including how he really felt about co-winning with Damian McGinty, Cory taking him under his wing, the deal with Chord, and some of his favorite memories working on Glee!
Plus, Samuel answers fans' questions, shares what he is working on now, and confession time . . . Kevin admits he was intimidated by Samuel's coolness, and Samuel admits he was fanboying the whole time!!
And That's what You Really Missed with Jenna.
And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.
Welcome to and That's what You Really miss podcast. This is a special podcast because we have Samuel Larson.
That's right, one of the two winners of season one, of the Glee Projects and duel dual winners. He supremely talented, supremely kind.
I always knew he was gonna win. I gotta say I knew he was going to win.
I I'm very foggy from that time.
I knew he was gonna win.
We were ushered in and out of the Glee projects so quickly, that's so true.
But I just knew. I knew.
I'm excited for everyone to hear his sort of take on coming into the Glee project because I think it was fascinating. Yes, not his first rodeo, you know. I want to interview everyone from the Glee Project because I'm fascinated by this because we knew nothing about it.
Really.
No, we're only getting the inner working through Damien and Samuel and maybe next one day.
Yes, exactly, Okay, without further ado, here is Samuel Larson. Thanks for joining us.
It was good to see at the strike for a second. Yeah, the picket lines.
Yes, we had to do our duty, right.
Yeah, that was really nice. That was like such a good to start off morbid for a second. A lot of times you've gotten together recently, it's not for like good news, and so like to get together for the strike was like a really nice.
Positive, corrective experience every part.
Yeah, everyone was there. It was cool.
Yeause yeah, like give me jobs, let's go back remember us.
Well, it's really good to have you.
We're so excited to talk to you about all things Glee.
How are you.
I'm great, I'm fantastic, I'm doing awesome. I'm loving where I'm at in life. How about you guys?
Yeah? Same, to get to see Jenna every week, which is really nice.
Just force with me so we can hang out. Let's get into this.
All of this because so we started season three recently rewatching season three, and so you come up and so does Damien, and it was just so lovely seeing both of you come on. And we've talked about it with any new person that comes into the show of how daunting and crazy that must have been. But you were so good and have such a great storyline that first episode. Let's talk about before that, how the hell the Glee project happened? What was that journey like?
Well, for me, I don't know if you guys remember I had gone up for Chord's role.
Yes, did you make a Chord during that? Did you see him at all during that process?
Oh?
Yeah absolutely? Yeah?
Oh wowz.
Yeah.
There was a they had done some sort of like MySpace, the audition thing where you have to submit a video you just like sing and talk about yourself. And I was like, I told my mom about it, and I was like, nothing's gonna happen. I'm not going to do it. And she was literally like, here's my camera. You're not allowed to go out until you make this video.
Oh and yeah.
Good mom, and she I made the video and there was like some sort of deadline you would hear by and I didn't hear anything, and I was like, see, told you, nothing would happen. And then I get this Facebook message from Fox and They're like, hey, we're trying to find you, and I'm like.
Fox showing up in the DMS.
Yeah, I'm like, what are you talking about? I'm right here.
So I called the number and I was just like, hey, it's Samuel, Like Samuel.
I'm like Samuel Larson, like, oh my god. They start freaking out.
I get Robert Orrich on the phone, and the next day I was at Fox like auditioning, and I remember I was like the only one going up for that didn't have an agent, so Robert gave me his agent. He's still my agent now, Row and my god, really yeah, it was incredible. And then the callback was a couple of days later. There was like six of us and in that room was everyone Ryan and Ian and Bruh. It was, it was, it was really intimidating. I kind of blacked out. I just kind of did my thing. And then I mean I knew I kind of knew I wasn't going to get it because he's really.
Sam's a quarterback.
And I came in with like dreadlots and like twelve necklaces on and I remember Robert was like, please button the bottom button on your shirt.
Because I was always had that open.
Yeah.
I was like, this is not I'm not going to catch this one.
Always very you know, yeah, I.
Couldn't help it.
But he didn't call me afterwards and was like there's always new characters. Just hang on, I know you have this new agent now, like just wait, and then I moved to La like maybe like maybe nine months later or something, I get the email about Glee project and it was so pissed. I was pissed off. I was like, there were six of us, and now you want me to jump to this one thing. And they're like, don't worry about it, we'll throw you in when there's like two hundred people left and only two hundred people, I was.
Oh, yeah, yes, like I already got that. I already did this right.
I was like I was this close, and now you want me to yeah, do it again? Yeah? But so I was like really mad and I had like the contract.
I was like, I'm not going to do it, and then I was like, well, I'd be stupid not to do it, And like the deadline to mail it in was really close, and I looked at the address where I'd be mailing it too, and it was literally two blocks away from me.
So I signed it all and I walked it over.
And now did you watch Glee?
Like did you watch it consistently or had you just heard of it when you were going to submit this tape.
That it was my favorite show I watched it every single week. I remember my friend Olivia showed it to me. It blew my mind because it was so camp and like a comic book, and it was edgy even though it was camp. It was like I just immediately was like, I get what's going on here?
Yeah, you understood it better than we probably did at the time.
Yeah, my comic book is a really great way to describe it.
Yes, very good, very very Yeah.
I knew. I was like I want to get there, you know.
Wow, Well, okay, so you did. You did the Glee project. Now what was.
What was that?
Like?
That like, because we talked to Damien about it and we get to we got to understand a little bit more of the inner workings. Obviously we came in and like you know, did our little judging and got out, but you know, tell.
Us more about that experience for you.
Well.
Also, the thing is like Damien beforehand had sort of a career, was on tour and do it. Like, what was what were you doing? I guess you know, pre being on that because you obviously came in and were very much like you looked you sounded like an artist, like you had been doing this for a long time. Like when we met you, it was like, Oh, this dude is like a real the real deal, like a real thing. Were you doing all of that pre like we was trying to be an actor? Were you trying to be an artist? Like what was the.
I don't like acting stuff as a kid, and I think the rejection when you're a child, you just don't get it. But I always liked and I always played music. I had like been the singer of a few bands and like did some solo stuff.
I was. I was very into making music.
I had just done season nine of American Idol, like right before Glee Project.
That's part of the reason I didn't want to do it is I was like just on.
A reality show, Like what am I just going to hop around and do reality shows the rest of my life? And that's why I went and so determined too. I was like, Okay, I have to win this one.
And I imagine that having that experience or American Idol is ten times you know whatever. The Glee Project probably was so very prepared for sure, exactly if you can do that, then like Glee Project, no big deal.
It was also kind of nice to like, I mean season nine of that show. I could see how unoiled of a machine. Season one of Glee Project was I was like, these guys don't really know what they're doing. Oh yeah, it was you could tell they were figuring it out as we went. So like we showed up when there was the twelve twelve of us, right, we were just in this camp in like Glendale. They took all they took all our phones, they took everything, which is actually kind of a blessing because with zero distractions, like a little EMP three player with whatever we were working on, and it was great.
To just hyper focus. I appreciate that. Yeah.
I remember we had like the weekends off and we could go to the mall and I saw like Jamien and Rolling Stone magazine and I'm like what, I was like, did you're already there?
Man's very funny and.
We looked like YouTube interviews with Brian about Glee Project and he was starting to say things like there might be more than one winner.
We're like we're getting and right right. It was great.
So you enjoyed the experience that because I you know that there were some words that Damien used about, you know, feeling like kind of like a pressure Croockert there. It was very competitive. Everybody really wanted it, Like what was your kind of mindset in it? Because you obviously wanted to win it because you had done in reality before.
Yeah, I definitely had a different mentality than everyone else, and it was because of America. American Now really crushed me. M and I went in like this is not for fun. We're not making friends, We're getting a job. And like you know, people would ge it sent home and people would be crying, and I'd be like, this is great for me.
I'm fine with things, and.
Even another one down.
Yeah, I was like I just went through this, They'll be fine, you know.
I remember I wanted it so bad, Like I remember even at the end before like they were going to choose the winner that day, the producers pulled me aside, were like, hey, Samuel, like just have perspective. Okay, this isn't everything, Like don't do anything stupid if you don't get it. And I'm like, guys, I'm gonna get it. It's fine, don't worry.
Wow.
It was so determined.
Yeah, yeah, I mean did it feel like along the way, like did you feel like, Okay, I got this in the bag, Like I'm the front runner, Like I'm the one to beat.
It.
Definitely vacillated for sure.
I mean when you have someone like Alex there who can just sing anything, and then you start hearing how much they love the Damien. There's definitely moments where I was like, I am not the best one to hear. It wasn't until the very end that I was like, I think I could do this. Maybe they had to be something beyond just like singing or like just talent.
It had to be an energy.
Yeah, that happened.
I mean I remember when we showed up to do that. I remember thinking how different all of you were from one another. Yes, like this is in a great way, like Robert was such a pro at putting, like you put all of us together in the beginning of the show of everyone is incomparable in that way. Everyone has their own Like I said that, you were so uniquely you, so is Damien, so is Alex, is everybody.
That's why they put on the show, you know what I mean.
And that's why they put you guys all on the show because you could all on your own you know, shine your own light.
Yeah.
When I came in for the episode in your competition, I remember them saying Samuel won the last three, and I, because I did want to pick you nice and awesome, I did, and they had said, you know, Samuel has won the last three and I was like, oh, you want me to pick somebody else because I'm going to pick Samuel, and you want somebody else.
So that it's not just an obvious win.
Wow, that's cool.
Yeah, okay, front runner right.
I had a strategy when I did it, I did. I noticed that, like everyone was just coming in, singing their highest notes and dancing the hardest they possibly could. And I was like, you're going to run out of tricks, you know what I mean? Like, I was like, how how can I do just good enough to make it through? But not so good that they're like what? Skating by as long as I could? And then when they were like, hey man, we need more, I was like, oh there's more.
I love this game play. I know you didn't want to do reality shows, but now I need to see you on like that show Traders or something like. I want to see you. Yeah, system, because you guys got down How old are you smart? Why is beyond your years? Because you exactly knew how to play this. I mean that was the other thing, like when I some people you could see sort of like the fear of God in their eyes and their performing, or some people were more prone to like, I'm really good, I can just sort of phone it in a bit. And then so I do think everyone did have their different levels of professionalism or lack thereof, And that's probably why we all kept picking you as the winner every week, because you're like so solid.
Well thank you, that's cool.
Well you won, And then they said Damien was winning too. How did you feel?
I felt amazing because because Damian and I like, I felt like I didn't have to go in through it alone. I remember even saying backstage like I just liked how humble Damien was the whole time. He was a really humble guy. And I remember before they even announced the winner, I was like, dude, if it's not me, like, I hope it's you.
I remember.
But then we win, and he joined so much quicker than I did. Yeah, right, and I was like, hey, guys, what's going on.
Where you were?
I thought they changed their mind. Yeah, I would didn't come into the fourteenth episode. I'm like calling Robert, like, just tell me that they changed their mind.
Or something.
Oh god, that has to be so terrifying.
Oh yeah, and then I show up and Damien's already like great friends with you guys.
I'm like, I just got here.
Yeah, oh god, a lot of thoughts in that time.
Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure. Well you did. You joined, you joined an episode.
And you you came in as teen Jesus, what did you think of that for a storyline? Were you just stoked to have anything, like to be joining the show.
I was just stoked to be there and so nervous to be there.
And I think there was there was always this I'm sure you could tell like behind the scenes, like there was always that character was very much me in high school and having moved to LA and like finally like not at home. I wanted to really be myself and I was always edging for like, come on, I want to be who I am currently.
Not who I was.
So I was always trying to be more edgy outside of work than in work. But yeah, I was just happy to do that. I was happy to have a character that was like touching on some real stuff, you know what I mean That I liked.
That first episode was so great with that the club and all of you like talking about religious things and like can we sing to Santana in Britain? And I was like, what a way to just throw them into the deep end, because like we have all these Christian groups mad at us, and we're gonna put you in front of them. Good luck.
I thought that was I was so happy to do that because it was real.
It was something real that like people needed to talk about, not just hey here I am.
It was like, yes, we get to there's a message here that I liked.
Right, especially coming from someone like you were an actual fan of the show. How was it in the beginning then, to like do scenes like that with like Amber them, who you like watched for a couple of years.
It was.
It was so scary. I remember my first scene. I was just I didn't even know that I was doing it till I saw the episode. But like that first scene in the God Squad, I'm just like spitting out my line so fast, like don't mess up, don't mess up, and then Ryan comes out of nowhere and it's like you're doing great, and I'm.
Like, oh god, he's watching.
I'm like it was just so scary, and like you guys were all there like real, it was so wild.
Yeah, it took me. It definitely took me a minute to settle in.
I'm sure. I mean were we nice? Oh yeah, I hope you were. You could be honest.
Yeah, you guys were very nice. You guys were super nice. And also like I just thought you guys were so cool and that's that's why.
Oh yeah, I was intimidated by your coolness. You were so cool, you like hang out in the base camp just like with your necklaces and ship like this kid, why so like I'm an idiot, I'm a clown and this kid's like already, Like your voice was so cool like this rast like when you sing, I was like, why doesn't my voice sound like that? You know? It was an amazing that.
And I it was It's cool to have an opportunity to tell you guys this too, because it's like after the fact that like the whole time, I was just like, oh, they'll never know how much I love them and how much I think they're so good. Like I had a lot of standboy on my own set, but I was just the whole time watching and I was just like, I'm such a.
Nice you did do a good job of like because I didn't know you were I had not known you were like a big fan in that way.
Yes, you played it very cool. You're a really good actor.
I will take lessons at some point.
I can imagine, though, that being so difficult, like just being such a huge fan of the show that you watch and then like stepping in, Like I I saw Spring Awakening for the first time on Broadway and like that it like blew my mind. And not for one second did I think, like, oh, I'm going to be in that show one day. Never in my million years did I ever consider it. It was like it's just one of those shows that I was like, they're not going to put an Asian girl on the German show like that, it's crazy.
And then when I got the part, it was like I was like, oh, this is like the cast of Broadway right now.
Like it was terrifying, And thank god I knew like Leah and everybody, you know a few of them in there, but I I understand.
So I'm glad we were nice to you because I who knows where we were.
Yeah, that was when we really started to hit our breaking points, and obviously like you were there with us like some of those days and some of those moments were just so rough, and so we all started to like the wheel started to come off, and it.
Was really strange at times.
So and my memory like doesn't fully serve me as like to where I was emotionally to other people.
Yeah, it's a scary thing to like imagine because in my head, I'm like, I think we were nice to there were people coming on, but but it's like we all had bad days and stuff, and so like you don't know if your first day, like maybe I was in a foul mood and that was the impression you got. It's like you just never know those things. Well, like Jenna was saying when she got into Spring likening having people she knew, like Leo, how big having Damien there with you and who's somebody who had already started Like did he like get Yeah, like what what the what the deal was?
You know?
It was it was really good to have him there.
Yeah, because we had this whole experience together with him, and I knew what we were feeling. We were guests in your guys's house. That was very humbling for us. For me, but yeah, him starting sooner, I show up to set. He's already been to parties with you guys. He's already like has all these this rapport with everyone, And I was like, am I an outsider again with my own kind?
That was that was a little hard.
Yeah.
And then also just to touch on this, I remember, uh they told me I was going to start in episode thirteen, which was the Michael Jackson tribute. So yes, I love Michael. I remember talking to this move to you about this. Yeah, yeah, I remember you coming in at some point You're like, I'm so pissed because I really want to do that Michael. Episode was like and we needed you. You would have been great, you know, that would have been cool. But so it makes sense. I mean, how were they going to introduce me in that episode?
That's hard, right.
There was barely enough time for any of the music, so it's true they'd be like, who, who's this guy?
He sounds like.
It was so exciting and so humbling and like, yeah, for took a long time. It was.
There were so many like polarizing feelings going on at the same time, you know, like I'm on this big like production, but I still have like remnants of my of my old life, like my beat up car I would show up in and I'm just like, I have these ties to like, this is news, this is where I was.
And yeah, that was just a whirlwind for sure.
I think that's a really important thing to mention. I think now a days, because of the strike, people outside of in him of business are starting to learn about the disparity between some of those things where you see people on a show and you're like, oh, they must be immediately rich and famous and their life meet must be completely different. But for all of us, like we all came, Like I was driving around a total car for most of the first season while we were filming Glee, And I think that's an important thing to remind people of. Like you people normally it takes so long to get anything, and then when you do, you've usually amassed some sort of debt and it takes time to get these checks and pay back all the debts you owe and all of that. But you're on TV already, and during Glee, it's like you're in front of ten million people, six million people, whatever it is, every single week all of a sudden, and so like you go out and are viewed by the outside world one way, but like you said, like, then you get into your like old beat up car and go home to this apartment you just got. Could you just move to La right? And it's a really weird, like complete mindfuck.
Oh yeah, like no middle ground is complete nou side of the spectrum.
And I was talking to it. I have a friend who's on a Netflix show currently, a really big Netflix show, and I did that thing where I was like projecting. I was like, oh, well, he's on like one of the biggest Netflix shows, he must be. And then he was like talking about all that stuff, the life stuff. I was like, right, right, you do ten episodes the season or twelve episodes, like whatever it is. That's like, okay, yeah, because you see these people like flying around the world to like go to fashion shows and do these things. You're like, oh, but you're still we're here struggling.
Yeah exactly, Yeah, exactly.
But I think it's important to talk about too, especially you had to go through the first thing of auditions final six didn't get it. After doing a reality show, then you can put on another reality.
Show like here he is, And I'm like, you have no idea, You've.
Already been on TV for at a minute. Yeah, exactly.
Maybe that was good though. I prepared that definitely. There was definitely a lot of preparation in that to that.
I think if you can take away, yeah, if you can take away those positive things, which sounds like you did then and you have like a level head which you've always had, then I think it is a benefit to be able to go through those things and withstand them and come out on the other end of them better for it, because not everybody. I think most people probably don't because reality shows can break you, I think, and you seem to be come out of me like I got a strategy.
Yeah.
Man, I remember like it was like the last week of the first week on Glee Project and just seeing everyone go so freaking hard and I'm like they're they're they're messing up, that they're done like that that you can you can't do that for two months.
You know.
How do you feel like looking back on the show on Joe's arc of the season that you were on, sorry two seasons, how do you feel about the arc of the character? Do you feel like you were utilized in all the ways you could have been? Were you just still kind of like happy to be there? By season four? Like, what was that for you? In hindsight now.
I mean season three, I was just yes, so happy to be there, really liked that I had a very important message with my storyline. I was like, that is so cool. I get to be a part of such a great message and open open some eyes to do how things should be, how things ought to be. And but I always I don't know if you I was. I didn't get any solo, Like I never had a song is just mine.
So.
I don't know how make you feel.
Well.
I'm always going to frame it and in the most empowering way I can.
Maybe maybe that's why I'm supposed to make and put out music now, because now you can if you want to hear me do a solo, you can hear my music.
That's right, I'll be for interesting. It's interest in not ever having a solo.
I just had so many ideas of what I wanted to do, and I remember when season four came around, I had so many ideas of how what I can what I wanted the character to be, and like I would pitch it to like Brad and stuff, and I'd just be like, yeah, okay, to do it. And by then I was just kind of there. And now I'm kind of like I'm seeing everyone doing solos and I'm like, oh, I can do this. I want give me a chance to do this, and yes, I know I can, Like I just knew I was made to do this, and and then I get you know you, I didn't know how good I have at it for sure, because there's there was definitely a time there where I was like, man, I'm just kind of here, but I'm not really that important. I'm just kind of rounding out the classroom, and now looking back at it, I'd be like, dude, shut up, just be in the classroom.
Being quiet.
It was frustrated because I just wanted to perform so bad. I wanted it to be an upward trajector, and it kind of went like my storyline became less, which has happened with other characters too, of course.
Oh yeah, most of us.
Yeah, we felt similarly.
We got to do more than you did, but we felt some relarly in that way where like you're like, you get hired for this job to do your job, and then you don't really get to do it to your full potential.
You just don't feel like you're being used.
And that is it's frustrating as an artist because it's so hard to get a job in.
The first place, and then you're there and then you're like, well let me show you, you know, So it can be really frustrating.
But again comfortable. I'm like, god, I'm not anymore. It's okay. I mean, it's just it's just awesome that it happened.
I was supposed to do seven episodes and I did like episode so it's like, yeah.
Did you know it was going to keep going like that? Or did you find out from episode to episode that you were just still hanging?
It was episode to episode.
It was like we'd wrap an episode, I'd be like, oh, don't know what's going to happen, and then I get the phone, I get a script delivered my house and be.
Like, okay, we're still here.
Wow, oh my gosh.
They might kick me out of an episode. Like the next episode, I wouldn't be in it. I'd be like, oh god, is that it was?
That it?
And then well you did disappear with no real explanation, Like what does that disappoint you? Yeah?
I mean not at the time, because at the time I just felt like hot ship and I was like, I am of comodity.
Now everyone's gonna want me in their thing.
And it was definitely cool for like a second, but then you realize you're like, oh, like I'm I'm sure you noticed. Like being on Glee helped me mostly, but there's times it hurt me as well. There's been There's definitely been times where people people wanted me for a movie or something and they're like, yeah, but you're on Glee and I'm like.
Oh, yeah, okay, ship got it. Yeah, it's a weird.
It's a weird thing.
It's a weird thing.
But I was so ready to be myself, like I didn't I didn't feel like that teen Jesus guy in my real life anymore. And I remember telling Brad. I was like, hey, we're about to go on Hiatus. I was like, it's it cool if I cut my hair and He's like, yeah, go for it. And then I realized I'm like, oh did I just like did I just yeah? But again I was like, oh, this is it's going to be so sick from here. And it's had I've had my ups and downs, but it's been it's been a great ride.
Yeah, it's it's really, I'm not surprised, but it is really fascinating to hear like everybody, all of us had our own version of like that experience of am I going to get fired? Or like you and like Damien and all people knew people coming in and going episode to episode wondering like are you going to be here the next eight days again? To do this episode? Like what a wild and stressful. Luckily we were all so young and didn't really know any better. I think it was probably the saving grace of all of it, Yes, because if it was now, I would be like, ask them when they need me, like, am I going to be here? I don't want to wait around, like just wonder.
Yeah, I thinks are higher now yeah.
Go now you know we know too much now, you know? Yeah?
Yeah, that was a scary time.
I bet it was just again just so many mixed feelings about everything, you know, right, because by the end, I was like, they don't even need me here. I'm gonna go do big things.
Strike when and we're like you're hot shit, like let's go.
And I'm trying to go.
For all these TV shows dreadlocks and they're like this show takes place in the eighties, and I'm like, you knows, sometimes have no imagination zero.
I think that was the other thing too. I think as hard as all of it was, there was a magic with brad Ian and Ryan and Robert oric of seeing something in all of us that in ways that like we weren't getting jobs outside of that, you know, beforehand and during it, where they saw some sort of uniqueness and specialness within all of us when other people weren't, which was also I think they're like, well, now we've been seen, so surely everybody else sees it too, right. I know it's just Ryan.
Totally, You're right. We were really lucky.
Like, yeah, I look back at it now and I'm like, what the hell else was I going to get the way that I was like, wereated that?
You know?
Yeah?
Yeah.
I think Ryan like seeing Chris Colfer in the initial audition and creating that role of Kirk for him was like the biggest indicator of how he was going to go about doing the show, because I mean, just how Robert had you come back again because he knew that.
You there was there was a word for you somewhere to fit into this group.
Like Glee needed Samuel Larson on the track right sort of thing, like it was thanks to mom for Yeah, what did I wanted to ask you that? How did you call Mommy?
Like?
Thanks? You're right. If he didn't make me do this tape does my Space audition, I wouldn't.
Oh, definitely. I was like, Wow, how different things would be? Like I was really about to go out with some friends and she's like, you're not allowed to go out and here's my camera to make this and and and good honor, like she just believes so hard. Like my mom's the one that like when I was in high school and I found out like the guitar player from Chili from John for Sure they quit the redout Chili Peppers, She's like, what's the singer's phone number?
You need to call him?
Like you should be the guitar player. I'm like, what do you think is gonna happen? Like I love I love it too, and I need to. I really learned to like try to carry that possibility around with me because look, you know here we.
Are, Yeah, exactly, nothing is impossible. Do you have a.
Favorite memory from your time of life?
Oh my god, yes, or a not favorite memory show.
Favorite memory? I really enjoyed doing Night Fear. That was such a fun day. That was a really fun number. Of course doing Stereo Hearts, it was like, yeah, I'm sure you know, like when there's silence in the room and it's time to do like some acting, it could be really daunting your your first everyone there's music and everyone's dancing, you can like hide behind the music. It was that really set me free, Like that was such a fun moment because I was like, this is what I do.
Like here we go.
What were some of the ideas you had for songs that you wanted Joe to do? If you remember.
Any well, I know that.
I mean.
I know that Ryan knows how it's like, I don't know what's the best way to put this. You know, there's lot of ROUGHI your feathers a little bit, like I remember saying in like an interview that I wanted to do Human Nature by Michael Jackson, and I think he had known there was like a weird thing between me and me and Cord were always like either best friends or there were something weird. And I love that guy, but that was always the thing with us. I don't even know why, but I remember when he gave human nature to him, and I was like, I know what you're doing or maybe I'm completely wrong, but like in my head, I was like my song. I really wanted to sing that song because also like what Michael Jackson songs are in your rage and like that one, it's like truly you you know and you killed, you killed Michael Jackson.
I was also like I couldn't complain because I got Michael songs, but I was like, damn, I wanted you in nature.
Yeah, I really wanted to do that one. Yeah, just to mention it.
Like I think for every new guy that came in, Corey was just the best. Corey would just completely take you under his wing. I remember just always coming up to me. He's like, what's up, TV star, how you doing, And would take me out to lunch and just really it was really easy to feel welcome with him, specifically because I could tell he was paying extra attention to me to make sure I felt welcomed and that was huge for me. And I saw him do it with others as well, Like I saw him do it when when Blake joined as well, and I was like, I know what he's doing, Like that's his thing, and I think that's great, and it's and it brought up the best of me.
Like I see certain scenes.
And I'm like, we filmed this like right after me and Corey just had lunch, And I think that's why I'm doing better because I was more comfortable having just hung out with him.
So Yeah, the.
Board, I think every guest that we've had, every crew member we've had, has always mentioned the kindness that Corey personally brought to them. I mean there's very few interviews that I think people don't mention that.
Yeah, and it was a very quiet. He was quiet about it because you wouldn't showy.
It was just a genuine, genuine feeling of like inclusivity for him.
He was a real leader on set in that way. And I don't think like I didn't necessarily realize it to the extent that he was doing that. So we started interviewing people.
Right And also him and I were, I mean, him and I were the most consistent cigarette smokers.
We smoked every day, so we were always.
Outside, just us to a lot of the time, smoking and bonding and up. It was like our thing. We were, you know, let's go have one. And I think that helped a lot too. Yeah, for the best reason, but.
No, but it's definitely a he's probably very thankful to have go. There's a guy and.
He's like, you know, we can get crafty to get a cigarette, and I'm like, oh, way, that's awesome.
Wow, that's so sweet. Though.
We have a few fa well, there's quite a few. We posted to ask some questions because you were coming on the show, and some people wrote in, so we have some fan questions for you.
Awesome.
Somebody Tonic said, what was it like to film without shoes on?
Oh? I mean that was just very inspired by me.
When I was seventeen, I pretty much I went with the whole year without wearing shoes.
Shut out, that is zero.
I was living in a suburb at the time, so it wasn't as Dirney like.
When I moved to La I was like, we're not doing that at all, you know. I was in this.
Weird I was playing in a band, and I was very inspired by like Lenny Kravitz and Bow and I remember just thinking like I didn't feel like I was old enough for masculine enough for boots yet, but I didn't like the old the old shoes I was wearing, and I was like, the only way I'm gonna pull off is I'm just not gonna wear shoes. And I remember when I did my when I made it to the bottom three on Glee Project for the first time, I came out barefoot and Ryan was like, he gave me a second And they didn't hear this, but he gave me a second chance afterwards, and you know what he told me. He was like, He's like, you did the same thing you did in the audition. He's like you you're awesome, You're whatever other adjectivity use he's like, but he's like, you are are not vulnerable enough.
And I was like, oh, that's what you want to see from me.
I thought you wanted me to be a rock star and he's like, no, I want to see you be vulnerable. So he said, go backstage, get your guitar, put some shoes on, and come back out and do something else.
Put some shoes on.
Yeah.
So but then they wrote my character with no shoes, so that's I.
Think Ryan just had a thing about no shoes.
Then he did, didn't he I think.
I think he did. I think it was a personal.
Yeah, he's the opposite of Quentin Tarantina.
Oh my god. It was great. It was nice filming without shoes on. It was I was used to it.
I hear that. I hear that.
I was like, how clean was the set floor? I don't know that's true.
Ka Bell Zoo said, what was it like to play two drastically different characters, Joe and Glee and Zed Evans in after?
Well, Uh, Joe was they're both me.
Joe was just me, like in high school, that's exactly who I was, very much me. And then Zed was who I got who I am more of who I am now, who I got to be when I didn't have to like make sure my parents were not mad at me, and I was trying to do the people pleasing thing.
Like I knew in the back of my head.
I was like, when I'm out of here, I'm going to loose and I'm going to be who I really want to be.
So Ed was real who I really am now. Yeah, both me. It was nice to.
Play Zed because I was like, it was very much who I was now. They even like, let me wear my own clothes.
Wow wow. Yeah.
See if we're talking about clothes, that's what was really funny too, about like Joe's wardrobe was like, even though it was very bohemian, it was like the nicest clothes ever.
Like everything was so expensive. I was just like, he looks.
So like bohemian and and yeah, but everything was like those cardigans were like a thousand dollars.
Always this is ridiculous, Like I'll always be pissed I had the cheapest wardrobe on that show. Everyone you had some.
Stuff from Barney's Kevin don't scarf scarf, That's what about that dinosaur belt?
Okay, the belts maybe, but like I was wearing use larges from like J. C. Penny, my button ups and a lot of it was like Goodwill and with my orthopedic.
Some of your sweaters did smell.
Yeah. Yeah, well I'm happy Samuel had whatever. I'll get over it one day. Amy Aby wants to know. Did you enjoy the Quinn Joe relationship?
Of course, there was always the thing.
There's always the thing of like we knew we were going to have more camera time if there was some sort of love interest going on, so I was like, yes, there's gonna be camera time as well. It was it was really fun becoming friends at as well, and that was I guess saving all My love for you was maybe the closest that I ever got to like a solo our duet, which was I love how they arranged that as well, because we switched from like who was doing the high harmony.
I just thought that was such a cool arrangement.
Your voices are so pretty together too.
Yeah, thanks, Yeah, I was. I'm very proud of that specific track. But yeah, of course it was such a fun time. It was fun to really like that's when I really felt like I was doing some acting because it was one on one and it was deeper. You know, if any scene in anything, like when it's one on one gets deeper than if it's a classroom environment or there's five people there. So it was nice to really dive in and yeah and yeah, and she helped me feel more welcome as well, Like, yeah.
It was awesome.
Wind Dreamer Entertainment wants to know when we'll see an album or some new music from you.
They it's your voice.
Oh, that's that's really sweet. You know.
I feel like it's taken me this long to find myself as an artist, to be honest, I think I've gone through some things in life and I finally have like a lot that I want to say, and I've always.
Had qualms with my voice.
I think that's what's humbled me a lot in my journey is that you know, we're talking Michael Jackson and Prince and Bow. It's like the greatest of all time. And just knowing that I'm not them almost me a lot. Knowing, you know, as a singer, like knowing your limits almost you a lot.
But I don't know.
I think I have an EP that's coming out. I'm actually gonna start campaigning the first single here really soon, and I think it's like the most me it's ever sounded, and it doesn't sound like anything else I've put out. It's just like I found where I like to sing that I that I like my voice, and it's probably the music you walk away from not going like, oh, that guy is such a good singer. It's like it's it's not about singing good as is. It's using my voice as a tool for like the heart that I want to make and I'm just really excited about it. I have an EP that'll be out probably in a few months. I'm going to drop singles until the EP comes out. It's gonna be called When Love kills you and then by the end of the year, I want to have an album out. I think I saw their friend the other day is like, just have your just do your first album, like whatever you think it is supposed to be, just let that go, especially if you're in that head space maturity. Yeah, it's happening. I mean, they're just it's I don't know, and I produced it myself. It's the first thing I've produced everything myself, and I don't know. I just think I found myself and it happened later than I thought, and that's okay.
That is okay.
Yeah, but the journey, there's something about I love one artists, so you know, can like really sing, like you can really sing like showing restraint or that like sweet spot that you're talking about. I love that when it's like I know what you can do. But it's like even I think for what the.
Intent is or the motivation is behind it, or.
It's harder I think to have that restraint and to like play within the part that you feel most comfortable. And I think it's harder to do that. Like you were talking about Glee project, when people came in the first week doing the most you're like, no, I'm not doing that. I do think like Beyonce did on Renaissance. You know, you're just like Beyonce. That's what I'm saying. Yes, finally, I know that's what you want to hear.
Wow, what is the feeling that Glee leaves you with?
Like like as a viewer, as as a part of it, a part of it, or felt very seen like you were saying, like felt very understood, really felt like you they understan. Yeah, like they just understood who I was and what my strengths were and where my vulnerabilities were. And as much as I wanted to like be myself currently at that time of my life as a nineteen twenty year old, I was looking back on it. It's like, it's so cool that I got to represent who I really was in high school and like there's a lot of parallels there, and they didn't even know who I was in high school, but somehow they got my energy and wrote me as a teenager and now it's immortalized forever, and like those messages that they gave Joe as like immortalized forever, which is really cool. I want to mention this just because I said Joe, I don't know if you guys know this, but my character's name was Apollo until five minutes before my first scene.
That's right.
We Yeah, I don't think I knew that, And why did? Do you know why they changed it?
Because it's because it's not biblical, probably why they chose Joe. There's a lot of really cool biblical names there are. But yeah, it was like literally I was in the trailer, make up done, ready to go, and they're like, oh, we have one.
More change your whole character's name.
That is a huge thing. That's a huge difference thing.
Yeah, Paulo, I thought was so cool. But then I'm like, all right, let's go shoot it. And I'm just like, who am I? Hey whatever, I'm here, you know.
Yeah, yeah, welcome in a nutshell guess what.
Yeah, Well, we were so grateful that you you said yes and you know, popped on this week. We're so it was so nice to speak with you. You brought such a nice, fresh kind cool energy and vibe and like confident vibe to our group, and I'm so glad we were nice to you in the beginning.
You were you were.
But yeah, we had such a we had so many good memories on on those crazy days and those crazy times, and we're just so happy for you and where you're at now.
So everybody make sure you check out Samuel singles and his EP and his album at the end of the year that hopefully will be out and hold you to it.
Yeah yeah, now I'm accountable, Yes exactly, But honestly, you guys, like, thank you so much for having me. Those memories I look back on are like some of the best times of my life, some of the best feelings I've ever had, and you guys are so instrumental to that and just being able to even be fly on the wall watching what you guys do. You guys are so talented and inspiring and just yeah, really really cool.
Thank you.
Likewise, you haven't changed. That's wonderful, like you've al I hope people take away from this like how just nice you are and talented, because it was really nice to be around someone and be like, damn, we got ste of our game. Yeah yeah, yes, yes, absolutely, and you made us better and it was You were such a great addition. So thank you again for spending the time to talk about this with us.
Yeah, pleasure, Thanks for having me.
You're the best good luck.
Yes, thank you.
Hope to see you in person again soon.
Yes, yes, please, thanks, thank you, Thanks guys.
I don't think that we've we we got to talk to Samuel all that much towards the end because he left before the show ended. To hear his whole experience is so uplifting to me. I think it's really nice to hear his appreciation for just where he was despite some of the challenges and you know, being a little bit underused, Like we all felt that way because there were fifty of us at the time, like when he was on, but like really just it's really refreshing to hear.
I also feel sort of bad because it was a disparity, but because I'm a broken record, but because we were sort of losing our minds by the time he came in, like or we had lost our minds by the time he came in.
It's why I keep saying I was so grateful we were nice to him, because like my memory is just so yeah.
I don't like John had. There was a little window when Damien came in, and we had like a couple of brain cells.
Left, yes, and then by the time Samuel came in, they were gone.
Yeah, and so I'm glad he had a great experience. I do feel bad like that there was like he probably came into such a shit show on our part, but.
He was also such a big fan, which I also love.
Like a lot.
It's very sweet. Well, he did a good job covering it up.
Yeah. I just have this like distinct memory of being at Chord's apartment and Cord always had like a little like get together, not huge parties, but he'd have like you know, with then and everywhere, like we just have these little parties. And I remember it might have been like Samuel's first party with us or something like that, and I could see him sort of like being the new kid, like, but you're awesome, You're great, Like, don't worry, we're all here together.
There's none of that, right, right, So you're not a new kid, You're just with us.
Yeah. But I just think it was probably so hard for people to like come into that because I get like that now, going into like a bunch of.
People you admire, respect or whatever it is.
Yeah, and like especially with us, we were absolutely clique. And he was just so nice through all of it, like so.
Yes, exactly, just.
Like did his job so yeah, well, we were so grateful for Samuel to come out and coming on. It's so fun to have like be able to talk to all of our our castmates again on the show and hear their experiences again.
So thank you Samuel, Thanks for joining us.
For another episode and that's what you really missed. Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram and that's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. See you next time.
