It’s clear that Sam’s recent success during the pandemic comes as a direct result of his commitment to his craft and raw talent, both of which have propelled him down a path littered with unique opportunities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought along many challenges for producers and companies to continue filming and creating new productions. Higher costs and increased film regulations have led producers to become extra picky when choosing their actors.
In face of these new challenges, Sam has proven to be indefatigable even up against the most discerning of casting directors, auditioning up against hundreds of actors to be chosen for roles in a roster of impressive projects time and time again.
It’s not surprising therefore that the actor has been cast in a slew of upcoming projects shooting in the US, alongside a raft of impressive international talent. The first of these, “Dig,” funnily enough co-stars award-winning Australian actor Grant Lyndon, with both Lyndon and Delich bringing a unique larrikin masculinity that producers needed but struggled to find in the apparently less resilient talent pool of American actors.
The other, “Among the Stars,” will no doubt prove to be a unique YA (‘young adult’) series that will make use of Sam’s proven chops dealing with the ephemeral nature of youth and love in a magical realist style, previously best evoked in Sunday Gullifer’s award-winning film, “Meat.”
Produced by acclaimed outfit Dlugos Venture, which boasts offices in Nashville and California, “Among the Stars” showcases how Delich has the capacity to quite literally step inside different worlds in a manner of which any actor would be envious.
The American producers seem excited when chatting with our editors about the prospect of working with Delich, citing his acclaimed performances in his Australian projects for reason why it was a no-brainer to attach him.
Having previously offered memorable terms in films like “Respect the Kink,” featuring AACTA nominated actress Madeleine Clunies-Ross, and as Kit in in Channel Seven’s reboot of “Royal Flying Doctor Service,” featuring AACTA, AFCA, and FCAA nominated actress Kate Mulvany, Samuel has proven his commitment to story-telling.
“Funnily enough the roles you end up playing are the ones you never initially see yourself in. You cannot predict anything in this industry.”
Sam goes on to explain that, “before being cast in “Royal Flying Doctor Service” the idea of playing a young man coping with the tight grip of addiction was not something on my radar.”
It’s clear though that the combination of a winning script, the full faith of the production team and Jennifer Leacey’s direction allowed a memorable performance, and a darker side of Sam rarely seen, to shine through.
Simply and logically stated, Sam points to simply how there’s more work in the US. In the spirit of looking ahead, Sam explains that “furthering [his] creative endeavours is the only way forward.”
Naturally, with an impressive resume and unusual success given the current circumstances, many have taken notice to facilitate such a plan.
Having attracted attention with high-profile spreads in outlets like International Film Review and Frontline Views, Samuel shows off what pushes him forward in these times full of darkness and demonstrates a level of talent and sincerity rarely seen in the film industry, let alone after the challenges of 2020.
Delich expresses excitement at the prospect of working with the award-winning Australian director at White Pixel who’s attached to “Dig.” In the character of Clip, “Dig” promises to show off Samuel’s talent for producing powerful emotion in his scenes.
In past productions, Samuel has made it clear his emotional scenes are a strong point, being featured as the catalyst for big plot twists in nightly soap opera “Home and Away,” drawing the viewer into the scene through his character Mark’s deceptive charm as a seemingly harmless surfer, but slowly reveals an underlying terror dripping just beneath the skin of his shirtless facade.
Sam explains how the experiences and lessons learned on the popular and award-winning drama were reinforced and appreciated on the set of his most recent big-budget production with a certain Hollywood A-lister, the details of which will be revealed when the blockbuster is released later in the year.”
“Stepping onto the shores of Summer bay in ‘Home and Away’ was not only a childhood dream come true-as like most Australian households I tuned in religiously growing up, but it was also a fantastic learning experience on how to handle the fast workflow that mainstream network shows require. American TV and film work bloody fast, having recently wrapped a large scale American Production which filmed in Australia I can attest that I am thankful that I had these earlier experiences. You learn how to deliver under pressure very fast.”
Whether Samuel is filming on the beach during a pristine day in Home and Away, or in the harsh conditions of the Australian outback in horror hit The Marshes, his consistent delivery of big emotional moments for his characters has made him an audience favorite.
As our conversation wraps up, Sam’s parting words both offer a conclusion for our chat, as well as simple advice and words of encouragement for other artists.
“A lot of it is luck. yes there is hustle and yes you gotta put in the work but at the end of the day I believe if you are the right fit you will rise to the top. Although this year has thrown just about everyone around...content demand is at an all time high. We are now telling global stories at a global scale that reaches viewers far and wide.”