Q&A with Sam
1. What aspirations did you have as a child? Did you ever see yourself going into theatre, winning the Mr. South Africa Title, modelling or acting?NOT EXACTLY. I WAS A SWIMMER AND ALL I WAS FOCUSED ON AS A KID WAS TO SWIM THE OLYMPIC GAMES.
2. Is there anything that you have done so far that you would consider going back and changing?
AS FAR AS MY PERSONAL LIFE IS CONCERNED I WOULD HAVE TRIED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY MOM WHO PASSED AWAY 2 YEARS AGO FROM CANCER. AS FAR AS MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE WAS CONCERNED MAYBE TO HAVE STUCK OUT MY SWIMMING TO GO FROM INTERNATIONAL LEVEL TO THE 1984 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC GAMES.
3. Of whom do you have the fondest memories of working with so far?
NO ONE IN PARTICULAR BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY I MISS THE GANG ON EGOLI, MY HOMETOWN SOAP IN SOUTH AFRICA.
4. Are there any particular actors or directors you'd really like to work with?
MARTIN SCORSESE, ROBERT DE NIRO, AL PACINO, BEN KINGSLEY.
5. What was it like working with the cast and crew of Stargate SG-1, in particular Richard Dean Anderson, with whom you got to work with on several gripping scenes?
THEY ARE A FANTASTIC AND SLICK CREW TO WORK WITH. VERY PROFESSIONAL AND FUN.
6. Are there any projects of your own that we should be looking out for in the near future?
NOT AS YET.
7. Can you tell us about your time working on Moulin Rouge in Paris?
THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE. IT WAS THE ONLY TIME IN MY LIFE I WAS TRULY ALONE TO DO AS I PLEASED. I WAS NOT ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED AND WAS TOTALLY SELFISH WITH MY OWN TIME. IT WAS A GOOD BREAK AS I HAD JUST COME OUT OF A LONG TERM DRAINING RELATIONSHIP. THE SHOW WAS GREAT FUN TO WORK IN AND I HAD SOME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS THERE. MY VERY GOOD FRIEND IS A SWEDISH DUDE WHO IS STILL THE PRINCIPLE DANCER THERE.
8. What drew you to play the character of Baal in Stargate SG-1?
I LIKE STRONG BAD GUYS WITH AN EDGE TO THEM. ONE ALSO HAS A LOT OF FREEDOM IN ACTING WHEN YOU ARE THE BADDIE.
9. How did you feel when you won the Mr. South Africa Title in 1992?
ON TOP OF THE WORLD. AT THAT TIME MY MODELLING CAREER WAS WINDING DOWN AND I FELT I NEEDED TO REASSESS MY CAREER. MR SA GAVE ME A PUSH IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND GOT MY ACTING CAREER STARTED. ALWAYS STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT YOU WANT. SUB CONCIOUSLY YOUR MIND FOLLOWS THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
10. You must have enjoyed filming Operation Delta Force 5: Random Fire in your native country of South Africa. Is there anything you particularly remember about the shoot?
LOTS OF EXPLOSIONS AND HEAT AND DIRT. BUT LOADS OF FUN. WE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF ACTORS.
11. Are there any childhood heroes in the acting business that you'd like to meet?
I ALWAYS USED TO WATCH MACGYVER AND ALWAYS WANTED TO BE LIKE HIM. MAN HE COULD DO ANYTHING. I STILL SIT BACK AND THINK WOW I AM ACTUALLY WORKING WITH HIM NOW. AS FAR AS MY FAVORITES TO WORK WITH WOULD BE DE NIRO AND PACINO OR EVEN JUST TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND ABSORB THEIR KNOWLEDGE WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
12. Is there any particular genre you find interesting or would like to get more involved with?
THEATRE.
13. How different is it working in South Africa to America?
SA IS JUST SMALLER. BUT THE QUALITY OF THE ACTORS AND THE CREWS OVER THERE ARE THE SAME.