While you may only know his name or his face—splashed on tabloids or scattered across Instagram feeds—Sam Asghari is certain you will soon know his story. At 30 years old, Asghari speaks with the wise perspective and silent determination of someone dozens of years his senior. The Traitors alum’s reserved tenacity is brought to the fore by a constant optimism, finding comfort in detachment from the superficiality of fame and status. Hardship is not a common theme in his vocabulary, as any potential grief is contoured into a valuable lesson that only serves to strengthen his ironclad character.
Before our conversation, I caught a glimpse of Asghari in front of the camera, a pro in every sense of the word. Surely, he’s striking, with an auspicious profile carving the white of the backdrop. All the more arresting, though, is the care with which he interacts with his team members, both on and off camera. On set, Asghari studies his surroundings, showing appreciation for the opportunity to work. Even when discussing his recent divorce, he handles the subject with much respect for his ex-wife’s privacy and talents. He speaks highly of the pop princess Britney Spears, his former wife whom he divorced in 2023 after seven years together, admiring her genius and reminiscing about their past love with fondness. He speaks in sports metaphors, emphasizing the importance of community, family, and teamwork above all else, particularly the trivialities that can overwhelm Hollywood’s newcomers. The model-actor-dancer-trainer-producer (is there a word that supersedes multi-hyphenate?) has lived nine lives in his three decades and is on course to begin a new one. This time, however, he’s writing his own narrative.
You immigrated to Southern California from Tehran, Iran as a child. Can you share more about this momentous move and how it impacted your adolescence? I moved here when I was 12, without my family because of how the immigration system works, so that was tough. But the enthusiasm of moving to a country full of opportunities was a great motivator. It was a situation where we had to sacrifice for something that was greater. We understood what was happening and that we would reunite at some point. When we eventually were able to, it was one of the greatest moments. Even though we were so far from each other, it made us closer and it made us stronger as a family. We were doing it for a better life.
Your production company is named PB & J Productions, as a nod to the food you would eat to fit in as an Iranian teenager new to the U.S. How does your unique journey influence the films, television, and art you aim to create today? I think it is really amazing to give back to where you come from. From the name of the production, to the people involved in it, to the stories that will be told, all of these aspects will always be working to refer to where I came from. I owe everything to that. What it takes to make art is a huge number of people. The idea is to return the favor to the country that offered such amazing experiences and opportunities to me. I want to create jobs and avenues for people to thrive. What is a better way to do that than to make projects that take so many people to produce? That is the whole mission behind PB & J Productions.
Can you share more about Glitch, the dystopian series you have created to explore the dangers of Artificial Intelligence’s control in a society lacking authenticity? The project is in full development. It is being pitched to very few select studios and producers. What’s really cool about [Glitch] is that it takes place in a relevant time. The idea around it is far-fetched, though it is what our reality is becoming: the usage of AI and social media, and the ways in which people can take advantage of these resources to advance in their career and in their personal lives. In this world, the image people are able to project on social media of themselves is able to be projected real-time in the world. Many try to hide themselves beneath this image, while others are burdened by it. When the true you flashes through, that is the “glitch.” The whole point of the show is what these characters would do to protect these advantages earned by technological and potentially false means. Many kill and do crazy things because of it.
This idea of projecting an avatar as a public persona to hide your true nature is a concept that exists in the real world, but you are taking it one step further into the science fiction realm by emphasizing the falsification of many personalities today. How have your experiences in Hollywood and reality television inspired this on-screen adaptation? My experience as an actor precedes my transition into the world of producing, and it has taught me to absorb the information of everything that is going on around me. What better practice than to constantly be learning and creating from the basis of your real-life encounters? Experiences in Hollywood, or influences of these experiences, are definitely going to be featured. There are multiplecharacters in Glitch that basically do what many celebrities do today to conceal their identities, just taken one step further. To have a life in Hollywood, they have to use a perception and they have to protect it. Politicians, too. To make anything interesting and current, you have to use relatability and you have to use real-life examples. I am always paying attention.
”One of the biggest mistakes you can make is when you are irrational and make emotional decisions. Patience is key, and that played very well for me.”
Growing up in Southern California, you had one foot in sports and the other in performing arts. What got you interested in acting when you were younger? My dad was an actor. He wasn’t the leading man, but I remember him showing me some black and white TV shows in Iran in which he was always the warrior, or something of that nature. It was a proud moment, even though he wasn’t a career actor. I looked up to that a lot growing up. I had an artistic sensibility about me, although I was an athlete, so I joined theater in school. That was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I learned English, and so much about dramatic arts. I ended up doing a couple of plays: “Hamlet” and “Macbeth.” I loved the fact that it took so many people. I loved rehearsing for so long, to finally perform and have the whole audience clapping. I feed off of that energy. It was something that kept me in my athletic mindset because they go hand in hand in many ways.
Your numerous talents include fitness training and dance, which both ultimately led you where you are today. Can you share more about your athletic background? I was always an athlete growing up. I played all sorts of sports because when you play a sport, you surround yourself with a bunch of people and create your own family. That’s what I found so cool. I played soccer growing up, on a professional level. I played American football to fit in for about eight years. Sports have been a big part of my life. They built a foundation for me, as well as this amazing teamwork and work ethic, helping to inspire in me what it takes to make it. What really drew me in when it came to the industry is that it takes many people to make a project come true. It doesn’t matter if it’s a commercial, reality show, or film. I found myself craving that team aspect of things after sports, and it is good to find it here. The best thing you can do in the fitness world is inspire people to live happier and healthier. The conception behind fitness is that if you are living an uber-healthy lifestyle, you’re being obsessive and selfish. In reality, you’re able to live longer, be in a better mood for those around you, and better others. People have messaged or approached me about many things in my life, but their ability to make changes in lifestyle, and my inspiration to them, whether mental health or physical health, was the only thing that would hit home for me.I’m very touched by those acknowledgments and want to continue to spread that inspiration as much as possible.
You played a clever game as a dark horse in the Traitors competition this season. Do you apply a similar “observe, then act” strategy as a principle in your life? How did this inform your game? In any scenario, it’s good to get a sense of the situation and how people are handling it before speaking up. I wasn’t planning on playing the game to win or playing a hard game. Going into that game, I was there to have a good time. Arriving at the castle, I didn’t know anybody. The best thing I could have done was listen and only speak when spoken to. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is when you are irrational and make emotional decisions. Patience is key, and that played very well for me.
What was your biggest takeaway from the experience? Going into the castle, I didn’t know most of the cast. They have their own perceptions from the public, their own reality shows and lives. I arrived with an entirely clean slate. I got to know people for who they were without judging them, and people got to know me for who I am. There are a lot of perceptions and ideas of me online, which is not necessarily the best source of information out there. I got to know really cool people. Also, taking a moment away from acting as I move into this new chapter was a good reset for me. Overall, it was such a good experience, to be in Scotland and disconnected from the outside world.
You were thrown rather abruptly into an intense, concentrated spotlight with respect to your previous high-profile relationship. How did you handle this overwhelming attention, and what may have prepared you fora rapid rise to fame? My family. They are always part of my team. They’re all so grounded and they’re always rooting for me. They always give me that same energy and support, which is very uncommon to have. Some families are the people that hurt you the most because you’re the most vulnerable with them. I’m lucky to be so blessed with mine. I also credit myself for being grounded and never believing or paying attention to the rumors and gossip that will inevitably come up. Hollywood can fluff your ego. I do not think that is something that is going to make you a better person. Being a better person is actually improving in life and giving back, making this world a better place. Holly- wood does give you that power, the spotlight does give you that power, but there are also a lot of bad things surrounding it that can bring you down as a human. As long as you are a balanced and well-grounded person, going into it for the love of the game and the industry, wanting to make cool projects to inspire people, then you are giving back. I think that is the mindset I have always had. I don’t think anything ever got to me because of the people I surrounded myself with and the mindset I developed.
