Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samantha Yestrebsky. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Samantha, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’ve always felt like I could do pretty much anything if I wanted to. I could be a lawyer, a doctor, go into marketing, anything. And honestly, sometimes that’s made acting harder. I’ve had moments where I’ve thought, “If I quit now, I could still go do something more stable.” The doubt hits harder when you know you have other options… and I still choose the scarier, less stable path. As an actor, I think most of us have, at some point, had that “should I get a regular job?” moment. Or maybe not! But I definitely used to doubt myself and wonder what it would be like to have a stable, corporate job.

And then… I got one. Well, sort of.

I currently work full-time in a corporate-like environment, and I’m genuinely grateful for the experience. It’s taught me a lot. Most of all, it’s made me realize that I don’t want a regular job, and that I would not thrive in a “regular job” environment long-term. It’s made me realize that what I value is freedom and creativity over money and stability. I think I needed to experience the structure and routine of a more traditional job in order to understand, without a doubt, that I’m on the right path as an actor.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma and got into acting through my school’s drama class. I ended up taking it every year I could, starting in middle school. By the time I was a senior, I made what felt like an easy decision to go to acting school in New York City. I had only visited once, to audition for the college I ended up going to, but I fell in love with how absolutely opposite the city was from my hometown.

I moved to New York when I was eighteen, studied at a two-year acting conservatory, and have been acting ever since.

My hope for my work is to be a conduit for people to experience emotions, ideas, and perspectives they might not get to explore in their everyday lives. I feel that the way I experience the world is very sensitive and raw, and I think that kind of emotional openness is something actors can offer others.

I think what I’m most proud of is the community I’ve built for myself, and that acting still feels like play. I’m surrounded by such incredible artists and filmmakers, and I feel really lucky to live in a city full of the most talented people in the world.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Consume more art!! Go see a movie in a theater!! See a play! Visit a museum! Go to your friend’s art gallery opening! Listen to an artist on Spotify who has 2 monthly listeners! Check out the improv show you saw on a flyer taped to a street pole!

There’s no simple answer that doesn’t involve a major shift in how society values artists, but an easy, immediate thing people can do is stay curious and engage with more art.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had known earlier that the filmmakers and actors I looked up to were just an email away, and that they could be one of the most powerful resources out there. When my now-manager Ana (who was my career coach at the time) told me I could reach out to anyone and ask them for a coffee meeting, my mind was blown. I became obsessed! I love cold emailing artists who inspire me and asking to hear about their journeys, which is also exactly what this series is doing!

I also wish I had known that career coaches exist and can be life-changing. I started seeing Ana when I felt totally lost and stuck in my acting career. She helped me figure out my next steps, and that guidance completely changed my life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @samyestrebsky
• Other: https://imdb.me/samanthayestrebsky

Image Credits

Yellowbelly