We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Youssef Samassi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Youssef , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Nowadays not a lot of artists likes to risk, living in this world is a risk. When I was 18 I didn’t even know if I was doing right or wrong until I had the pleasure to work in a feature film. After that beautiful and helpful experience I decided to risk and challenge myself, because if we don’t risk we never know. I have risked to travel abroad my hometown Sicily and go study to Los Angeles without knowing what it could have happened, with non enough savings and without nobody, completely alone 12 hours from my family in the other side of the world. But the very biggest risk of my life was to have fight with my mother her ovarian cancer, we lost. Even though I’m proud I did risk, I couldn’t have slept now with the thought of having had the opportunity to do it and not having done it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Youssef and I’m from a small town in province of Palermo, Villafrati. I’ve spent most of my time with my friends and my brother in this small town, which I’m very happy about it, because it gave to my persona a special story and a different way to see life, from education to a lifestyle. I studied in a college to become a marine but while I was working as a model in Italy and London, I discovered the world of film industry, working on set for the very first in a feature film. I felt in love with acting so quick, being on set and looking at all the crews took my mind to another level of thinking about my future or in professional way. I feel very lucky because not all the time we can discover what we love to do, and then actually doing it. After my graduation I moved to London to improve my English language and to work and pay my school programs in Los Angeles. After my first experience on set my goal was to be professional and to study in a great school in Hollywood. The most proud moment of my career was when I challenged myself, to a new different and not easy life and routine.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I came to America I didn’t have any transportations or documentations, so it was very hard for me to live a normal life, I hustled and believed in myself that I had to bicycle 34 miles a day for six months to reach work, Miami is the state of sunshine, so outside it’s super warm and humid, I was outside the whole time with my bike, everyday was looking the same but I knew I had to do it, I’m happy I didn’t give up, I wouldn’t have the time to share this time of my life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is to share emotions through arts, in my case with a monologue or trying to bring to life a character from a script, and see and feel the connection between the artist and viewers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.youssefsamassi.com

Image Credits
David gonzales Vizzy.com