DISCLAIMER: THIS INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED PRIOR TO JULY 13TH BEFORE THE ACTORS WENT ON SAG-AFTRA STRIKE
This interview was done on the day the clouds turned yellow and orange in NYC on June 8th. Has everyone had the time to watch The Crowded Room? If so, and you’re curious about the series, we have some exciting news for you! We have an exclusive interview with Sam Vartholomeos, who stars as Mike in the series! We can’t wait to talk to Sam about his role, his thoughts and experience with the series and cast members, and more. Because the series is already released, if you’re planning on reading this interview and haven’t had the time to watch the series, this article will actively avoid any spoilers regarding the series. For those planning to watch before reading this article, we highly recommend watching it first. And now, onto this interview and its refresher.
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This psychological thriller has been on everyone’s sights upon seeing the cast list, as the series cast talents such as Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Lane, Will Chase, Lior Raz, Emmy Rossum, and our interviewee Sam Vartholomeos! For those who haven’t heard of this miniseries before, here’s a refresher on what it’s about! The series follows the story of Tom Holland’s character Danny Sullivan, who was arrested for his involvement in a shooting in 1979. Through a series of interviews with Seyfried’s character Rya Goodwin, the interrogator and the audience slowly witnesses Danny’s mysterious past and its contents of what would eventually lead Danny to the fate he has now. As Danny continues to reflect on what had happened in his life, it would only be through certain milestones do these memories bring him to a life-altering revelation of a lifetime. This exclusive Apple TV+ miniseries initially premiered on June 9th, 2023, and is set to be concluded on July 28th this year with a total of 10 episodes.
The Crowded Room series was created by Akiva Goldsman, an American filmmaker known for his adaptations of popular novels. You might recognize him for his role as a screenwriter in Batman Forever, Cinderella Man, and I, Robot; I Am Legend. Not only did he receive an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, but he had also received awards such as the Golden Globe Award and his films won awards such as the Academy Award for Best Picture. If those don’t ring any bells, then perhaps you might know him for his co-development of the series Titans and Star Trek: Picard, as well as being the co-creator of Star Trek: The Original Series.
Did you know that The Crowded Room was inspired by a non-fiction novel called The Minds of Billy Milligan? Written in 1981 by Daniel Keyes, a Hugo Award-winning author, this book told the story of Billy Mulligan. He was considered the first person in U.S. history to be acquitted of a huge crime by pleading for dissociative identity disorder. For those who need a refresher on that, dissociative identity disorder is a symptom that can best be described as a disconnection between thoughts and memories, primarily done by switching to an alternate identity. If you wish to learn more about this symptom, we highly recommend speaking to a licensed professional if you are looking for a more, in-depth review on what dissociative identity disorder is.
Here is some information on Sam Vartholomeos! An actor and producer, he’s more well known for his involvement in the following roles: Adam Harris from Bull, Danby Connor from Star Trek: Discovery, Charlie from The Lost Weekend, Donovan from Swipe Monster, Jimmy Farrell from Bridge and Tunnel, and his role as Mike from The Crowded Room!
We first asked Sam about his acting background, and how did he get to where he is now. Sam answered that he was born and raised in New York and did theatre. He mentioned that Queens has a great theatre community, and he started doing plays when he was young. He initially didn’t think that there would be a business involved in this industry, and when he and a friend of his were looking into high schools, his friend immediately suggested that Sam should attend Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art & Performing Arts. From there, his friend helped coached him and pitched some monologues, and Sam mentioned that, while looking back on it, was a first taste of what the industry was like for him. If you want to know more about Sam, be sure to watch the entire video for the full interview!
