If you’ve never seen the Comedy Central TV show Detroiters, then you don’t know Sam Richardson. His character on the show, Gilbert, runs the Olde Salem Magic Shoppe—the local shop for all your needs in magic, card tricks, and supernatural artifacts. What makes Richardson such an amazing performer is that he’s able to convincingly portray Gilbert as this unassuming guy who genuinely believes in his magic tricks—which makes them all the more hilarious when things inevitably go wrong during his performances. The Magic of Sam Richardson
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How did you get into acting?
Growing up in northwest Connecticut, I would spend time with my dad who was going to NYU Film School at night. He gave me an appreciation for movies and helped foster my love for acting. In high school, I spent a lot of time working on plays at a local theater. They helped me develop my passion for live performance and opened up all sorts of doors for me in college. After graduating from Northwestern University, where I double majored in Theatre and Computer Science, I moved to New York City to pursue acting full-time. It was there that I became interested in improv comedy through The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB). UCB has been hugely influential on my comedic voice as well as my improvisational skills.
Was it difficult to get where you are today?
Early on in my career, I wanted to become a voice actor. The problem was that I had a lot going on in my life. My schedule didn’t allow me to get any auditions done during regular hours. One day I asked myself: What are you doing?
This is what you want! After that, I became relentless and found time every day after work to record auditions. Every once in a while, I would be selected for an audition or even a job! Over time, my voice-over career took off and soon it became one of my main sources of income. Don’t give up—find time and make opportunities happen! Make your future yours!
What do you enjoy most about acting?
When I’m working, there’s a simplicity to everything. Nothing else matters but that moment, that moment where it all comes together and you have a full understanding of what your character is going through and you’re communicating those feelings to everyone around you. The best part about my job is being able to take control over those moments and make them as real as possible. It’s an escape from everything else going on in my life; I can totally immerse myself in something that feels important to me. Plus, it’s just fun!
What are your career goals in entertainment?
Before you even think about booking your first gig, it’s a good idea to figure out where you want to be in five years. Of course, that can change depending on a number of factors (career trajectory, living situation, etc.), but having some sort of long-term plan is ideal. Ask yourself questions like: Do I want to book more acting roles? Do I want to own my own business? It might sound lofty, but if you have bigger goals (and they make sense), don’t be afraid to share them with your family and friends—it could very well help keep you accountable when times get tough.
How can people support you?
The most important thing you can do when trying to get your own series is rally people around your cause. If you’re an actor, they will want to know that you can deliver a great performance. But if they don’t really know what kind of show your would be doing, they will want more proof that it would work. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for people to help out: if they like what you’ve done in other shows, let them know about how much that project meant to you and how excited you are to bring a new show into being.
Who was Sam Richardson in the office?
With character actors, it’s easy to ask what’s your favorite role? because there are so many. As a producer on a show like Veep, where I work with everyone (who isn’t Julia), it feels a little too personal to be asking something like that. But if you asked what my favorite episode or script was, I would say: At some point in every season, there is one episode written by someone else that makes me laugh so hard and so long that I begin to feel sort of ashamed.
What is Sam Richardson known for?
His work on Veep. He is currently nominated for his third Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series. His co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won six Emmys, five of them for her role as Selina Meyer on Veep. This year, many fans think it’s time that she step aside and give Richardson his moment to shine. Many believe that he should win because he brings depth to a character who could easily be portrayed as a one-dimensional comedic sidekick to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer.
Is Sam Richardson in Ted lasso?
For example, if you’re a food blogger or fashion designer, and you know of someone who is also in that niche with huge potential, then connecting with them could bring you mutual benefits. If one connection leads to another, pretty soon your network will expand tenfold. So start connecting! You never know what kind of beneficial connections might result. As they say in Hollywood: it’s all about who you know!
What movies did Sam Richardson play in?
He was in a film called My Internship in Canada and two episodes of The Office. What shows did he play in? He played Gilbert, an employee at Wozniak’s-mart, on The CW show Reaper. He also had a role on FOX’s short-lived show, Running Wilde, as Jessica Alba’s character’s brother. You can also see him now playing Richard Splett on HBO’s newest comedy series, Veep. Yes! I have to give special thanks to Wikipedia for giving me all that information! Now lets get back to…me…narrating…this…post. Whew! Sorry about that. But let’s not forget about my hair and make up staff.
Where is Sam Richardson from?
Richardson is from Detroit, Michigan. He played football and was offered a scholarship to play quarterback at Wisconsin but instead chose to pursue a career in comedy. His success is due to his hard work; he spent time honing his craft at Chicago’s Second City Comedy Club before landing parts on MADtv and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
Where did Sam Richardson go to high school?
The school was called Gahanna Lincoln High School and it is located in Gahanna, Ohio. The school mascot is a Bulldog named Baldwin. As a matter of fact, you can see a picture of Baldwin (the bulldog) on my profile page under Interests. I grew up in Gahanna from grades 4-12. While attending Lincoln I met several people who are now very close friends of mine: Ron Burch, Jon Legg, Rob Kelley, Kenny Walker (not THAT Kenny Walker), Chris Kelly and Chris Wiles to name a few. If you’re reading this and one of those names rings a bell…give me a shout out! Ha ha ha!
