LOS ANGELES — “I am a FASO kid!” the charming and talented Fil-Am actress Sam Morales, who is featured in “That ’90s Show” with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, told us in our virtual interview.
“I was trained by Louie Ramos and maestro Robert ‘Bob’ Shroder. They’re wonderful. I sang a solo with them, “La Vie en rose,” at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for one of their summer concerts in 2019, and it was really fun.” She also performed “It’s the Hard Knock Life” at the said concert, we learned.
Louie Ramos, Vice-President and Arranger-in-Residence of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO), recalled in an email interview that Morelos was only 10 years old when she auditioned for a vocal solo part for a FASO concert in 2015.
Ramos revealed, “She was quite young, but you can already tell that she had that inborn natural talent to sing. Since then, she has been participating yearly in our Education Program and performing at our annual recital. We hold vocal and instrumental workshops throughout the school year. We have a culminating recital every year where all of our students have an opportunity to perform what they learned for the year.
“She auditioned again in 2019 for a vocal solo part at the FASO concert at the Walt Disney Hall. She is an incredible vocalist with a very unique voice and an extremely wide range. Unfortunately, she did not get the part because someone else had a better fit for the part. But we were so impressed by her talent that we decided to create a spot in the concert and added a song just for her. We are very proud of Sam, and we are certain that she will go places with her talent.”
Sam Morelos performing her solo number, “La Vie en Rose,” at the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra summer concert in 2019 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Photo by Rick Gavino
Now, 18 years old, the bubbly and eloquent senior at the California School of the Arts in San Gabriel Valley, was excited to tell us more about how she got her role, Nikki, in the period teen sitcom set during the summer of 1995.
“That ’90s Show,” which features characters and locales that were shown in its predecessor, “That ’70s Show,” also shows the return of Debra Jo Rupp (Kitty Forman) and Kurtwood Smith (Red Forman) as they deal with a whole new generation of teenagers played by Morelos, Callie Haverda (Leia Forman), Mace Coronel (Jay Kelso), Reyn Doi (Ozzie), Ashley Aufderheide (Gwen) and Maxwell Acee Donovan (Nate).
Morelos talked to us via Zoom and below is our interview.
Congratulations on your role in “That ’90s Show.” So, tell me how you got that gig?
It was such a crazy whirlwind because I did not have an agent or a manager at all. I go to this performing arts school, which I am actually at right now, and they posted an open call on the school website. It was like, “Oh, That ’90s Show, Netflix Talent Search. Just send in an introduction video of your name, your age, where you’re based, what you like about the ’90s, what you don’t like about the ’90s, and how you relate to your character.”
I sent that introduction video of five minutes of me saying anecdotes. I was wearing my mom’s shirt from the ’90s, we call it the first date shirt; because she saved the shirt that she wore on her first date with my dad. I wore that during the introduction audition, and I said that I really liked the fashion of the ’90s, and it just snowballed from there. I just kept on auditioning. I just kept on getting called back.
I actually took two of my auditions in this office at school because I was still doing school at the same time. Honestly, I really didn’t think much of it because I was like, “Oh, I don’t have an agent or anything. I haven’t been in any professional productions. It’s just for fun. I’m just doing this for fun, and it’s a wonder that I made it this far.” Then I got the call and it was the most overwhelming feeling of excitement and awe. I’m like, “How did this happen?” Then followed by just a massive amount of gratitude of, “I can’t believe that I got it this time.”
This is your first on-screen camera role?
Yeah. I’d done a short film with my friend. He wrote and directed it and it was just a student film, but very, very small. Yes, it’s got an IMDb credit, but it was still very small. But this is my very first on-screen credit really professionally in the industry.
What’s the reaction of your friends when they found out you’re acting in this show?
Oh, my gosh. They were over the moon excited. To this day, they poke fun at me and tease me in the best way. They’re like, “Oh my God, is that Sam Morelos from That ’90s Show?” Even before it came out and they asked me for autographs during class. I’m like, “Please stop,” or just calling me Hollywood or calling me verified but it’s all in good fun and I know that they mean well by it.
Photo courtesy of Sam Morelos
How would you describe your character, Nikki?
She is so smart. She is so smart and so ambitious and very focused. She knows exactly what she wants from life and she knows exactly how she’s going to get it. What’s really interesting about her is that she has this relationship with Nate, and yet, she still doesn’t allow that to compromise her goals because she knows what she wants from the future. She knows what she wants out of her life. She’s going to create a name for herself, and she’s going to do that by any means necessary. I find that really admirable because she’s very smart and I look up to her in that way.
How is it working with an ensemble?
Oh, it’s fantastic, because we fell into a great friend group rhythm right away. Just the first week on set, we just instantly clicked. We had that chemistry because we also hang out outside of filming. We eat lunch together, we talk in between takes, and there’s just a lot of love amongst all of us. So, it was easy to support each other in an ensemble and try and lift each other up in specific beats or if they have a punchline, try to set them up in the best way so that their joke lands, things like that. It’s an energy exchange. We bounce off of each other really organically, and I really love that.
The kissing scenes with the character Nate, were those your first kissing scenes on-screen?
It wasn’t my first kiss, but it was my first on-screen kiss.
In the short film, I did have to have a kiss, but it was different because this was such a huge production too.
My very first kiss with him, we were rolling, so it was like, “Action, first kiss.” I’d known him for a week, so I was like, “Hi, nice to meet you. Just going to lay one on you right now.” It was a really interesting introduction, but nonetheless, Max (Donovan) and I are close friends now. It was never awkward or anything. In between takes, we would just crack jokes, so it was nice.
What was the reaction of your parents when they saw that?
Oh, my gosh. My poor mom had to be on set while that was happening. She had to go, she had to leave. After the 15th take, or even the 10th, she was just like, “I can’t watch this live.” But there’s a monitor in our dressing room. So, while she’s working on her computer, it’s just happening above her. So, it’s just like a click, a very sad, “Please, stop. I don’t … ” but she knows that it’s acting, so it’s not too bad.
Talk about your Filipino roots and how Filipino are you?
Both of my parents are immigrants. I’m a first-generation Filipino American, and I’d like to think I’m pretty Filipino. I’m working on becoming fluent, on learning the language. But for now, I know a lot of the sound effects. It’s integrated its way into my everyday vocabulary.
I say “Hay naku” or “Susmaryosep!” on a daily basis. My very first phrase when I was in second grade, the first phrase I learned was “Susmaryosep, ang tigas ng ulo mo!” but that’s because I heard it so much in my house.
I grew up watching Teleserye. I know all the words to “May Bukas Pa,” like that’s my song. When I was six or seven, I would belt that. I feel very connected to my Filipino heritage because my parents still speak the language in their house.
“We visit my grandparents a lot and we still go to Arko Foods for groceries. There’s always a carton of calamansi juice in our fridge. So, it’s very subtle things that still connect me very deeply to my Filipino heritage, and I’m very proud to be Filipino American.
How was it working also with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis? Did you ever work with them or they just passed by?
I didn’t have any scenes with them, but in the short time that they were there, they were very grounded and very down-to-earth people, and very kind. It’s no wonder that they had the careers that they had because they’re just genuinely very good people and people enjoy being around them. It’s really cool seeing them interact with Bonnie and Terry Turner, the original executive producers for both “That ’70s Show” and “That ’90s Show.” “That ’90s Show” was like a family reunion and it was really, really nice to see.
What inspired you to be an actress?
I think from a very young age, I always loved to entertain. I started community theater when I was around five or six years old. But even before that, I would do anything to make people smile or laugh. Now at my age, looking back, I know that it was because I like to affect people and I like to make people feel things, and I like to tell stories. I’m a storyteller, so I think that that is one thing that inspired me to become an actor.
Photo courtesy of Sam Morelos
Are you the only actress in the family?
Technically, yes, but my grandpa’s dad’s brother was an actor.
In the Philippines or in the US?
In the Philippines. I forget his name, but they were just showing me the other day. Oh, I wish I knew his name. I also have an aunt who’s an actor in the Philippines. Her name is Frances Ignacio, I think. Yeah. But I know her as Onis, but she has an actual full name. But in my immediate family, I actually was supposed to go into musical theater. My original trajectory was a musical theater one, because I’m also a singer. I sing and I write music.
So, my mom’s a singer. My mom sings, but she did that when she was younger, but I inherited that from her. So there is a lot of arts and music in my family, but I think I’m the, at least in my immediate family, I’m the first one.
Your dad, is he an entertainment too?
He’s in tech, but he did entertainment tech for a bit. But he likes to dance, but just for fun. He really likes TikTok dances and I’m like, “Oh, no, dad. No.”
How does it feel seeing “That ’90s Show” marquee on Times Square and attend the premiere?
Oh, my gosh. It was an out-of-body experience. Seeing yourself on a billboard Times Square is such a dream come true, like a bucket list, big-ticket item. I never thought that I would experience it at 17. So, seeing it up there, I sobbed. The floodgates opened. Right after the initial shock of, “Oh, my God, it’s there.”
The realization set in of, “Oh my God, it’s there,” and tears just flooded. Oh, my gosh, it was embarrassing being in the middle of Times Square sobbing, like full-body sobs. But it was very rewarding and exciting. The premiere was my very first red-carpet premiere to attend.
It was overwhelming, but also really exciting because it was this completely new world that I’d never been a part of before, because like I said, this is my first real credit. So being able to experience that and also see my cast for the first time in a while was really nice.
What was the most interesting thing about doing “That ’90s Show” for you?
The most interesting thing? That’s a good question. I think that I was consistently starstruck every time I went on set because I was able to work with Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood. Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith are such veteran actors. They’re so seasoned and very experienced. So just watching them work every day was a masterclass, and I learned so much. It’s the one thing that I tell my friends about. It’s the most interesting thing because I’m like, “Oh, my God. Yeah, I know Debra Jo and Kirkwood, whatever. It’s fine. It’s no biggie,” but it is actually a really big deal.
What are your future goals now from here on?
At the present moment, finishing senior year, trying to power through and graduate. But I’m applying to colleges right now for acting programs and I’m still doing auditions and college apps and things like that. But I do intend to continue acting and working maybe in tandem with college, maybe not. It’s very much a play-it-by-ear situation of, “Will jobs come? Will they not?” But I do plan on going to school and getting my diploma.
I always say by hook or by crook if I have to get it by 50, I’ll do it. But a part of the plan is a college degree, but another part of the plan is just continuing to tell stories by acting and trying my hand at directing.
I’m directing a short film with some of my friends right now and also, writing music. I am a songwriter and I do sing, and I would like to explore that outlet a little more.
You are now in a performing arts school. So how do you think that prepared you for your career now?
Oh, it gave me all the tools I needed to be on set because one thing that a lot of people said to me on set was that “Oh, you don’t seem like you’re brand new. I wouldn’t have thought that this was your first credit.” It was because I got the training and the education that I did.
I started in a musical theater conservatory, but then over quarantine, I had a teacher who was supposed to be our musical theater teacher to teach us how to sing and act the song. But over zoom, she was all like, “It’s so hard to sing on Zoom. I’m just going to teach you how to act on camera.” That’s when I really fell in love with the acting part of musical theater.
I was like, “I don’t know anything about this world. I need to know more.” So, I decided to switch from the musical theater conservatory to the acting conservatory at my school so that it was more acting-concentrated. The same year that I switched to the acting conservatory was when I booked the show.
So, it was the very first time that I ever even called myself an actor because I used to say that I was a singer first and then I was an actor. But then ever since my mindset on acting flipped and I saw it in a new light, I fell in love with it. I guess that translated to the producers and the casting directors because here I am now.
Congratulations. Do you see yourself doing other projects like drama, comedy or other stuff?
Oh, 100%. It’s a funny thing because drama is actually something I’m more comfortable with. So having my first project be a multi-cam sitcom, it was really educating for me, because now I know that I can do both and I’m versatile.
But I do see myself doing drama and a lot more comedy because I fell in love with it doing this show. It’s a very calculated art, and I never thought that it was until I had to do it, and timing and beats and having the perfect punchline are very mathematical in a way. So, they’re both difficult in their own respects, but I hope to be able to have a vast career in all sorts of things.
—MGP, GMA Integrated News
