Samantha Smart

Samantha Smart is an American actress originally from League City, Texas. A classically trained singer and dancer, Samantha has worked extensively in theatre, film, and television in New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. Samantha studied classical music and contemporary dance at Louisiana State University under full academic scholarship. It was during her time in Baton Rouge that she began performing at the renowned Theatre Baton Rouge in notable musicals such as Chicago (Velma, best actress in a musical, Beaux Arts), Evita (Evita, nominated best actress in a musical, Beaux Arts), The Producers, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. It was during the run of Evita that New Orleans-based director and NYU grad AJ Allegra asked her to audition for Lola in his upcoming production of Damn Yankees at the historical Le Petit Theatre in New Orleans. Samantha was nominated for a Big Easy award for best actress in a musical for her portrayal of Lola. Soon after, Samantha was cast in the New Orleans Broadway-bound musical workshop of Soul Doctor, opposite Ben Crawford and Loni Ackerman, executive produced by Holly-Anne Ruggiero. Samantha continued her training in New York, Paris, and Los Angeles vigorously studying movement, voice, and a variety of acting techniques including Meisner, Chekhov, Stanislavsky, Mime, improvisation and Shakespeare. In New York Samantha was cast in the off-off-Broadway play Monster at the Gene Frankel Theatre. Critics applauded her performance as "harrowing." Samantha's next New York stage appearance was in "Salome: Da Voodoo Princess of Nawlins" by award-winning playwright and director Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj. As Samantha continued to work and study theatre in New York, she received an opportunity to learn film from the inside out, and accepted an internship with indie film company Samuelson Productions in London, England. It was here when Samantha's Love for the theatre was matched with a new found love of cinema. After London Samantha lived in Paris, France for a year immersing herself in the culture and language, finding a deep passion for French cinema and its rich history. In Los Angeles, Samantha landed the lead role in acclaimed playwright Stefan Mark's award-nominated drama Space at the historic Stella Adler Theater. The LA Times called Samantha a "cheeky, straight faced find," while StageScene LA reviewed: "...an absolutely stunning Smart...Think a young Jennifer Connelly in both beauty and acting chops..." Next Samantha appeared in Anne Washburn's play Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play with Parallel 45 Theatre Company in Traverse City, MI, co-directed by Matthew Gutschick and Justin Perez. In New York, Samantha was cast in the ensemble of award winning playwright Stephen Karam's Sons of the Prophet with the Normal Ave Theatre Company. Soon came film and television appearances. Samantha landed roles in Dear White People (Netflix), Katy Keene (HBO Max), Tommy (CBS), opposite Edie Falco, and God Friended Me (CBS). Her film credits include Mike Gan's Class Assignment, Harley DiNardo's Dead Envy (Best Thriller Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival), and upcoming feature Liberty from Belgian award winning filmmaker Philippe de Witte. Her next project will be And Anne from Icelandic filmmaker Tim Kaza and executive producer Bui Baldivinsson, opposite Marc Leonard Winter. Samantha splits her time between New York and France and is represented by Harden Curtis Kirsten Riley & Associates; Encompass Arts Management; and KMR commercially.