Interview With Samantha Neyland Trumbo: The Protagonist of “Christmas Rescue” Who Also Rescues Others
Photo credit: JSquared Photography
Samantha Neyland Trumbo is an American actress, model and the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss Hawaii USA. She is a great actress and an established model. However, it is possible that neither of these two facets fulfill her as much as the social causes she supports.
Her beauty and renown have been put at the mercy of giving a voice to the youth of Hawaii and combating the racism that still reigns in the United States. She trained as a coach and has also used the tools from this training to enhance her social work.
In this conversation, we talked about her most recent film “Christmas Rescue”, her desires in the world of acting, and everything she does for others.
.Note: This interview was conducted prior to the release of “Christmas Rescue”.
“Christmas Rescue” will be premiering on December 14. Tell us about it. What is your character's name and what aspect of her did you find most challenging or exciting?
Christmas Rescue is about a Christmas bride, Chelsea, who is kidnapped at the altar by her childhood sweetheart, Keith, in his desperate attempt to win her back. I play Chelsea Alexander, the bride, who throughout the movie is really finding herself and her voice. She's someone who is always trying to make everyone else happy which has led to her losing some of that happiness for herself. It was really exciting to bring her to life and get to experience all of the emotions that she goes through in this movie and trust me it is a lot!
"Christmas Rescue" is a unique Christmas rom-com. Without giving spoilers, could you tell us what the message of the film is?
Love is in the actions. That’s the message I get from this movie. Every single character is motivated by their idea of love. And that leads to a lot of conflict because everyone’s idea is not the same but at the end of the day, they are all motivated by love. I think it's such a beautiful thing to watch. Even if you disagree with what a character is doing, we can all relate to that passion and motivation that love brings.
What was the experience of collaborating with the cast of this film on set?
We really were blessed with a group of talented actors who all showed up ready to play and collaborate with each other. It allowed us to be open, have fun, and try new things. Everyone came to set with this attitude of “we're in it together” and “we're here to make something great”.
What do you hope viewers take away from watching “Christmas Rescue”?
The romance is obviously front and center but I hope people take note of the unconditional love and support in the friendships of this movie. Chelsea's best friend Kym is played by Raven Goodwin and Keith's best friend Dwayne is played by Catfish Jean. Both of these characters are giving everything they have to support their best friend and I think we often forget how essential having a relationship like that in our lives truly is. We all need someone to have our back the way these characters have their friends' backs. I think it’s a good reminder to support your friends the way you’d want them to support you!
In addition to your participation in "Christmas Rescue", you have also worked on an independent sci-fi horror film called "Marshmallow." In acting terms, how would you compare your experience in such different genres?
Wow! They couldn't possibly be more different. It really was such a unique experience to go from filming a holiday rom-com to a sci-fi horror only two months apart. I approached the preparation for both in a similar way in terms of focusing on my character, what matters to them, what they want, and what's standing in their way of getting what they want. But I would say for a rom-com the obstacles for my character are much more internal and emotional versus in a sci-fi horror the majority of the obstacles are going to be external factors. Even though in a horror film the stakes are life and death, the stakes actually felt higher filming Christmas Rescue because love was on the line.
After a successful modeling career, how did you get into acting and what motivated you to make the transition?
Modeling was something I always wanted to do since I was a child. Yet once I started acting I realized how much more control I had over the creative process, the structure of my future career, and the types of jobs I would do. I think when you're modeling you show up and do what you're told versus when you're acting you show up and get to collaborate. Once I felt the difference of being granted the freedom and permission to collaborate it was clear acting was what I was meant to be doing.
You have worked on films from renowned production companies such as Lionsgate, Sony, and Lifetime. What has the transition been like from working in films to participating in television shows?
The biggest difference between film and television is the amount of time you get in each scene. When I've shot for Lionsgate they typically have really big budgets for their movies which means we'll spend all day shooting one scene from multiple different angles. Then when I've shot episodes of television we finish a scene in a couple hours because the turnaround time for an episode is much faster than the turnaround for a film. Personally, I prefer film because when you have more time you’re able to be more creative, throw out different ideas, and maybe even shoot a couple of options. It also makes it fun because with a movie, even if you're on set filming every day, you never quite know what it’s going to look like when it comes out. Which leads to a fun surprise when it finally does.
You have also been a woman with strong social ideals and that is why in 2019, you founded 'Time to Talk Hawaii', a program dedicated to helping teenagers communicate effectively. What did you see among teenagers that led you to create the program? How has this experience influenced the lives of those kids and your own?
I was largely inspired after watching the March For Our Lives Movement be led by a group of teenagers who were passionate about a social cause. I've always considered teens to be tomorrow's leaders and I think they have a voice. They already know what they want to say, sometimes they just need to be empowered to say it. Time to Talk Hawaii was really about giving them the confidence and tools to articulately communicate what they're already passionate about. Because of my program, I was actually invited to partner with the Honolulu City Council to help establish the first-ever Honolulu City Youth Commission which gave a group of 12 teenagers the opportunity to consult with the city council on issues that mattered most to them.
You won awards at Miss Hawaii USA 2020 and used your reign to advocate for effective communication and address racial disparity in Hawaii. Tell us about that experience and about using your title for worthy causes.
I saw the Miss Hawaii USA title as a community leadership position. It's such a unique opportunity and one that so many young women wanted so I made sure to honor that every single day and make the most out of my 1-year reign. I never expected my year to be aligned with the tumultuous year that was 2020 but I knew that community leaders pivot with the climate and so that’s what I did. Prior to the death of George Floyd, racial disparity was not at the forefront of my mind but I'm proud that I pivoted to talk about a sensitive and uncomfortable topic when it mattered most.
Following protests following the death of George Floyd, you founded Hawaii for Juneteenth and worked to officially establish Juneteenth as Remembrance Day in Hawaii. What is the date about and how do you balance your activism with your career in the entertainment industry?
Juneteenth, or June 19th, 1865, was the day that slavery officially ended in the United States, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation outlawed it. To me, honoring this day is about recognizing the history of systemic racism in our country so that we can adjust and move forward toward a more inclusive society. I consider activism to be speaking up about something that you know to be right even in the face of adversity and I think it's something that anyone and everyone can and should be doing despite what their career is. My career in entertainment should never stop me from doing what I know is right— in this case the fight for equality.
You are now an accredited life coach. What tools has this knowledge given you and how are you applying it?
Becoming accredited as a life coach has given me the ability to uplift and empower everyone I come in contact with. As a coach, I primarily focus on mindset and confidence for young women which allows me to join the journey of self-love and personal growth for so many incredible women who previously did not recognize their own strengths. I want everyone I meet to feel more empowered for having talked with me. And I want the women I work with to tackle their biggest goals and take on the world because they now believe they can.
How do you hope to be perceived by other women in the entertainment world?
I hope to be perceived as a champion for women. Earlier I mentioned the incredible love within the friendships shown in Christmas Rescue. That's the type of love and support I strive to show to other women in my personal life as well as in the industry.
If you could choose any type of role for your next performance, what would it be and why?
I would love to do something supernatural! My husband, Ty Trumbo, is also an actor and he recently was in a supernatural trilogy. He had so much fun on set and I had so much fun watching the movie when it came out that I've been dying to film something in that world ever since. I really want to play a witch. I just think it would be the absolute most fun.
What is your message to those who aspire to follow in your footsteps in the entertainment industry and the defense of social causes?
Believe in yourself. So often we hear people casually say “We are our own worst critics”. If you want to be successful, that is the worst mindset to adopt. You need to be your own biggest cheerleader. You need to believe in yourself more than anyone else believes in you. At the end of the day, it's your own motivation, discipline, and determination that's going to get you to where you want to go.
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