Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with What/If’s Samantha Ware

Samantha Ware sang and danced her way into our hearts as Jane Hayward on Fox’s Glee. The role was her television debut and also her big break. Since then, she’s continued to showcase her versatility and dazzle audiences on both the screen and stage. Currently, she’s starring in the Netflix thriller, What/If, which follows a group of characters who are put into situations where they have to make a choice and live with the consequences. Pop Culturalist chatted with Samantha about this exciting new project.

PC: Tell us about What/If and your character.
Samantha: There are a lot of sub-narratives in What/If. My character, Angela, is a resident surgeon who’s always at work. She has been married for ten years, and Keith Powers plays my husband. In this show, the characters are faced with choices. That’s where the “what/if“ comes in. What if you take this opportunity? Does it benefit you? Does it come with lies and deceit?

The overall story follows Renee Zellweger, Jane Levy, and Blake Jenner’s characters. Renee’s character is this big tech mogul who offers Jane’s character this lump sum of money to advance her career, only if she’s able to sleep with her husband. A decision has to be made, and thus, ten episodes are born.

PC: What attracted you to this project?
Samantha: As an actress, you receive a lot of breakdowns. If you love the script, you go for it. If someone is asking you to play a surgeon, especially as a dark-skinned woman, it’s a no-brainer.

PC: Angela’s career is thriving while her marriage has plateaued. How did you prepare to tackle everything that Angela’s dealing with?
Samantha: It’s not so much the preparation, it’s really attaching the motive to actual humanity. That’s the trick with acting: you have to make sure that it’s associated with real life. I’ve never been in a ten-year relationship, so that was interesting…but don’t tell anyone that. [laughs] Keith made it easy. He’s a great guy, an amazing actor, and we had great chemistry. Everyone involved with the show made it easy.

PC: What can you tease about Angela’s arc/choice?
Samantha: She may or may not be doing something at the hospital with someone. It’s a sticky situation.

PC: Do you agree with Angela’s choice in the what/if situation?
Samantha: That’s a tricky question. Life is made of choices and it’s about how we deal with the consequences. I’ve never been in the situation that Samantha is in, so I can’t say.

PC: You’re best known for your role as Jane Hayward on Glee. What was the biggest takeaway from that experience that you’ve been able to apply to your career moving forward?
Samantha: That was my first TV gig, and there was a huge learning curve; I did a lot of theatre before that. The great thing is that there’s a decent bridge between those two worlds—they’re all about performing. I felt like I had at least half-mastered half of that, but it was a scary, thrilling ride. It was surreal. Everyone remembers “Don’t Stop Believin’” from the pilot. It went by so quickly. It was the last season, so there was a lot of energy there with the show ending.

PC: What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned being a part of this industry?
Samantha: Patience, practice, and listen.

PC: You’re a singer, actress, and performer. Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards? Has one been more challenging than the others?
Samantha: Singing is the more innate nature of my talent. With acting, I’ve fallen in love with being able to convey a feeling or energy with my performance. I really love acting because it’s challenging; singing feels very intimate.

I’ve been doing TV for the last year and a half. The shows that I’ve been a part of have already been established, so there hasn’t been tons of room for creative expression. It’s like you’re a vessel helping portray someone else’s story, which is what I’ve learned. If I want to portray my own story, I either need to find it, or I need to write it myself. This is why I’ve been writing a lot more—I feel like I have yet to see a version of me, Sam. I’ve seen little spats, but not yet a full-bodied version of myself. I feel like, especially for black women, it’s important to see us as ubiquitous creatures and not just two-dimensional monolithic. Big platforms like Netflix and YouTube are advocates for that change.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Samantha: I just binged the hell out of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

PC: Favorite movie?
Samantha: I can’t think of one off the top of my head, but the last good movie I saw was The Favourite. I love that it’s an all-female cast and their performances were spectacular.

PC: Favorite book?
Samantha: All About Love by Bell Hooks

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Samantha: The Lion King

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised is on your playlist?
Samantha: Nirvana

PC: Hidden talent?
Samantha: I can eat. I mean, I can eat. [laughs]

To keep up with Samantha, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and catch What/If on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Benjo Arwas