Samantha Wan has worked hard her entire life to have a seat at the table. She began her career as an actress, starring in series including Kristal Clear, Leslieville, and most recently, Private Eyes (airing now on ION television). But, roles for Asian actors were far and few, which led Samantha to create her own projects, ones that tell authentic and diverse stories for the underrepresented. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Samantha about being a new voice in the industry. Career Questions PC: How did you discover
This year, Haley Finnegan made her Tribeca Film Festival debut with Westfalia. The short is a hilarious take on today’s society in which a young couple embarks on an epic road trip in an attempt to gain more Instagram followers. Haley wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the project, and gave us a behind-the-scenes look on bringing this short to life. PC: Tell us about Westfalia, your character, and what inspired the short? Haley: I was inspired to create the short because I was having trouble in my own career.
Pop Culturalist is excited to be partnering with Annapurna Pictures to give away tickets to an advance screening of Booksmart. You and a guest will see the film before it’s released on May 24. All the details are below. Good luck! About the Film On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night. Check out the
Actress Simone Miller is getting straight A’s for her breakout performance as Raign Westbrook on CBC’s Detention Adventure. The family-friendly series follows a motley crew of sixth graders who purposely get themselves thrown into detention after discovering the entrance to a labyrinth of tunnels protecting a long-lost secret. It’s Simone’s first big role, and she’s crushing it. Pop Culturalist chatted with Simone about Detention Adventure, her love for music, and much more. PC: Tell us about Detention Adventure, your character, and what drew you to this project. Simone: Detention Adventure