Posted in: Showtime, TV | Tagged: Shameless

Shameless: Sam Morgan on Not Overthinking Roles & Jeremy Allen White

Sam Morgan (The Red Mask) spoke with Bleeding Cool about his television role preferences, "Shameless," and working with Jeremy Allen White.

Sam Morgan is a triple threat in Hollywood as an actor, model, and musician. Since breaking out in 2016, Morgan's had steady work in his near-decade-long career, starting with shorts before making his feature debut in 2018's Mississippi Requiem, an indie anthology, and later, his TV debut on Paramount's American Woman, which starred Alicia Silverstone and Mena Suvari. He would also appear in Showtime's Shameless, CBS's Bull, and Blue Bloods. Morgan spoke to Bleeding Cool about his approach to TV, if he prefers guest appearances, recurring roles, or featured cast opportunities, and working with Jeremy Allen White, who played Lip Gallagher on Shameless, during his two-episode stint in season 11, and if he knew he would become a superstar.

Sam Morgan on 'American Woman,' 'Shameless,' and Jeremy Allen White

With your stint on 'American Woman' for Paramount seven years back, what did you remember most about that run? Do you envision taking a similar, more proactive approach to episodic television in the future, in a recurring role, perhaps joining a cast, or would you prefer to do guest spots? I guess this goes back to your previous response about having to work with multiple directors for TV traditionally, versus having one for a film.

TV is funny because it's one of those things where there are a lot of different opinions and people who must sign off on your being right for the part. In the past, it seems like TV was a little bit more…people could get their start in TV, and they would find their film career after if they could cross over. It's interesting because it's a little inverted, where if you do something like an independent film, you don't need to get that job.

I guess my approach to it is I hope and believe the right part always finds you at the right time, so whatever shows up that feels right for me, that's the job I want. I don't want to prove myself constantly over the course of a season. I have a couple of friends who have led their own series and done that. What's cool is that the jobs, the roles fit them like a glove. When I think of that earlier stuff, like 'American Woman' or whatever, that job was tailor-made to me and my life experience, even though the writer didn't know me at all. That's where I'm at. I'm not sure if I answered your question.

It's fine. I want your answers to come as organically as possible. During your projects, have you ever worked with somebody you realize when you look at them, the way they carry themselves, their performance, and think, "This person's going places and they're going to be that next superstar?" Did you have that gut feeling in your stomach? I remembered reading about you working with Jeremy Allen White [on 'Shameless'], who's gone on to do 'The Bear' among other things, like that upcoming Springsteen biopic 'Deliver Me from Nowhere' (2025).

I mean, definitely had that about Jeremy for sure. That was a wild run on 'Shameless,' because I wasn't familiar with him or the Showtime series at that point, which I had watched a couple of episodes before the audition, but it wasn't my show. When I got there, he's one of those actors who's so "present," which I feel is an overused word. He's like, "You must be ready," like he's going to hit you the ball, and then you must hit it back. He gives you a lot, but you're responsible for sending the ball back over the net. That was a very electric moment where I was just, I was so happy with the way I prepared myself for that job. I try to think there are some other actors, too, but they might not be famous yet [laughs].

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