Sterling Heights, MI, USA
As a foreign language coach in Hollywood, Sam is often called on by producers to coach some of the world’s best-known on-screen talent, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Omar Sharif, Mark Strong, Russel Crow, Oscar Isaac, Brad Dourif, Tim Roth, Scott Glenn, Danny Trejo, and Freddy Rodriguez to name few.
Sam’s nickname (Sam of all trades) comes from his broad knowledge of the industry resulting from decades of work as an actor, casting director, voice over artist, Middle East cultural consultant, dialect coach, ADR performer, cinematographer, editor, producer and director. He’s worked extensively on independent and major studio domestic and foreign releases, and particularly those for Middle East markets. His best- known films include Body of Lies, Green Zone, Hidalgo, The Passion of the Christ, Iron Man, Mad Max: Furry Road, Beverly Hills Cop II, & Robo Cop. Major television projects have included Over There, Touch, NCIS, Weeds, Homeland and Lethal Weapon.
As a young man, Sam lived throughout the Middle East where he learned many languages and Arabic dialects including Egyptian, Khaliji, Yemeni, Lebanese, Moroccan, Saudi, Farsi and Dari/Pashtune. Soon after his high school graduation, his family moved to Greece. There, he learned a new culture and language, and soon moved to the United States. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan where he received an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts from Wayne County Community College. Then he was off to California where he earned in B.A. in Motion Picture and Television Production from California State University Northridge.
Weam Namou, Pomegranate’s writer-director said, “Having worked with Sam in the past, I’m thrilled that we have teamed up to work on another project, Pomegranate. As a Casting Director, Producer, and Middle Eastern Consultant, Sam is incredibly important to our film. His role will require a great deal of care and attention and vast amounts of knowledge which, given his decades of working with major studies in Hollywood, will definitely help us realize our film’s vision.”
Pomegranate is a dramedy by writer-director Weam Namou, based on her childhood experiences immigrating from Iraq to the United States, and then as an adult living through the presidential election of 2016. Consequently, Pomegranate is the story about how, in the weeks before the election of Donald Trump in 2016, a young, politically liberal, Iraqi Muslim immigrant struggles to find her footing in a neighborhood of well-to- do, politically conservative, Iraqi Christians, while battling her family’s fears of deprivation and demands of loyalty to Muslim traditions.
Pomegranate Pictures, LL is owned and managed by Weam Namou, who wrote the screenplay and will direct the movie. She is working together in association with Buffalo 8 Productions (Santa Monica, CA) to produce the movie.
Pomegranate 