#sometimes it's fun to just draw Sam and Anderson just- living their lives

[kottaniq]

It's hot outside...

[nclkafilms]

The absurdity of fanaticism

(Review of ‘Jojo Rabbit’. Seen in Biffen Art Cinema, Aalborg on the 23rd of January 2020)

“Let everything happen to you, Beauty and terror, Just keep going, No feeling is final.” (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Taika Waititi received his commercial breakthrough with ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, which followed indie hits such as ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ and ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’. He is one of those directors with a very clear style and vision, and he continues with a unique style in his latest film: nazi satire and self-proclaimed anti-hate-film, ‘Jojo Rabbit’. As if the notion of making a comedy/satire about Nazi Germany was not controversial enough, it certainly raised some eyebrows when he cast himself, half maori and half jew, to star as Adolf Hitler. And ever since it premiered, ‘Jojo Rabbit’ has divided audiences and critics alike into more or less three groups: those, who are deeply offended by its lack of political correctness and comedic take on one of history’s most tragic events, those, who think it is not dangerous enough or does not expose the horrors of the holocaust enough, and, finally, those who has been charmed, entertained, provoked and moved by a perfectly balanced mix of slapstick humour and gut punching drama. I, myself, sit firmly in the third group - ‘Jojo Rabbit’ is a wonderful piece of filmmaking.

We follow 10-year-old Johannes Betzler, better known as Jojo, as he prepares for a weekend camp with the Hitler Jugend. We watch him as he proudly dresses up in his uniform before heiling his imaginary friend, Waititi’s Hitler, as if he was a sportsman preparing for a game before he ultimately shoots through town heiling at everyone to the tunes of the german version of The Beatles’ “I wanna hold your hand”, while we alternately see Jojo and b/w clips of Hitler being celebrated as a superstar complete with cheering girls and everything. A bizarre and weirdly entertaining opening scene that perfectly sets the tone of the film’s dark humour; nothing is sacred here. The story that follows is Jojo’s coming-of-age-story. A process that typically lasts years, but in the midst of a world war nothing is “typical”. Waititi manages to beautifully balance the naivety and blind-eyed fanaticism of young Jojo with the horrors and brutal reality of war as things start to spiral out of control for our main character from the moment he discovers a jewish girl hidden in the walls of his home. Where is her horns? Is she going to eat him? Why is his mum helping her? and what does it mean to love someone? Jojo is forced to discover the many feelings of life and following him on his journey is as hilarious and endearing as it is thought-provoking and tragic.

This is more than anything thanks to just 12-year-old debutant, Roman Griffin Davis, who is nothing short of a revelation as Jojo. The range that he shows in his portrayal of Jojo is simply spectacular. He truly has funny bones with both physical comedy and a great timing, but it is when the story gradually shifts from Wes Anderson-ish, bizarre, slapstick nazi satire to a much heavier and emotional war story that Griffin Davis really pulls the rug from under you. In the process of the film you both laugh at and with Jojo, you are shocked by him, you feel his excitement and loss, and most importantly you really care for him. This is, of course, down to Waititi’s screenplay and directing, but it would never have worked without Griffin Davis’ wonderful performance that really bodes well for his future.

In addition to him, the other actors also turn in some memorable performances. Scarlett Johansson is perfectly endearing as Jojo’s mother, Rosie, who has to raise him on her own, while hiding a jewish girl in the attic and manoeuvring through the hardships of war with a heavy heart from losing her daughter. The chemistry between Johansson and Griffin Davis is stunning and feels so natural that their mother-son-bond becomes one of the most heartwarming aspects of the film. Johansson shines just as much as Rosie shines as the film’s clearest ray of humanism and empathy. As Elsa, the hidden jewish girl, Thomasin McKenzie is fierce and strong with the inevitable vulnerability of an oppressed person hiding to save her own life. As such she represents all the jews who suffered from Holocaust while staying brave to save their own and loved ones’ lives. Just as with Rosie and Jojo, the chemistry between Elsa and Jojo is electric and it is an absolute delight to see how their relationship develops and becomes deeper and deeper the more they both get to see each other for what they see rather than what they have learned. As such they become the clearest symbol of the film’s obvious anti-hate, anti-prejudice moral.

In the other spectrum, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen and Rebel Wilson are all hilarious as absurd caricatures of Nazi officers blinded by their fanaticism and extremism. This is, of course, one of the film’s very divisive decisions; because the actions that they perform whether it be teaching children to shoot and use grenades or burning books and teaching lies about jews are obviously despicable - especially in the light of what happened during holocaust. So to turn this into something funny (and boy, is it hilarious) is a brave decision, but also a clever one. The things they do are so absurd that to simply show them as dreadful and horrible is sometimes too easy; showing the absurdity and making people laugh at it can be quite disarming and, frankly, relieving at times. Another example of this is Stephen Merchant’s unforgettable, yet short, cameo as Gestapo agent, Deertz, who is hilarious at first. You laugh at him only to find yourself on the edge of your seat seconds later as the tone shifts and the scene becomes immensely nerve-racking. Now Deertz’ absurd behaviour is intense and in no way funny. Waititi disarms you by exposing you to the hilarious absurdity of this character only to catch you off guard shortly after and hit you with reality. He does this in another simply devastating scene that stands as one of the single biggest gut punches that I have had in the cinema for a while; leaving me with my mouth wide open and a tear running from my eye.                 To round off the acting performances, Waititi’s own portrayal of Hitler never really becomes anything other than a funny sidenote that adds some interesting comments to the extremist thoughts roaming around Jojo’s head.  It’s funny and at times delightfully dark in its humour, but it - thankfully - never draws focus away from the other, much more interesting characters.

But let’s get back to this balance between the laughs and tears, because this is what lifts ‘Jojo Rabbit’ up as a stunning film experience. It works as a comedy/satire and it works as hard-hitting, thought-provoking drama. This is an insanely difficult balance to truly hit and only a few films manages it. ‘Jojo’ succeeds in being a hilarious comedy thanks, partly, to its well-written and delightfully politically incorrect screenplay by Waititi with so many great and memorable one-liners. But it is also because of its tight editing by Tom Eagles and brilliant score by Michael Giacchino, who supports the shifting nature of Jojo’s perspective through both joyful and more sorrowful compositions. As a drama it works - of course also thanks to the screenplay - because of a brilliant production design by Ra Vincent that often stands in great contrast to the absurd action unfolding in it. Finally, the costumes by Mayes C. Rubeo are simply delightful whether they are historically accurate or hilariously comedic as when Jojo roams the street as a robot gathering “metal for Hitler” or Rockwell and Allen take their final bow as some kind of absurd superhero devoid of all the human faults that they otherwise infuse their characters with.

And now let us return to the quote from the beginning of this review.

“Let everything happen to you, Beauty and terror, Just keep going, No feeling is final.”

This is not only a beautiful quote that gives us an important lesson on why not to give into hate and despair, it is also a quote that is mirrored in the film’s three main characters. Elsa remains hopeful and decent even when the entire world seems to hate her and want her dead. Rosie gives her son the love a mother should give despite him representing everything she fights against. And, finally, the film tells the story of how Jojo learns this lesson; to not be tempted by hate and the “easy exit” of jumping on the bandwagon, but to stay curious, to acknowledge love and to let it in. As such ‘Jojo Rabbit’ does not become “oh, that film that made fun of Hitler”. No, it becomes a film about the importance of experiencing and exploring the world around us. The importance of being curious and engaging with people despite our differences. Simply put: the importance of never forgetting love. It might not be in the absolute top of 2019 objectively, but personally, Jojo and Elsa danced their ways into my heart and my top 3 for 2019.

4,5/5

[fcrtiers-blog]

@gogreekpoints

( &&. general information )

full name: charlotte elizabeth fortier

pronunciation: shar-lot

nickname(s) or alias: charlie, char

preferred name: charlie

current age: twenty-one

astrological sign: sagittarius

element: fire

title: miss

label: the halcyon

gender: female

preferred pronouns: she & her

sexual preference: bisexual

romantic preference: biromantic

resides in: princeton, new jersey

current occupation: student

language(s) spoken: english

native language: english

current marital status: single

( &&. background )

reason behind name: charlotte was her maternal grandmother’s first name and elizabeth is her paternal grandmother’s middle name

birth order: she is the youngest of three siblings

ethnicity: caucasian

nationality: american

religion: agnostic

political views: liberal as fuck

financial status: upper middle class

iq: 127

hometown: georgetown, washington, d.c.

( &&. physical appearance )

looks like: phoebe tonkin

height: five feet and ten inches

weight: a hundred and forty pounds

shoe size: eight and a half

figure/build: lean, slightly muscular

hair colour, Dyed?: brunette and no

hair length: medium length

eye colour: hazel

shape of face: square

tattoos: ‘joy’ in scribe on her wrist. a dainty sternum tattoo of two sprigs of lavender

piercings: ears are triple pierced with her cartilage 

birthmarks/scars/distinguishing marks: n/a

dominant hand: left

if painted, what color are their nails/toenails?: it stays in the gray family, ventures into lavenders sometimes. 

usual style of clothing: hipster skater chic vibes that is most likely hella comfy as well  (lol does that even make sense)

frequently worn jewelry: two personalized rings on her middle finger with her first and middle name on it. a dainty gold necklace with her siblings’ initials on them

what is their speaking style (fast, monotone, loquacious)? insanely loquacious, although there are moments (aka that high life) she’s just insanely mellowed out and talks quite... slow.

describe their scent: she usually smells of citrus???

describe their posture: usually in a slight slouch

( &&. legal information )

birth name: charlotte elizabeth fortier

any speeding tickets?: one from driving in northern virginia (true story. me af. fuck u nova)

have they ever been arrested?: nope

do they have a criminal record?: no

have they committed any violent crimes?: no

property crimes?: no

traffic crimes?: no

( &&. medical information )

blood type: o positive 

date/time of birth: december fifth, 1995 / 2:49 am

place of birth: washington, d.c.

vaginal birth or cesauren section?: vaginal

sex: female

diet: somewhat healthy... not really. hella junk food on occasion

smoker? / Drinker? / Drug User?, Which?: no / yes, socially / yes, mostly marijuana but the occasional psychedelics (shrooms, lsd, etc). 

addictions: none

allergies: none

do they get occasional checkups?: yes

ever broken a bone?: no

hospital visits, what for?: torn acl when used to play soccer in high school

any physical ailments/illnesses/disabilities: none 

any medication regularly taken: none

( &&. personality )

direct quote from them: “wanna go hang on the rooftop?”

positive traits: independent, understanding, charismatic, adventurous 

negative traits: sarcastic, stubborn, hedonistic

likes: naps, fluffy sweaters, corgis, weed

dislikes: sour candies, breadsticks, roller coasters

fears/phobias: heights

hobbies: crocheting (hit up ya girl for hats and scarves in the winter)

guilty pleasure: watching reality tv aka the challenge

regrets: not telling a certain someone that she loved them

turn ons: being dominated, also the being dominant

turn offs: cockiness, little to no hygiene upkeep

lucky number: 13

pet peeves: when people who just ordered move to the front of the counter when there is a large crowd still waiting for their own food??

their motto: here for a good time not a long time

( &&. favourites )

food: pizza

drink: water

fast food restaurant: five guys

flavour: cherry

word: moist

colour: black

clothing: flannels

accessory: rings

candle scent: the winter candle from bath & body works

store: h&m

instrument: guitar

game: any of the pokemon games minus pokemon go

animal: kangaroo

holiday: christmas, duh

season: winter, also duh

book: milk and honey by rupi kaur 

artist: ella mai

band/group: the eagles

song: take it easy by the eagles

movie/film: 

tv show: the challenge (she’s a slut for reality tv tbh)

sport: baseball

sports team: philadelphia phillies 

school subject: maths

possession: her rings that were given to her by her parents

number: 11

emoji: shady eyes emoji

mythological creature: pegasus

person: @gtglayla​

( &&. skills )

talents: does balancing a spoon on your nose count??? or 

ability to drive a car? Operate any other vehicles?: loves driving. will drive if you don’t want to

can they ride a bike?: yes

do they play any sports?: used to play soccer until she tore her acl

anything they’re bad at?: singing and drawing??? 

do they have any combat training? Why?: no, bc no?

( &&. firsts )

childhood memory: being pushed into the pool by her older brother

crush: paisley anderson in the third grade

email address: fluffynutters253@yahoo.com

job: cashier at dairy queen

phone: sidekick

computer: imac

kiss: paisley anderson in the third grade ;)))))) 

love: natalie dent @tfnatalie​

sexual experience: prom in the eleventh grade

( &&. childhood )

best childhood memory?: when she watched her little sister beat up some kid for making fun of her twin. she was going to hold her back, but y’know didn’t want to elbowed in the face

worst childhood memory?: losing her first soccer game. damn, that day was just awful. 

what were they like as a child?: she was really curious, constantly bugging her parents with questions and just won’t stop until she was actually tired. 

any crushes growing up?: several. her first was paisley anderson from the third grade. 

did they know/like their parents?: she absolutely adores her parents

worst influence on them as a kid?: older cousins. they were the ones that taught her what weed was

did they have a lot of friends?: yeah, the girls on her soccer team were her closest friends

were they heavily punished?: not really? her parents were pretty lax about rules.

anything they wish they could cut out?: not really

were they more feminine or masculine?: she was slightly more masculine than feminine

were they an early or late bloomer for puberty?: late bloomer for sure

do they still know any of their childhood friends?: sadly, no

( && this or that )

expensive or inexpensive tastes?: expensive

hygienic or Unhygienic?: hygienic

open-minded or close-minded?: open-minded

introvert or extrovert?: extrovert

optimistic or pessimistic?: optimistic

daredevil or cautious?: daredevil

logical or emotional?: emotional

generous or stingy?: generous

polite or rude?: polite

book smart or street smart?: street smart

dominant or submissive?: dominant

popular or loner?: loner

leader or follower?: leader

day or night person?: night

cat or dog person?: dog

closet door open or closed while sleeping?: closed

( &&. family relationships )

father: peter ynes fortier

describe their relationship: she has a great relationship with her father. honestly between her mother and him, she is closer to her dad. he was the one to feed charlie’s curiosity about the world around her. he was also the one to encourage her to do whatever she loved. 

mother: juniper marie scott-fortier

describe their relationship: she simply adores her mom. she was always there for every soccer game that she had. cheered her on through things that charlie didn’t even know that she needed to be cheered on for. she was always so loving and tender, understanding and kind. 

brother: austin wyatt fortier

describe their relationship: her older brother is somewhat of an asshole?? but he’s the kind of person that would risk anything for his family. quite the character actually. he’s off in new york doing his own thing and making sure that no one is messing with his younger sister. and she basically does the same for him... in a less agressive way. 

sisters: chloe anne and cassandra lee fortier 

describe their relationship: the beloved twins of the family. she would say that they’re pretty close. although, they’re still in high school and sometimes... charlie can’t really relate to them??? teenagers man. 

significant other: tba

( &&. other relationships )

best friend: layla evans

childhood friend: tba

enemy: tba

past romances: natalie dent, tba

pets: luna & shadow (her corgis)

roommate(s): tba

( &&. social media )

do they have a Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Vine? Snapchat? Tinder/Grindr? Tumblr? YouTube?

if so; Name on Facebook: charlotte fortier

twitter handle: @char_fortier

instagram user: @char_fortier

vine user: RIP VINE

snapchat user: charliebitme

name on Tinder: charlotte fortier

tumblr URL: n/a

youTube channel: n/a

( &&. musical tastes )

Theme song: honey by kehlani

Can relate to: she don’t by ella mai

Makes them happy: sunday candy by chance the rapper

Makes them sad: we find love by daniel caesar (actually anything by daniel caesar gets her in her feelings???)

Makes them dance: wannabe by the spice girls

Loves the most: sam smith. literally. 

Describes them: fine by vada

Never gets tired of: ain’t it fun by paramore

Would like to be played at their wedding: best part by daniel caesar

Would like to play at their funeral: promises by jhene aiko

( &&. miscellaneous )

Do they have a fake I.D.?: yes

Are they a virgin?: no

Describe their signature: there are only two distinct letters in her signature, one being c for charlotte and the f for fortier

How long would they survive in a zombie apocalypse?: probably not that long. i see her being killed in the first two days or so

Do they travel?: she loves to travel. last summer she went on a cross country road trip with her brothers

One place they would like to live: paris, france

One place they would like to visit: seoul, south korea

Celebrity crush: hayley kiyoko

What can you find in their pockets/wallet/purse: a hair tie / a two dollar bill / two packs of gum, her wallet, random makeup products, and lotion 

Place(s) your character can always be found: rooftop of the pi gamma house, in the library

When does your character like to wake up?: honestly??? noon. 

What’s your character’s morning routine?: wake up, scavenge for breakfast, go take a shower, throw on some clothes and pat on some makeup

What does your character eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner?: usually cereal or some eggos / skips lunch on most days??? but probs might ask someone to go to chipotle or something / dining hall anyone??? 

How does your character spend their free days?: smoking, napping, reading

What’s your character’s bedtime routine?: if she has the time to, she’ll take a bath and do a face mask. but if not, she just takes off her makeup and washes her face. 

What does your character wear to bed?: typically an oversized shirt and just underwear

If your character can’t fall asleep, what are they thinking about?: a shit ton of things. what does her schedule look like tomorrow? what work she has to do? any emails that she has to get back to? all types of shit. random shit too. what are millenials really doing with their time? how effective is the sushi making contraption tube thing?

What has been their greatest achievement?: graduating as one of the valedictorians in high school

What or who is the greatest love of their life?: natalie dent

Most marked characteristic: honesty

How would they like to die?: peacefully and in her sleep

Do they snore?: no

Do they chew their pens/pencils?: no

Can they curl their tongue?: no

Can they whistle?: yes

Do they believe in the supernatural?: no, ghosts aren’t real wth *cue shane impersonation*

Have they ever cheated on anyone?: never

Have they ever been cheated on?: no

Has anyone ever broken their heart?: yes

Have they ever broken anyone’s heart?: no not that she knows of

Are they squeamish?: no

Have they ever killed anyone? Why? How?: no

Have they ever seen anyone die? What happened?: no

Are they a lightweight?: definitely not. 

[againstalloddshq]

BASICS

NAME: Samuel Dwight Evans AGE & BIRTHDAY: 23 | May 5 OCCUPATION: Guitar Teacher / Aspiring Comic Artist SEXUALITY: Bisexual / Biromantic FROM: Lima, OH

He is currently SINGLE, but his endgame is BLAM.

BIOGRAPHY

Family over everything. If there was one lesson Dwight and Mary Evans wanted their children to take with them as they went about their lives, that would be it. From the moment Sam could understand, his parents worked hard to remind him that even if he felt like he had nothing else, he would always have his family. Even though people liked to assume otherwise, Sam was a smart kid so he knew how lucky he was, and he made sure his siblings also knew it when they joined the Evans clan. There was a 9 year gap separating Sam and his brother Stevie, and 12 years between he and little Stacey, and so Sam liked to think he was like their mentor. Like Yoda. Stevie and Stacey were his Jedi younglings, ready to learn all about the big bad world from wise old middle schooler Sam. He had a whole twelve-plus years of life experience under his belt that he could pass on to his siblings. Like knowing about fractions and having read Tuck Everlasting. Stuff like that.

Which, Sam liked to point out, was a whole bunch of bullshit, but maybe that was because math equations and reading chapter books were a lot harder for him than they seemed to be for other kids. While he felt like a big shot at home when his toddler siblings laughed at his funny faces, school was another story. Sam felt...small. He wasn’t someone who retreated into his shell easily; he had a huge personality (and a smile to match), but his difficulties in school made him want to disappear sometimes. His teachers and parents knew it was a problem and they wanted to help him.

The testing was pretty bad, but everyone promised Sam that finding out if something was going on would be worth it. As it turned out, there was something, and that something was dyslexia. He started having these weekly sessions to monitor his progress and find some ways to make math and reading and writing easier. The weekly sessions became biweekly, then monthly, then they were just every once in a while, and eventually Sam’s dyslexia wasn’t something that made him feel so small anymore. It was just something he had, just one of his Things, and he felt like he could breathe again.

Most importantly, he could make his siblings laugh again, and wasn’t that just the most important thing in Sam’s short life thus far?

After all, family was everything. And that turned out to be super important when Sam was sixteen and things spiraled downhill. Mary had been a stay-at-home mom since Sam’s birth and it worked out perfectly with Dwight’s job, but that obviously wasn’t the case when he lost it. Desperation set in when they suddenly no longer owned their house. Sam was a sophomore in high school needing to come to terms with the fact that he and his family were homeless. Just like that.

Enter Carole Hudson and her son, Finn. The Hudsons had been friends of theirs since Mary used to babysit Finn when he and Sam were little. Sam had great memories with him from when they were tiny, and now they were on the football team together and suddenly Sam was the one being dumped on Finn’s doorstep rather than the other way around. Except he was sixteen and not two, so it was a lot more humiliating. But Finn wasn’t judgmental. He didn’t bat an eye at the fact that Sam and Stevie shared an air mattress on his bedroom floor for the better part of a year, nor the fact that Stacey slept sandwiched between their parents on the Hudsons’ pullout couch downstairs. The Evans-Hudson clan was one big, dysfunctional, not-quite-family in that time, and Sam never forgot it. Sam and Finn both worked after-school jobs and the money they made went to their families. When Dwight landed a job that would get them back on their feet, Carole insisted they stick around until they were sure they would be okay. Needless to say, birthdays and holidays always included the Hudsons.

So it was really no surprise when, after high school, Sam and Finn decided to go somewhere together. Both families had gone through hell and back in their own ways and all parties involved were excited to see what the boys would accomplish. They took what money they had been able to save from their after school jobs, found a super cheap apartment, and jetted off to New York City. It was terrifying. Everything was loud and fast-paced but Sam had ideas for what he maybe wanted to do with his life. He was creative and, let’s be honest, easy on the eyes, and NYC seemed to be all about the aesthetic. Sam didn’t want to go to college (at least, not right away; it just didn’t seem like it was for him) but figured that after some adjusting, he’d fit right in.

But there didn’t seem to be a place for him at first. Sam had continuously struggled to find his true passion. To be honest, most of his focus all throughout his teens had been on his body. He worked hard to look good; more than that, he felt like he had to. School obviously never came easy to him, and while he loved music, he knew he wasn’t the best the world had ever seen. He was a mediocre artist at best (though, realistically, he knew that sort of thing took time). All in all, there didn’t seem to be anything incredibly unique about him --- not until people started noticing the way he looked. And if Sam could find a career through that, well...if you’ve got it, flaunt it, right?

So modeling seemed like a safe bet. There were a whole bunch of places he could start. It wasn’t easy, though. In fact, it was anything but. While Finn worked at a grocery store, Sam was waiting tables so they could pay their bills. Neither had a super solid plan. Sam was going out on casting calls and auditions for male models but getting consistent rejections along the way. He got discouraged a lot, thinking that maybe he should be in college and pursuing something practical after all, but then it happened. Almost a year into their New York City adventure, he booked a gig. It was just for a little winter clothes catalogue, but it was something. Sam was finally going to make money off of his body! ...And like, yeah, there were better ways to phrase that, but it was true.

The modeling scene was still tough, even as Sam continued to slowly book jobs. He had just turned 20, having been at it for about a year already when he came across the one face that made it much easier: that of a girl named Quinn, the photographer at one of his shoots. Sam was absolutely mesmerized by her. They hooked up and never spoke again, and while she turned his world upside down for a night, it was sort of a wake up call for him. Though there was clearly something between them that brought them together, it wasn’t just about his body. Modeling in general, however, was only about his body. Quinn wasn’t superficial, but everyone else was.

He kept rolling along in his modeling career, getting increasingly busier with meetings and auditions, and along the way he would meet people who would hit on him, promising him more jobs or networking opportunities and he realized how shallow it all was. Nothing was authentic. None of the feelings were authentic, especially not since his experience with Quinn. It didn’t make him feel proud like he had hoped whatever he did would. He was just making money off of his body. And that had been the point, really, in the beginning; it was all he thought he was good for. But now he was feeling like there had to be something else out there for him. There had to be something that made him feel whole. So he dropped it like it was hot.

He didn’t let himself get discouraged, though. Finn had let go of the acting thing early on and still managed to find his passion. Sam put his creativity to use by picking up his guitar and teaching lessons at a local music shop. He was by no means an expert, but he knew his way around a guitar, so he was qualified enough to teach little kids. He felt so much more fulfilled than he did when he was modeling. He was actually doing something for others rather than getting (almost) naked in front of a camera.

And then there's drawing. He does it for fun, but he��d totally be lying if he said it wasn’t a dream of his to publish his own full length comic book someday. Or an actual book with characters he creates himself. He doesn’t know. He figures he’ll know when the inspiration strikes him. But it feels good to be bettering the lives of others in his own small ways. He’s got his best bros here in the city that never sleeps, a job that he loves, some pretty awesome modeling experience, and of course, his regular Skype dates with his family back home. It’s a big world out there, as Sam is beginning to understand, but he also knows that if he needs it, he’ll always have a place back in Ohio with his family.

He’s sure that nothing can screw up what he’s got going now, though. Obviously.

CONNECTIONS

BLAINE ANDERSON → CO-WORKER → Blaine taught voice/piano lessons at the same music shop where Sam teaches guitar. Sam became quite used to seeing the guy with gelled hair and bowties pass by him. They didn’t often have time to talk, but from the few times they had, Sam learned that he and Blaine have a lot of shared interests, like superheroes, music, and movies. They mostly just bonded over their shared love for what they were doing. But there was always a warm smile and wave whenever they crossed paths.

QUINN FABRAY → HOOKUP/MOTHER OF HIS CHILD → Sam met Quinn when she photographed him for a local catalogue. The modeling scene was still tough, even as Sam continued to slowly book jobs. He had just turned 20, having been at it for about a year already when he came across the one face that made it much easier: that of Quinn Fabray, the photographer at one of his shoots. Sam was absolutely mesmerized by her. He was surprised when she actually agreed to go out with him after their session, and after they hooked up that night, Sam couldn’t stop thinking about her. But they didn’t talk at all afterward. Sam had to imagine that that had something to do with the fact that they didn’t exchange numbers, and he was pretty sure she didn’t even get his last name. Regardless, she turned his world upside down for a night. What Sam doesn’t know is that eventually led to the birth of their son, since he hasn’t had any contact with Quinn since.

FINN HUDSON → BEST FRIEND → Sam’s mom would babysit Finn when the two of them were babies, all the way up until they went to kindergarten. They didn’t stay all that close, unfortunately, since they naturally got busier, but they were football teammates. When Sam’s family lost their home, they went to live with the Hudsons for a year. This naturally brought the two boys together again. Since then, Sam and Finn have been incredibly close and consider each other family. They moved to New York together right out of high school.

ARTIE ABRAMS → ROOMMATE → Artie responded to a posting for a new roommate by Sam and Finn once they realized they totally couldn’t afford living there all on their own. Artie fit right in with them as another broke kid with bright New York dreams. He and Sam found that they had a lot of shared interests, and Artie also tends to be a voice of reason for Sam a lot of the time.

TINA COHEN-CHANG → FRIEND → It’s simple. Sam and Tina met through Artie.

SEBASTIAN SMYTHE → FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS → Sam and Sebastian met

✗ Sam is currently TAKEN and played by KIM (21, EST).