Some interviews give you answers. Others give you an entire experience. And then there are the interviews that feel less like work and more like catching up with someone you’ve known forever. Martin Kamm? Absolutely the third kind.
There’s just something about Midwest people. Maybe it’s the easygoing charm, the humor that sneaks up on you, or the way a conversation can turn into a whole afternoon before you even realize it. Whatever it is, Martin has it. Talking to him felt less like trying to pull answers out of someone and more like settling in for a genuinely good conversation with someone who actually gets it.
And honestly? I already had a soft spot for him before we even said hello.
Martin and his team were incredibly patient and accommodating when I needed to take care of some medical matters before our scheduled interview. They graciously waited, and that kindness did not go unnoticed. Sometimes, it’s the little things that tell you a lot about someone, and that gesture had me feeling pretty good about our conversation before Zoom even entered the picture.
But then he appeared on my screen.
And I had to pause for a second.
MARTIN & THE HAIR
Listen, I came prepared with questions, but apparently, my first order of business was going to be investigating his hair care routine. Because that hair? Those strands? The volume? The commitment to looking that good on a Zoom call? Someone needs to conduct a study. We need a research team. We need answers.
Naturally, we immediately got into it, talking about our thick hair and the very real struggle of having enough strands to weigh us down. And if you know, you KNOW. Humidity is not our friend, and anyone who has lived through a Midwest summer understands that sometimes your hair has plans of its own.
Martin hails from Oklahoma, while I’m an Iowa girl, so we had common ground before we even got into the good stuff. Different states, same struggle. Thick hair, humidity, and the ongoing negotiation required to get it to cooperate.
Honestly, bonding over hair might not be the most conventional way to kick off an interview, but why should it be? Sometimes the best conversations start with the things that make us laugh, and in our case, apparently, it was our shared battle against the elements.
Of course, the Midwest connection went beyond our hair struggles. There’s a certain appreciation for where you come from that never quite leaves you, even when life takes you somewhere else.
I left the Midwest a long time ago, eventually making my way to Los Angeles. Martin, meanwhile, is still holding it down in Oklahoma. And naturally, I had to ask about the culture shock.
Because let’s be real: Los Angeles is a whole different universe from the Midwest. The pace, the people, the atmosphere — everything has its own flavor. Moving from Iowa to LA certainly gave me a few things to adjust to, so I was curious about how Martin experienced that shift.
And that’s part of what made this conversation so enjoyable. We could laugh, connect over familiar experiences, and talk like two people who understood where the other was coming from. There was no awkwardness to push through and no need to manufacture a moment. The conversation simply flowed.
And when an interview starts with genuine kindness, takes a detour into a full-blown hair appreciation session, and turns into a conversation about the places that shaped us, you know you’re in for something good.
Some things deserve to be acknowledged. And, Martin, that hair absolutely did. But he’s definitely more than hair.
NEW YORK
We started talking about New York, which he considers a fun city. And hey, that makes sense! After all, he loves to sing, dance, and act. But when it comes to choosing a coast, he doesn’t pick a side. He recognizes that both have something to offer, and honestly? Fair enough.
Naturally, I ask about Oklahoma and its art scene. He tells me, “I love Oklahoma. It’s where I was born and raised, there’s a lot of good people here, but it’s more sports focused than arts. So it’s like, kind of have to search for art. It does exist. And there is a lot of talent in this state, but it’s just like, again, it’s, you know, we have football and now the basketball team that just won the championship last year. So, you know.”
I laugh because I know exactly what he means. Friday Night Lights happens in the Midwest, too, and if there’s one thing we know, it’s that sports can be EVERYTHING. Friday night football? A whole cultural event. The arts? Well, sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find them.
It’s something we can both agree on.
But that desire to be something bigger, to do something bigger, is there in so many of us. And for someone who clearly has a love for performing, I want to know: Why acting? What made him want to pursue it?
THE WHY
He smiles and explains, “It kind of started as a family thing cause we have a local theater in my hometown and they were putting on Beauty and the Beast. And for most of my life, I’ve been performing my whole life, but I was always forced to, you know, my mom would work at church. I have to sing at church all the time, you know, I’m like, I don’t want to do this, but she forced me anyways. But with Beauty and the Beast, it was my choice. I was like, do you want to do this? You don’t have to, you can be out of it, you can do whatever you want. I’m like, you know what? I’m going to give it a shot. So we did it.”
And, of course, I have to ask the important question.
Did he get the role?
His answer? “ I got the starring role of the Pepper Shaker in Townsperson number six. So it was a great, great moment for me, but I just, I kind of just fell in love with it. I fell in love with the community and performing. And I mean, and that was even before we did our first performance and then we did our performance and it’s like, wow, you hear the applause and you know, you get the idea that people are coming into this place and for a few hours to kind of get to escape and see people in another world. I want to bring that experience to everybody because that’s what I like. You know, I like entertainment because it takes me somewhere else.”
That role sounds iconic, TBH.
FALLING
Okay, jokes aside, there’s something genuinely lovely about the way he describes falling in love with performing. It wasn’t just about being onstage or getting applause. It was about the community, the experience, and the magic of giving people a few hours to step outside their everyday lives and enter another world.
And that right there? That’s the heart of entertainment.
He goes on to talk about wanting to bring people joy, and honestly, that’s something we can absolutely get behind. In a world that can feel overwhelming, there’s something special about someone who wants to make people smile, even if only for a little while. It’s not just about performing for the sake of performing; it’s about what that performance can give someone else.
And I love that.
Naturally, the conversation continues, and I ask whether kids at school treated him differently. His response makes me laugh.
WAIT WHAT?
“Well, as funny as I was homeschooled my whole life. So yes, in a sense they did treat me differently. I treat myself differently and that is what matters.”
PLEASE. The self-awareness? The delivery? The way he turns the question on its head? I can’t help but laugh because he’s smarter and more aware of the world around him – more aware
But there’s something underneath the humor, too. That last line sticks with me. I treat myself differently and that is what matters. It’s a simple sentiment, but it says something about the way he chooses to see himself rather than letting other people define him.
And that’s what I keep coming back to throughout our conversation.
There’s something about this guy that impresses me.
FAMILY
We go on to talk about family, and one thing becomes immediately clear: this guy LOVES his people. He adores his sisters, absolutely worships his mom, and has nothing but admiration for his dad and his work ethic. The family pride is real, and honestly, I love to see it.
He’s also a brand-new uncle, which means I have some very important advice to impart. I warn him that he needs to start saving now because being an aunt or uncle is EXPENSIVE. And, of course, I offer him the most solid piece of wisdom I can: always sugar them up before sending them home. You’re welcome.
Naturally, I ask about the teacher who has had the biggest impact on his life, but we both know we’re cheating a little with this question. Having been homeschooled, his mom was also his teacher, and when he starts talking about her, you can hear just how much he admires her.
“She has a master’s in vocal performance. So she taught me everything she knows. There’s still a lot she knows that I still don’t know. I have a lot to learn, very young.”
And isn’t that something? To recognize how much someone has taught you while still understanding that there’s so much more to learn. There’s humility in that, especially for someone just beginning to find his footing in an industry that can make it very easy to get caught up in the idea that you’ve already made it.
But his mom didn’t just teach him about performance. She taught him something that might be even more important in an industry like this: perseverance.
WHAT SHE TAUGHT HIM
He continues, “But I think just the thing she taught me that I’ve really gravitated towards was just to just keep going. You know, this business, it takes a while. I mean, I’ve been trying to, I’ve been a professional actor for five years, but it’s like little stuff, you know, commercials and short films and stuff like that. But, you know, it gets disheartening, but she always was like, always very encouraging and like, just keep pushing forward. This is what you love to do and just do it. This is what I love to do. And I can’t imagine myself doing anything different. And she really helped kind of encourage me to stay on the path, you know, and here I am in the Hollywood arts, which is wild to me.”
There it is. That determination. That willingness to keep showing up, even when the opportunities are small and the road ahead isn’t always clear. Five years into his professional acting journey, Martin understands that building a career doesn’t happen overnight. He’s done the commercials, the short films, and all the little things that come with chasing something bigger.
Hollywood Arts
And now? He’s here.
Which, as he puts it, is wild.
Honestly, I can’t help but appreciate the love he has for his family and the gratitude he feels for the way he was raised. There’s no sense that he thinks he’s above the journey or that the work he’s done to get here is beneath him. He knows what it took to get to this point, and he knows who helped him along the way.
I tease him a little about being media-trained, because he’s navigating this conversation so well, but he meets me right where I am. He laughs and tells me how good his team is, and you can tell he means it. There’s no awkward deflection or forced answer. Just genuine appreciation for the people around him.
And I love that.
Of course, I also start to feel a little bad because I’ve gone over my allotted time. (What can I say? When the conversation is good, the questions keep coming.) But before we wrap up, I have one more thing I want to know: Is he nervous about the show coming out?
PRIDE
He smiles, and there’s pride in his eyes when he answers.
“Yes, but like the excited nervous, you know, like my mom always used to tell me that nervousness and excitement feel the exact same way. It’s just the emotion you tie to it. So there’s a lot of positive emotions, but it’s still like that, that butterflies. I’m just, I’m just so ready for everybody to see it and see all the hard work that everyone put in the show.”
And I love that perspective. Nervousness and excitement can feel so similar, and sometimes the only difference is how we choose to frame the feeling. It’s a little piece of wisdom from his mom that has clearly stayed with him, and now, as he prepares for people to see this next chapter of his career, it seems more relevant than ever.
But Martin isn’t just thinking about his own performance. He knows how much work goes into making a show happen, and he’s quick to make sure the people behind the scenes get their flowers, too.
RECOGNIZES
He continues, “People like the crew, again, crew, directors, writers, my fellow actors. I mean, they brought 110% every single day and I’m just ready for people to see that and kind of be like, wow, these kids, like the best part of being in this show, to be able to watch my friends just thrive and just do what they love. That joy is infectious. And that was just, it was just awesome. And that’s what I’m, and so I’m nervous, but like I’m excitedly nervous for people just to see everything that we’ve done and accomplished.”
There’s something genuinely endearing about hearing someone talk about a project they’re proud of and immediately turn the spotlight toward everyone else who helped make it happen. Martin isn’t just excited for people to see what he’s done; he’s excited for people to see what they’ve done. He wants audiences to recognize the effort, the talent, and the joy that went into bringing the show to life.
And that joy, as he says, is infectious.
At his age and at this stage of his career, it’s interesting to see how mature he is while still remaining so humble. He doesn’t seem to take any of this for granted. He knows where he comes from, he understands that he still has plenty to learn, and he has a clear idea of what he wants to work toward.
HIS IT FACTOR
There’s ambition here, absolutely, but it isn’t the kind that requires him to diminish anyone else to make room for himself. Instead, he seems genuinely happy to see the people around him succeed, too. And in an industry where so much attention is focused on individual achievement, that quality stands out.
Finally, as we wrap up, I ask one last question: Does his character have a catchphrase? You know, that one word or expression that audiences will latch onto, repeat endlessly, and turn into an inside joke among fans?
His answer?
“Potatoe.”
That’s it. Potatoe.
Now, do I have any idea what that means? Absolutely not. Am I paying attention? You bet.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from fandom, it’s that sometimes the most seemingly random details become the things we remember forever. A single word can turn into a running joke, a fandom reference, or a phrase that makes absolutely no sense to anyone outside the fanbase.
And Martin Kamm has just given us potatoe.
I’m not saying it’s going to become a thing. I’m just saying I’m keeping my eyes open.
Between his love for his family, his determination to keep pursuing what he loves, his appreciation for the people around him, and that infectious excitement about the work he’s done, there’s a lot to admire here.
He knows he’s still learning. He knows the journey takes time. And he seems ready to embrace all of it, one opportunity at a time.
I have a feeling this is just the beginning for Martin Kamm.
Great Article Erin!!