Hollywood is a wild ride, full of highs, lows, and unexpected turns. Sitting down with Walter Fauntleroy felt less like an interview and more like two friends catching up on life’s unpredictable journey.

Walter’s no stranger to the grind. He’s built a career that speaks to his versatility, starring in everything from The Young and the Restless to SWAT, but most people recognize him as Sam Owen from The Oval. He’s the kind of actor who brings depth to every role, making characters feel real—flawed, but real.

“Walter, man, looking back now, what would you tell young Walter, the one just stepping into this crazy business?”

He leans back, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips. “You know what? First, I’d thank him—for having the courage to even step out on this journey. It’s not an easy path. Feels like sailing through stormy weather sometimes. But I’d tell him to start sooner, just go for it. The fear? It’s still there. But fear’s just false evidence appearing real, right? It’s like friction—it helps the rubber meet the road, helps you gain momentum. And man, I’d tell him to hold onto the right people. My wife? She’s been my rock. I had friends in Dallas who didn’t have that same support. This dream, this life, it’s a faith walk, and you need people in your corner who believe in you.”

We nod in agreement. Faith—it’s always been his North Star, the thing that has kept him grounded through it all. “Where has it taken you now?” I ask, knowing full well that his journey has been anything but ordinary.

Walter’s eyes light up as he recounts his early days, the long overnight shifts as a network administrator, the moment he realized he had to leap. “I remember writing this paper in college—it was called ‘The Leap of Faith.’ Crazy, right? I was in a computer class, but my mind was already outside the box. I had a stable job, a career, but it felt like a prison. Denzel Washington said in The Great Debaters, ‘Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.’ That stuck with me. Man, I had everything—good pay, crazy work schedule where I barely put in hours—but my soul? It wanted more. Faith was already building in those moments, even when I didn’t realize it.”

We laugh about the irony of life, how sometimes the thing that’s ‘safe’ is the very thing that keeps us from what we’re meant to do.

“So, did you ever imagine The Oval would take you here?” I ask, thinking about his journey from Shakespeare to prime-time television.

He doesn’t hesitate. “I always believed in it. Since I was four or five, I knew I wanted to be on TV. But it was never about fame. I’m a private person. This industry—man, it’s wild. It’s like wearing different costumes, different roles, just like I did when I was a network administrator. I had no idea about computers, but I became it. I had no idea where my career would take me, but I knew I had to keep moving.”

We swap stories about challenges, about moments that make you want to throw in the towel. “I’m in that moment right now,” he admits, his voice raw with honesty. “Don’t quit—that’s what I tell myself. Every journey has that waiting period, like pregnancy. You don’t see the baby, but you know it’s coming. You gotta wait it out.”

The conversation shifts to his time in the military world, his upbringing in Japan, Germany, different corners of the world. “Man, growing up overseas taught me everything about adaptability. When you’re forced to communicate beyond language, you learn how to fit in anywhere. That’s how I approach acting. Where do I fit? What can I bring to the team?”

We get into The Oval, the show that’s been a massive part of his career. “Alright, top three moments that made the audience go, ‘Really, Walter?!’”

He cracks up before answering. “Bro, number one? Sam and the First Lady. No question. My wife still gives me grief about that one. ‘Really, Sam? Really?’” He shakes his head, laughing. “Number two, finally standing up for himself. And number three? Just getting to play a character that’s layered. He’s not perfect. He’s figuring it out like the rest of us.”

Off-screen, the cast has become family. “Man, one of my favorite memories? We all hit up Top Golf in Atlanta. Just vibing, no scripts, no pressure—just being people.”

We wrap up our chat reflecting on what’s next. “So what’s your secret to not jumping ship too soon?”

He nods thoughtfully. “I don’t move until I feel like God says move. Like, you don’t cross the sea till it parts, right? You gotta read the signs. I spent years flying in the wrong direction before I figured out I had to pull up. And pulling up? That changed everything.”

Walter Fauntleroy’s journey isn’t just about talent—it’s about faith, patience, and knowing when to push forward and when to wait. As we finish our conversation, one thing is clear: his story is still being written, and the best is yet to come.

Photo credit: JSquared Photography @j2pix
Stylist: Austin Nieser @aniesnerrr