In the realm of entertainment, storytelling is a timeless art that transcends mediums and cultures. Whether it’s the stage, the screen, or the pages of a book, the ability to weave a narrative that captivates audiences is a skill that few possess. Martin Bobb-Semple, an actor from the UK who has made waves in the American TV series “All-American: Homecoming,” exemplifies this art. In my recent interview with Martin, he shared his journey and passion for storytelling.

Martin’s love for acting began at a young age. He reminisces about his early days with a palpable sense of nostalgia and gratitude. “Since I was a kid, I’ve loved storytelling,” he shared. “I would steal my mom’s phone and record my own little movies. Me and my friends would do all these crazy things.” This early inclination towards storytelling laid the foundation for his future career.

He spoke passionately about the power of storytelling and its ability to move and inspire people. “What I love about storytelling is being able to make audiences or viewers laugh, cry, or feel moved or inspired just by what you’re doing on stage or on screen,” he said. “To me, it’s amazing. It’s truly an amazing, amazing feeling.”

His professional journey began when he was just nine years old. After expressing his desire to become an actor at age seven, his parents enrolled him in a weekend stage school. A couple of years later, he auditioned for their agency and landed a role in the West End production of “Oliver Twist.” Reflecting on this milestone, Martin said, “I didn’t really realize it at the time, but it was a huge deal because the West End for us is like Broadway for the US. For that to be my first thing I’d ever done was crazy.”

Despite his success in theater, Martin eventually found himself drawn to the world of television. He described this shift as a natural progression, driven by his desire to explore new facets of storytelling. “As of now, I think I’m very focused on the whole television side of things,” he explained. “I will revisit the theater at some point, but I just don’t really know when yet because it’s so scary.”

The transition from stage to screen was not without its challenges. Martin noted the differences in preparation and execution between the two mediums. “Screen acting is very… It’s less preparation, to be honest,” he said. “You show up to set, you do your own prep, you work on your stuff behind the scenes, you get to set, you’ll run the lines, you’ll rehearse, and then you shoot. That’s it. But with theater, it’s months and months of preparation and rehearsal, getting it right and perfecting it.”

Martin brings lessons from his stage experience to his screen work. He highlights the importance of persistence and improvisation, skills honed from live performances where there’s no option for retakes. “I’ll mess up and I’ll continue in the take because then you can still use things from that take rather than just starting the whole thing over again,” he says.

One of Martin’s most significant roles in his career was that of Lando in “All-American Homecoming.” The character’s complexity and depth provided Martin with an opportunity to showcase his range as an actor. He described Lando as a character who had to fight for everything in life, embodying the struggles and triumphs of many people.

When asked about how he relates to Lando, Martin spoke about the cultural similarities and differences between his own upbringing in the UK and the experiences portrayed in the show. “I grew up with two Caribbean parents,” he shared. “Growing up, I had that culture around me. The food, the song, the attitude, the jokes, everything that came along with being a black person, I grew up like that.” This cultural background helped him bring authenticity to his portrayal of Lando.

“All-American Homecoming” has garnered a dedicated fan base, and the news of its conclusion after three seasons has been met with disappointment by fans. For Martin, the experience has been transformative. The final season saw Martin promoted to a series regular, a role that came with increased responsibility and challenges.

“This was the most challenging season of my career so far,” Martin admits. “The workload was a lot heavier, and I had to dive deeper into this character. I wanted to deliver a very grounded, honest, and relatable character.”

Despite the show’s end, Martin remains grateful for the experience and the growth it afforded him. He views it as a natural progression in his career, one that has prepared him for future endeavors.

As the journey of “All-American: Homecoming” comes to a close, Martin remains optimistic about the future. He embraces the unknown and welcomes new challenges. “For the first time, I’m very happy to just sit in the unknown and just live life and discover, experience, learn, and grow,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. What will be, will be. I’m very content with that.”

Photography Credit: Jonny Marlow