At 19, Fil-Am Sam Morelos lands breakout role in ‘Summer of 69’

At just 19 years old, Filipino-American actress Sam Morelos is quickly becoming a name to watch in Hollywood. Despite her youth, she's been a familiar face in the Southern California Fil-Am community for years, making her recent rise to prominence feel both exciting and well-deserved.

Major critics are already taking notice. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian praised Morelos's performance in Hulu's 'Summer of 69' as a "major star-making turn," highlighting her ability to authentically portray the unsureness and anxiety of an actual teenager. Collider's Nate Richard also commended her, noting her "delightful" presence and impressive comedic timing alongside co-star Chloe Fineman.

This breakthrough role is the culmination of years dedicated to her craft. Born in Los Angeles to parents who emigrated from the Philippines, Sam began performing at the tender age of six. Before 'Summer of 69,' she was known for her series regular role as Nikki Velasco in the Netflix sequel 'That '90s Show.'

Sam's performance background is diverse. She has sung with the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra, the first and only one outside of the Philippines, at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall. She has also honed her skills through acting in plays and even directed her first short film, 'The Point.'

In the coming-of-age film 'Summer of 69,' Sam carries a significant portion of the story as Abby Flores. Abby is a high school senior and video game streamer navigating the complexities of teenage crushes, specifically her infatuation with hunky Max Warren. Her quest to impress him leads her to an unlikely mentor: an exotic dancer named Santa Monica, played by 'Saturday Night Live' favorite Chloe Fineman.

The movie delves into a humorous journey of unexpected friendship, leading Abby towards discovering self-confidence and acceptance. Sam's portrayal effectively captures Abby's initial awkwardness and loner tendencies while infusing the character with genuine charm and humor.

Directed by Jillian Bell in her feature debut, 'Summer of 69' is more than just a typical teen comedy. It premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film and TV Festival and is now available for streaming on Hulu.

The film also features a cast of Fil-Am actors portraying Abby's family, including Emy Coligado and Scott Connors as her parents, Ellie Santos and Alina Santos as younger versions of Abby, and Elle Amyra as her lola (grandmother).

Looking ahead, Sam is set to appear in Josh Boone’s upcoming drama, 'Regretting You,' alongside Dave Franco, McKenna Grace, and Will Fitzgerald.

Speaking about landing her first lead role, Sam recounted the Zoom audition process, which included improv requests that she found "daunting" but made it through. The moment she learned she got the part was unforgettable. It was Memorial Day, she was dressed for a Shakespeare play rehearsal, and picking up lumpia when she got the call from her team, followed by one from Jillian Bell herself, leading to tears and excitement while literally munching on Filipino food.

Sam feels a deep connection to Abby's journey toward self-confidence and acceptance, noting that she is still on that path herself, especially as a young adult navigating college. She emphasizes the importance of allowing yourself to be on your own timeline and not comparing your journey to others. She feels she learned from portraying Abby and found that being her most authentic self on set was when she felt most confident.

Playing Abby, who is exposed to the world of strip clubs and adult terminology, was certainly an eye-opening experience for the 19-year-old. She shared that filming in a real strip club, Diamond Dolls in Syracuse, was her first time in such a venue. She learned a lot, including the act of twerking, admitting she didn't realize that was part of the performance. She described it as a fun and safe environment to ask questions and learn.

Preparing for the pivotal club scene involved working with choreographer Travis Wall and director Jillian Bell. Sam explained that the sequence was a collaborative effort, but circumstances made it challenging as she contracted COVID-19 during the week they were scheduled to shoot it. This meant minimal rehearsal time; the scene was created largely in a lunch hour and filmed the next day.

Despite the nerve-wracking experience of performing a "purposefully bad dance" in front of extras with little rehearsal, Sam felt incredibly supported. She highlighted the village of people cheering her on behind the monitor, including Matt Cornett and her boyfriend who visited the set just to watch her perform the scene. She felt they truly pulled it together despite the obstacles.

Recalling her own high school days, Sam saw parallels with Abby, particularly in their shared awkwardness, though expressed differently. While Abby made herself small, Sam tended to overcompensate by being overly bubbly. However, both shared a sense of loneliness outside of school, as Sam rarely interacted with friends or hung out after classes due to her own fears of putting herself out there.

Despite the social challenges, Sam had a positive high school experience attending the California School of the Arts, a performing arts school where she felt she could grow and create in a supportive environment.

Working with Emy Coligado, who plays her mother in the film, also felt very familiar. Sam noted how Emy's use of Filipino endearments like "ingat, anak" (take care, child) and "mahal" (love), and giving advice like "stranger danger," reminded her precisely of her own mother. Having Emy on set in upstate New York provided a comforting maternal presence, especially since Sam was far from home and often the only Filipino person around outside of the cast.