MELISSA SAINT-AMAND
Actress MELISSA SAINT-AMAND talks about her character Claire Spectrum’s from “Long Slow Exhale” which is a series focused on a sexual abuse scandal that rocked a collegiate women’s basketball team and their head coach J.C. Abernathy. It’s a sexy, dark thriller that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.
In this exclusive interview Saint-Amand also spoke about her fears, her inspirations, dream projects, life lessons and more.
Hi Melissa! Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in Columbus Georgia and got bitten by the acting bug pretty early on. There was an amazing children’s theater program in my hometown called The Springer Theater Academy. The main focus of the Academy was to build confidence in children through the arts. Their mantra is “Life Skills through Stage Skills.” I was homeschooled up until highschool and pretty much just spent my childhood hanging out at the theater instead of doing my schoolwork, much to my parents' chagrin. I’m sure I was a pest but I loved it so much that I wanted to learn everything I possibly could from props to costumes to learning how to produce a show.
I went on and got my Bachelors Degree in Theater at Rider University then did what every other actor does and moved to New York City. I spent a lot of time not working in New York so I moved down to Atlanta, Georgia and that is where my career really took off. I never thought I would come back to Georgia for an acting career but it has been a lovely surprise. Outside of acting I have a great passion for everything aquatic. I grew up with parents who were scuba divers and often got dragged along on their trips. I would snorkel overhead and swim down and touch their heads then swim back up to catch a breath. I am currently trying to learn what I can do to spread more awareness on ocean conservation. I am proud to say I recently became a volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium, my dream is to become a member of their volunteer scuba program.
Tell us more about your character Claire from Spectrum’s “Long Slow Exhale”
Long Slow Exhale is a drama executive produced by Pam Veasey and Anton Cropper for Spectrum Originals. The series is centered around a sexual abuse scandal that rocks a successful collegiate women’s basketball team and follows their Head Coach J.C. Abernathy as she tries to navigate an administration that is desperately trying to sweep the scandal under the rug and a team of athletes who are relying on her to be their advocate and voice to the administration. As the show unravels, a number of abuse cases from the past come back to haunt the University and my character Claire is a key witness in one of those cases.
What drew you to this role?
From the get go I knew I wanted to be a part of this show. I auditioned for multiple characters before eventually booking Claire and the content and message of the show was incredibly important to me. 26.4% of undergraduate females experience either sexual assault or rape and there is a long history of academic institutions trying to silence those who come forward. Though recent events like the Me Too movement have helped, we still have a long way to go in getting justice for the victims of these crimes. What drew me to Claire was her strength and bravery to come forward as a victim in a country where victims are often discredited and ridiculed.
How would you describe the show?
I would describe Long Slow Exhale as a dark sexy thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
What’s the most challenging part of doing this role?
The most challenging part for me was making sure I did justice to the victims of these crimes. When you are handling sensitive material as an actor you really want to make sure you do it “right” and in a way that will resonate positively with people who have experienced sexual assault. I really hope I was able to do so.
How did you rise above these challenges?
I was lucky to have great guidance from the showrunner, Pam Veasey, and my director, Anton Cropper. We spoke at length about my character, what motivated her, how we wanted her to be portrayed, etc... I had a lot of trust in their vision and knew that they would not lead me astray.
What’s the proudest moment of your career so far?
I have been very fortunate to have a lot of work on streaming services, but not quite as much on networks. Recently I had a big guest star on FBI which airs on CBS. My grandparents don’t have streaming, they only have cable so this was the first time they have gotten to sit down in the living room and watch something I have done on tv. They have always been such big supporters of me and encouraged me to go after my dreams so it was really special for me for them to get to see something I worked hard on.
What inspires you?
I get really inspired by other actors and watching their work. Not just celebrities but also people in my own acting community in Atlanta. There are so many incredible actors here and as the southeast market continues to grow, I am seeing more and more peoples careers take off. Many of us in this market were told we were only ever going to book co-stars and now we are seeing people on tv shows with massive guest star recurring arcs and others getting series regulars. It is an exciting time to be an actor here in the southeast.
Part two to this is maybe the cheesiest answer ever, but my parents. My parents are respiratory therapists and in their sixties worked in a hospital throughout the covid 19 pandemic. They didn’t even question their own safety, they just got up everyday, went to work, and did everything they could to help people. My mom is also a , forgive my language, badass. When I went away to college she went back to school and got her masters in nursing, then went on to become a nurse practitioner. That was always her dream and she didn’t let age slow her down.
What scares you?
Literally everything scares me. I have an anxiety disorder so that actually isn’t a joke. Anxiety has been somewhat of a lifelong battle for me and is something I struggle with on a daily basis. I just do my best to push through the moments that scare me because I don’t want fear to run my life.
Guilty pleasure?
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Sonic Racing, and Chocolate. Literally anything Chocolate.
Name your top 5 favorite films of all time
Nooooo This question is always so difficult. How am I only supposed to pick five?
In no particular order: Ex Machina, Inglorious Bastards (A massively underrated film in my opinion), 500 Days of Summer, Life is Beautiful, Out of Africa
Last song that got stuck in your head
Dua Lipa by Jack Harlow
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Do your job well and treat people nicely
What’s your ultimate goal?
I would ultimately like to write and produce my own work. I am currently in pre-production on my first short film with my writing partner and former college roommate. It is very intimidating so wish us luck!
What are your dream projects?
I would love to work on anything Mindy Kaling! I grew up in the era of the romcom and she has brought it back to life. I love all of her films. I also might die if I ever got to work on anything with Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Fleabag is one of my favorite TV Shows of all time, I just think she is a genius.
Is there a skill / talent that a lot of people don’t know about you?
Oh no, I always dread this question because I feel like I am so boring! I recently picked up drawing again, which is something I have not practiced since highschool. I was horrified when I first started, I felt like I lost all my skills, but it has been fun to watch myself slowly start to get better again. I also have a penchant for hunting vintage clothing at estate sales. I have been slowly learning how to care for and restore the garments. Some of them have been in attic boxes for years and need some care and repair.
