I think that, any young child or teenager, you take a lot from your parents when you're growing up.

I've been a teenage girl, too, so I've had my own insecurities and my own struggles that I've got through.

Growing up, I was definitely a tomboy, an overall-and-Converse type of girl, and I still am, but for events, I love dressing up.

I separate myself from my characters as much as possible, but I have these books that I create which are interactive diaries/timelines/memory books/pictures of the character's entire world.

My brother and I were separated when I was a child; we went with different parents.

My family was very notorious in the town that we lived in. Everyone would say, 'There goes those damn Sams.' I didn't want to paint that ill picture of me. I knew the good in my family. They didn't know our background and the adversity we had to endure. I wanted to succeed and be a beacon of hope in my family.

Most of the neighbours didn't like our parents, and they particularly gave Dad a very wide berth. We kids didn't have that luxury.

I came from Canada when I was about 10 years old, and our family settled in Cleveland, Ohio.