Sami Rappoport first made a name for herself playing middle school “mean girl” Becca in the hit Hulu series Pen15. Her latest venture puts her on the other side of the camera and involves a topic that’s close to her heart.
The 21-year-old California native hopes to make a feature film based on the life of her grandfather, Antonio Steinhardt, who was diagnosed with hemophilia A and an inhibitor shortly after birth. The first step is raising money to make VIII, a proof-of-concept short film that will be the launching point for a feature-length film.
We talked with Rappoport to learn more about her grandfather and what motivated her to tell his story.
Why did you want to make a film about your grandfather’s experience with hemophilia?
I’ve always been really inspired by my grandfather’s life. Although he died before I was born, my family talked about him all the time when I was growing up, and that made me feel very connected to him. He was diagnosed at birth with both hemophilia A and an inhibitor, and my mom said that when he was born, the doctors told his parents that he wouldn’t live past the age of 2. But he ended up proving the doctors wrong and lived 50 years beyond that.
My grandfather was in and out of the hospital his entire life, but he never let his disease define him. He was a photographer and a videographer, so he was always capturing moments from behind a camera. We have some of his old home videos, thanks to my grandmother, which give me such a vivid sense of his character and the joy he found despite all the challenges he faced.
He was able to travel all over the world, and he always had such a positive outlook on life. I think this was one of his greatest legacies — he truly lived life to the fullest and lived every day like it was his last.
Once I got into acting and started getting passionate about filmmaking, I knew that I had to find a way to tell his story.
What message do you want your film to convey?
One thing I really want to get across is that just because a condition is rare, that doesn’t mean it’s any less important and shouldn’t have funding for education, research, and advocacy.
We’re incredibly grateful for the tremendous medical advances that have transformed life for so many people with hemophilia. At the same time, we want to shine a spotlight on those living with inhibitors — an area that still needs equal attention and continued focus.
What has been the most challenging part of trying to bring your grandfather’s story to the screen?
Honestly, the hardest part has been securing funding. It’s tough to get independent projects off the ground in general, but funding for anything related to rare diseases is especially limited. Many people assume their donation is simply supporting the arts or cinema, when in reality this project directly fuels advocacy, education, and broader public engagement — ultimately helping drive funding and research for hemophilia.
You’ve got thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok. Do you think that’s important for helping to raise awareness?
Yes! It’s kind of crazy because I wasn't allowed to have social media until I was 13 or 14, and even then, my accounts were parent-run. Social media can be so great and also so bad, but I think that if I can use my platform to be able to bring more awareness to the bleeding disorders community and get more people involved, then I’ve done my job.
I want to be able to give back to this community, raise awareness, and create a film that tells people's stories. Getting the attention of people my age and younger is so hard these days, and I think cinema can catch people’s attention in a way that subconsciously educates them.
What advice would you give to others in the bleeding disorders community who are thinking about sharing their stories?
Oh my gosh, do it! I was an overthinker for so long, and I wasn’t sure at first that people would be able to relate to my grandfather’s story. But the truth is, every voice matters, and every person’s story has the power to touch someone's heart.