Where is Sam Lantz now? 'Squid Game: The Challenge' finalist left home after facing 'prejudices' from family
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Meet Sam Lantz, a 37-year-old artist and business owner currently living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but originally from Kuna, Idaho.
Sam has had a unique journey.
He knew he was gay from a young age, but unfortunately, because of his religious household, he had to keep his true self hidden. It was tough. Eventually, he made a brave move, left home, came out, but sadly, he lost his family due to their biases.
But Sam didn't let that get him down. In one of his talks on the Netflix show, he spilled the beans that he's built a whole new family.
According to Sam, these new people have filled certain roles in his life even better than his original family ever did.
"I tried everything as a kid to not be gay. I made...you know, I tried making deals with God. I tried...I feel like I tried everything that a kid could think of. And after I left home and came out and lost my family to their prejudices," he said in the game.
‘Squid Game The Challenge’ finalist Sam hasn’t spoken to his father in 18 years
Sam Lantz spilled the beans on the show about not living with his family anymore. When he was growing up, things were a bit tricky because his family was super religious, and it was tough for them to understand who he really was inside.
Sam shared that he's been away from his family for a really long time, especially his dad.
It's been almost 18 years since they last talked. On Father's Day last year, Sam surprised everyone by posting on social media, "Happy Father's Day, Dad! It's been 18 years... Crazy. I miss you."
‘Squid Game The Challenge’ finalist Sam says he’s ‘pretty confident’ in his game
Sam Lantz offered a glimpse into his life, sharing insights into the experiences that have shaped his identity as observed by viewers.
“I’m pretty confident in my abilities to hold my cards close to my chest,” he explained.
“I grew up a little gay boy in a very religious family. It felt like I couldn’t be myself because if I was myself, I was at risk because the talk was constantly about how people like me were going to hell or they were to die because of their decisions," he said.
‘Squid Game The Challenge’ finalist Sam wants to purchase art studio with cash prize
If Sam takes home the win, he wants to grab a spacious art studio to dive into his creative work.
Plus, he's all for assisting his husband with film projects as he aims to lend a hand to rescue and protect animals.
