Ari Stidham, a versatile performer known for his roles in "Huge" and "Scorpion," has captivated audiences with his talent and dedication. This article explores Stidham's early life, career beginnings, his experience with weight-loss, and his rise to fame.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born and raised in Southern California, Ari Stidham quickly took to performing. Beginning with piano at age 4, Stidham kept at it and soon was singing and acting in school productions. He also pursued performing outside of school, acting in plays with the Santa Susana Repertory and participating in the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) program based in San Francisco. These early experiences laid the foundation for his future success in the entertainment industry.
Stidham's passion for acting was ignited in the third grade during a production of "Annie" at Westlake Elementary School. When the dog unexpectedly backed out, Stidham stepped into the role, donning a fuzzy hat and coat to save the day. He recalls, "I remember snapping along to ?Tomorrow.' The audience ate it up and something clicked in my head."
A January graduate of Oak Park Independent School, Stidham was approached about auditioning for "Huge" after someone with the show saw him perform with the improv group ComedySportz in Hollywood. He almost passed, believing incorrectly that he had to submit a videotape of himself. "That just seemed unnecessary, since we're so close to Burbank," said Stidham, who lives in Westlake Village with parents David, a media consultant, and Robin, an elementary schoolteacher.
Breakthrough Role in "Huge"
After performing in the Off-Broadway production of "Fat Camp," he was discovered on an improv stage and cast in "Huge" (ABC Family, 2010). "Huge" is a drama about seven teens from different backgrounds attending a weight-loss camp as they embark on their individual journeys of self-discovery. The campers deal with such issues as self-esteem, friendship, rivalry, romance and body image. In the show, a drama set at a summer weight-loss camp for teens, Stidham played Ian, an awkward musician who connects with the show's lead character Will (short for Willamena) played by Nikki Blonsky, who was known for playing the lead role in the feature film "Hairspray" (2007).
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The series was created by Winnie Holzman (“Wicked,” “My So Called Life,” “Once and Again”) and her daughter Savannah Dooley. Ari, 17, has been active in local theater, appearing as Falstaff in “Merry Wives of Windsor” at Oak Park High School and in “Sweet Charity” at Moorpark College.
A review of "Huge" in the Thursday edition of Variety called it "the most endearing show of the summer" and "one big circle of adolescent longing." Adding to the sense of yearning, Stidham's character, Ian, develops an unrequited crush on Hasselholf's Amber, who is surprised by her newfound status as the skinniest girl among the campers.
When he did audition, in person, Stidham discovered that the character was remarkably like himself. "He can be really awkward and pensive and painfully shy at some points, but he's also sarcastic and plays guitar," said Stidham, who is in a "folk/reggae/pop/acoustic" band called The Quenchers with brother Jordan and best friend Bradley Gosnell.
Even though "Huge" was cancelled after one season, Stidham continued to make guest appearances on series including "Glee" (Fox, 2009-2015), "Mike & Molly" (CBS, 2010-), and the Robin Williams vehicle "The Crazy Ones" (CBS, 2013-2014).
Addressing Weight and Body Image
Stidham isn't shy about being one of those teens, freely discussing his own visit to a weight-loss camp two years ago. He dropped about 30 pounds but has since gained them back, he said. But that doesn't mean that Stidham and others in the "Huge" cast and crew are focused on the before-and-after results that drive reality shows like "The Biggest Loser." "The fact that childhood obesity is a problem in America should be discussed, but we're not making a show about how everyone should lose weight and be the same size," Stidham said. "We're making a show about teenagers at a camp who are learning who they are. For some of the characters, it is the first time they've been in a place where they are looked at as ?people' instead of as ?fat teenagers.' "
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Inspired by Sasha Paley's young-adult novel "Huge" and brought to the small screen by co-executive producers Kim Rozenfeld ("American High") and Winnie Holzman ("Wicked," "My So-Called Life"), the show's focus on overweight teenagers seems ripped from recent headlines and wellness initiatives.
Stidham's Role as Sylvester Dodd in "Scorpion"
Stidham was an unlikely choice for the role of Sylvester, a series regular on the espionage procedural "Scorpion" (CBS, 2014-), since the role was originally written for an African-American. Stidham, however, managed to convince the creators that he was the one for the role after only one audition. The show had a successful rookie year and was renewed for a second season.
The character I’m talking about is Sylvester Dodd, played spectacularly by Ari Stidham. What I love about the character is that he is a very multi-dimensional main character, the character is very physical and often given very physical tasks to do that are literally life and death and, with the exception of him being called “Big Fella” in a good-natured, non-judgmental way, his weight is never an issue (at least as far as I’ve seen.
Balancing Acting with Music
Not that they have much time for gigs: Stidham has been putting in 12-hour days since the show began taping in April. He does, however, like to strum a baritone ukulele to calm his nerves between scenes.
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