Which actor plays Sammy Fabelman in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 film The Fabelmans?

Gabriel LaBelle plays Sammy Fabelman in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 film The Fabelmans.

Sammy is a young aspiring filmmaker whose family life and growing understanding of cinema shape the story. The character is a fictionalized version of Spielberg, making The Fabelmans a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film rather than a direct biography. Sammy uses a movie camera to process family events and discover his own artistic voice.

LaBelle was a teenager when he was cast in the central role. The film also features Michelle Williams as Mitzi Fabelman, Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman, Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy, and Judd Hirsch as Uncle Boris. Spielberg co-wrote the screenplay with Tony Kushner.

The Fabelmans premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022, where it won the People’s Choice Award. Sammy’s name is not simply Spielberg’s own name inserted into the story; it is the film’s fictional character name. The movie’s title refers to the family surname and signals its personal connection to Spielberg’s childhood.