Interview: Nathan Sereys of the Sereys Company

Nathan Sereys is a New York–based actor and writer, born and raised in Paris. Growing up in a family of actors from the Comédie-Française, he began training in opera singing at fourteen and quickly picked up the drums, piano, and guitar. After graduating from high school, where he developed a passion for writing, he studied music and earned a diploma in classical conducting. In 2023, he began his formal acting training at LSTFI where he broadened his skills by pursuing singing and writing. In November 2025, he founded and now runs The Sereys Company after which he wrote, produced and acted in his first play, “V”.

Can you tell us about the very first time you appeared before an audience?

The very first time I appeared before an audience was when I was three. It was during my first year at preschool and all the children had to be part of a small show for the parents to come and watch. All that I can remember is that I was wearing butterfly wings along with the rest of my classmates and we had to dance and perform some kind of ballet. I can’t recall wether the show was good or not and honestly it doesn’t matter because the first image that comes to my mind when I think about that day is my mom sitting front row and smiling at me.

What prompted you to include acting in your training?

I always knew deep down that I wanted to be an actor but never had the courage to admit it. Probably because my grandfather, Jacques Sereys, was a very respected actor and member of “La Comédie Française” in Paris (our own “Shakespeare Company” if you’d like). Despite my friends’ multiple encouragements, and as macabre as it sounds, it was my grandfather’s passing that made it all seem reachable. A few months later, I applied for Lee Strasberg’s conservatory program. Now I think about my grandfather every time I’m about to act.

Please tell us a little about your experience at LSTFI.

If you remember the school in Alan Parker’s “Fame”, you’ll see that Strasberg Institute is very much like the one in the movie: it’s old, dusty, and the AC and heating system are from a time when Eugene O’Neil was still alive. But that’s what I loved about it. The history with which the walls are filled is part of why I knew that I was in the right place. On the first day, I had my first acting lesson with Geoffrey Horne, and for the first time, I felt like I belonged. Strasberg’s method can seem a little odd at first, but once you get it, the epiphany exceeds many of the exceptions you had about an acting school. It takes time, and that’s the beauty of it. In addition to dancing, writing and singing, the Institute taught me how to take the time to create and explore but first and foremost, to listen. 

(Scene from The Bear)

Tell us a little about your recent production of The Bear and why you chose it for staging in NYC.

I had worked on “The Bear” at Strasberg and instantly knew that I would do a full production of the play as soon as I graduated. What I love about Chekhov is that he writes his characters to be the most extreme version of themselves. For any actor, it’s a goldmine. One of the other perks of working on a play like “The Bear” is the length. I recently launched The Sereys Company, and as much as I would love to put on a production of “Angels in America”, it was fundamental to work on something that is cost and time efficient. In only three months, we succeeded in bringing “The Bear” to life. Same with “V”, our first production.

We'd love to know more about The Sereys Company and the team involved in productions.

The great thing about having a production company is that you get to solve very rational problems in a world that isn’t. When I act, it’s all very irrational and can be frustrating. Working in production helps me stay close to what I love when I don’t get to act. It’s a different approach to theater, and you have to learn a lot of different jobs for which you probably never have thought you’d be a good fit. I operate the company alone but I always surround myself with people I trust and love working with. Octavia Perelis, whom I met at Strasberg, and our stage manager for “V”, became production manager for “The Bear”. Both productions of “V” and “The Bear” were directed by Mia Jurkunas, another “Strasberger”.

What are some of your future projects?

I’m currently rehearsing and will be filming César Oyarzabal’s “Felicity or the girl who couldn’t stop crying” mid-July. For this film I have the chance to act alongside Mary Kate Abner. As for my company’s future projects, I’d love to bring more of Pirandello onto the city’s stages. 

Anything else, absolutely anything you want our readers to know!

I’ve been dying to play Karl Lagerfeld ever since I met him. He was such a strong character. He told me that buttoning your suit jacket makes you look like a banker and that it’s unacceptable. Now I freak out every time I button mine up by reflex.

For more information on Nathan Sereys, please follow him on Instagram @nathanserey and follow The Sereys Company on Instagram @thesereyscompany.

 Photo Credit: Shreya Sahai 

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