Lejla Hal-Samskrut

Lejla Abrahamsana Hal-Samskrut (born 15 August 1995) is a Reshan actress, singer, and songwriter. She is best known for her leading role as Lise Kappel on Havershom (2011–2015).

Outside of acting, she has also established herself as a singer and songwriter. She released her debut extended play, Life Behind the Lens, in 2016.

Early life
Hal-Samskrut was born in Hederhelm to Beratian parents Nia Mal-Samskrut (née Muhammad), a nurse, and Abraham Hal-Samskrut, who works in IT. Her parents came to Resha in 1992 in search of a better life for their children. Hal-Samskrut was raised in the Mino borough, and has five older siblings; two brothers and three sisters. She grew up in a "traditional Muslim household".

Hal-Samskrut first fell in love with acting after she was introduced to television at age three, and knew that that was what she wanted to do with her life. Her parents discouraged her from pursuing a career they deemed "frivolous", but she persisted. Hal-Samskrut attended elementary school from 2001 to 2011, where she received straight-A's. She went on to attend The Neverhahn School, an acting conservatory, where she studied musical theatre. She graduated from high school in 2015.

Career
Hal-Samskrut began her acting career in 2011, when she was cast as Lise Kappel on the teen comedy-drama Havershom, after series creator Elsabet Samelsen went to local Hederhelm conservatories looking for actors for the show. Hal-Samskrut acted in the role for the first eight seasons of the show, being the show's protagonist during the third season. Hal-Samskrut departed from the show in 2015, along with the rest of the original cast.

After the end of the show, Hal-Samskrut had several movie roles, eventually winning a starring role in the 2017 war drama film, Nighthorse. She also established herself as a musician, releasing her debut extended play, Life Behind the Lens, in 2016. It peaked within the top twenty in Resha, and it's lead single, "Cliff's Edge", became a top forty hit. Since 2017, she has starred as Wendla Bergmann in a Hederhelm production of Spring Awakening.

Personal life
Hal-Samskrut has identified herself as a "secular Muslim" in interviews, dating back to 2012. In a 2016 interview, she further clarified her religious beliefs, stating, "I'll always be a part of the Muslim culture but I don't practice the religion. I'll always be a Muslim girl but some things about it just aren't okay with me. I'm generally not a religious person to begin with". She speaks fluent Beratian, but cannot read or write it. Hal-Samskrut also holds dual citizenship to Berats and Resha, becoming a Reshan citizen in 2000.