As a fan of both Jill Scott’s music and acting, I was captivated by her recent interview about her role in “Grotesquerie.” Her story is not just about playing a character; it’s about her personal journey, her faith, and her commitment to portraying complex characters authentically.
[This story contains spoilers up to the sixth episode of Grotesquerie.]
When Raven Goodwin initially received the chance to try out for the character of Merritt Tryon in Ryan Murphy’s show named “Grotesquerie,” she had some queries.
Goodwin shares with The Hollywood Reporter that initially he was puzzled when he didn’t see ‘Grotesquerie’ but instead read ‘Snow Globe.’ He admits feeling perplexed, wondering if it was for the latest season of American Horror Story or something entirely different. However, once he delved into the script, he fell in love with it.
The response from the production team regarding Goodwin’s audition video was no different, with Niecy Nash-Betts, the actress portraying Lois Tryon (Goodwin’s onscreen mother) and serving as an executive producer, being included in this reaction.
Niecy inquired if what I was about to do was truly my desire, and I responded with an obvious ‘yes,'” Goodwin explained about the chance to collaborate with Murphy and Nash-Betts. Shortly afterward, she traveled to Los Angeles for a chemistry test with them. “I was offered the job on the spot that very day,” she added.
Merritt, Goodwin’s character, is the child of Lois and Marshall Tryon, played by Courtney B. Vance. Her struggle within her troubled family revolves around food. Despite her parents’ disapproval, she aspires to gain a spot on the fake reality TV show Half-Ton Trauma through excessive eating. However, an intriguing encounter with Ed Laclan (Travis Kelce) towards the end of episode six hints that Merrit might yearn for something beyond food.
According to Goodwin, Merritt is far more than just her external image. That’s one of the reasons he accepted this challenge. He believes there’s so much more to her than what meets the eye, beyond her exterior and inner struggles. He’s eager for others to recognize this as well.
Below, Goodwin discusses with THR her work on the horror series during pregnancy with her second child, shares her experiences on set with Kelce and Vance, and reveals that she was unaware of the show’s ending until it was filmed.
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Could you tell me about the discussions you had with Ryan Murphy and the writing team regarding Merritt’s character, and how do you personally perceive her?
From my perspective, our interactions about Merritt were sparse, yet I believe I was chosen for the role because in a way, I had already encountered her. Merritt is far more complex than one might initially perceive. She’s deeply nuanced, showing signs of exceptional intelligence. However, she’s not the stereotypical pitiful character some may assume she is. Instead, she exhibits self-destructive tendencies. I sense a great deal of inner confidence in her, even though her self-worth seems to be lacking at present. She’s grappling with understanding what her life should look like. At this moment, she’s participating in this reality show, portraying the image others perceive of her, while privately acknowledging that it doesn’t truly represent who she is.
Was it accurate that the actors weren’t informed about the storyline, causing confusion about how all the pieces fit together?
It’s quite accurate to say that we filmed each scene separately, as our schedules and locations made it difficult for us to shoot continuously. This meant that most of us read the script only once or twice, but during filming, we had a general understanding of the story without knowing all the details. It added an element of surprise and excitement because everyone had their own theories about certain characters, like Grotesquerie. Discussing our interpretations of the project and the world it depicted was fascinating.
Merritt and Lois (Nash-Betts) have an unusual unspoken agreement: Lois promises not to inquire about Merritt’s eating habits, as long as Merritt reciprocates by not questioning her drinking. What are your thoughts on their relationship, given this dynamic between them?
Occasionally, mothers might find themselves relying on their children for emotional support, myself included. In my opinion, when Lois and Marshall’s marriage began to falter – this is just a hypothesis – I believe that Lois developed an unhealthy dependence on alcohol and Merritt, using them as crutches to avoid dealing with her own emotions. Now, she can easily blame Merritt for the problems, when in reality, her issues stem from herself. Merritt also has personal struggles, and it seems she’s unable to distinguish between her own troubles and those of Lois. I suspect that both Marshall and Lois are grappling with a significant amount of guilt concerning Merritt, as they recognize her capabilities yet understand the negative impact their marriage breakdown and household dynamics may have had on her.
It just occurred to me that Merritt never visits Marshall in the hospital. How would you characterize her relationship with her father and what was it like starring opposite Courtney B. Vance in that role?
To start with, Courtney B. Vance delivers an outstanding performance in this production. It’s a pleasure to act alongside him as he is an exceptionally talented actor. The dynamic between Merritt and Marshall seems genuinely heartwarming. They share a bond that extends beyond the script, as they both have a fondness for butterflies and are intellectually curious individuals. While Merritt and Marshall’s connection revolves around their intellectual prowess, Lois, who is also highly intelligent, has a distinctively different relationship with both characters. I believe that Merritt and Marshall connect on an intellectual level more than Lois and Marshall did, which may have been a point of contention for Lois. These are merely my personal observations, as Ryan and I haven’t discussed these specific aspects, but they help me understand the characters better to perform effectively in the show.
In the sixth episode, your appearance is brief, limited to just a moment, but the scene with Ed Laclan carries significant weight.
Mm-hmm.
Anything you can say about that moment or what it might foreshadow?
We were neatly arranging garments, dear, and I’m at a loss for words (chuckles). I have a feeling the audience will be thoroughly delighted with the upcoming series of episodes. Episodes seven through ten are particularly exceptional – so are eleven and twelve, and all that follow – but these episodes really challenged me. I can hardly contain my excitement about working alongside Elegance Bratton, Alexis Woodall, and Max Winkler on these shows. Trust me, everyone is going to be left breathless. The anticipation is building, dear.
After noticing that your character seems to bond with Travis Kelce’s character in some way, could you share your thoughts on collaborating with him?
Travis, he was just so, I’m not gonna say surprisingly [good], because I knew if Ryan was hiring him that there was something special about this project and bringing Travis on. I love when people are curious about the world of acting, and I welcome everyone with open arms. It’s such a niche, different space to be in. It’s such a different career and a lot of people come in and they’re like, “oh, I didn’t know the hours were about to hit like this. I didn’t know it’s a bunch of hurry up and wait and a bunch of sitting around.” Someone said, “actors don’t get paid to act, we get paid to wait and to be patient and to wait our turn to get in front of the camera and say something and imitate life,” and Travis was so cool. He was so patient. He understood how much work it took, and I think he truly respected it, and I think that’s why everybody’s really enjoying him, because he really took it seriously. He showed up to work. He knew his lines and he had fun. I’ve been doing this since I was a baby so when I see people like Travis who are stepping on set for the first time, it’s refreshing. It makes you find a new way of doing the art within yourself.
During our previous conversation, you mentioned that you pray for a tranquil work atmosphere prior to starting on this project. Could you share your on-set experience with us?
If you receive a script and have roots in Christianity, you might feel the need to ensure that it’s handled appropriately, with respect, and maintaining its intended message. When I got this script, I prayed, expressing my concern if the conditions weren’t suitable for me and my unborn child. I made it clear that I wouldn’t accept anything that wasn’t meant for us. However, if it was meant for me, I wanted it to be beautiful and peaceful, and I hoped to work with fantastic people. As it turned out, Ryan gathered an exceptional team of professionals—from art, sound, and cinematography—that I had rarely seen in my 20-plus years in the industry. It was like attending a top university, watching everyone perform their roles flawlessly, which gave me insights into how to run my future production company.
Where there any challenges being pregnant while working on the show?
No, whether you’re sitting at the house or at work, you’re going to be pregnant (laughs). So, I might as well push myself. I felt healthy. My doctors were telling me that I’m healthy and that I’m good. So I made sure that I prayed every day and asked that we were covered and protected, but doing the job was no different. And Merritt, she lives a sedentary lifestyle. So, it was pretty low impact, which is another reason why I took the job. This girl is trying to gain 100-something pounds so she’s going to be sitting down, she’s going to be walking slow, she’s going to be taking it easy, because those are her body’s limits. So I was like, “Cool, I’d be crazy not to enter the Ryan Murphy universe right now. I’d be crazy not to work with Niecy.” She just instantly felt like family.
Were you concerned or did you discuss any issues regarding the portrayal of a plus-size female character, ensuring it wasn’t stereotyped or ridiculed?
Absolutely, I’m married with daughters who admire me, as well as a daughter, cousins, and nieces. I carefully weigh each opportunity I undertake because of my family commitments. However, Merritt’s struggle is genuine. Food addiction is a valid issue. The challenge in dealing with food addiction and obesity lies in the fact that eating is something essential for survival. Unfortunately, when one has a food addiction, even small actions like eating a banana become calculated. The thought process might be, “I ate a banana; I’ll lose weight tomorrow.” But in reality, you’ve just eaten a banana and had some fruit. It’s a difficult battle to fight. Representing this struggle in the story Grotesquerie seemed fitting to me. Yet, as I mentioned earlier, Merritt is much more than her physical appearance and internal conflict. That’s one reason why I chose to work on her story. She’s multidimensional, and I can’t wait for readers to see that depth.
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The show “Grotesquerie” will run for two new episodes every week on FX until the ninth and tenth episodes, which are set to debut on October 23rd and 30th respectively. Following their TV premiere, these episodes will be streamable on Hulu the next day.
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2024-10-11 23:03