Interview with AMERICAN HORROR STORY Naomi Grossman
Interview with AMERICAN HORROR STORY Naomi Grossman
Today on #whatonwhatsgood with Jovin Tardif, I am here with Naomi Grossman. You may know Naomi from her role in Ctrl Alt Delete. Grossman also plays "Pepper" on FX's American Horror Story: Asylum & Freak Show. She also appeared as a new character, the Satanist "Samantha Crowe" in the eighth season, Apocalypse. Today, we discuss her new film romantic comedy BITE ME! available now, and much more.
1. What do you love about acting?
That’s a really good question. I have to remind myself of the answer regularly! Because there’s a lot of things I don’t love about this business. But at the risk of sounding cheesy, I think it’s just what I was put here to do. I'm a performer through and through— like us vampires in “Bite Me” get our energy from blood, I get my energy from an audience. The validation of applause… the gratification of laughter… the knowledge you’ve touched people… it’s intoxicating. It’s my happy place, where I feel most at home.
2. Do you have any fun behind-the-scenes stories from the film Vampire Rom-Com "Bite Me" coming to Digital on February 8th, 2022?
I’ll never forget the day we shot the picnic scene in Central Park. It was my first day on set— which was a bit intimating, as one of the only imported actors— albeit magical, because it also happened to coincide with the solar eclipse! So there I was, wearing very little, kicking over coolers, monologuing with fangs on, among all these New York thespians, acting to the back row! I mean, they were going for it— Christians and Vampires alike— they didn’t even need the cameras to roll! All this is going on, amidst this serendipitous alignment of the sun and moon and earth! It was a beautiful thing to behold, and a great initiation into the House of Twilight!
3. Do you have a dream role? What would it be and why?
Welp, Nicole Kidman already got Oscar-nominated for playing Lucille Ball… So what else? Maybe Gilda Radner? Between Cancer and anorexia, she faced plenty of drama— but was also a brilliant sketch comedienne. The same goes for my other touchstones: Lily Tomlin, Carol Burnett, Tracy Ullman… Their dramas are less public, but we all have them, so I’m sure they’re there. Speaking of high drama, I’d love to play Ghislaine Maxwell or Hilary Clinton. Those women have stories! They’re complex, messy, and divisive, with pathos— the makings of a dream role!
4. What's it like playing different roles on the horror television series American Horror Story?
Talk about a dream! There’s so much talent on that show— not just the “talent” aka actors— but down to the guy pulling the string on the big top tent to make it look windy! I swear he’s the best string-puller in Hollywood! Truly, Ryan Murphy is such a genius, with such immaculate vision… then he surrounds himself with other geniuses, who channel that vision— it’s inspiring to be around such inspired work! Everyone working at the top of the game towards one common goal— again, it’s beautiful!
5. Are there any other upcoming projects coming soon that you can talk about?
I’ve worked on a couple films since the pandemic hit: another rom-com set in Covid times called “Just Swipe,” and a drama called “Replica,” with Mickey Rourke. I play a neo-Nazi meth-head— so I’m back to playing unattractive roles, far, far from myself! Otherwise, I’ve been hard at work on my own show, a 1-hour comedy special called “American Whore Story.” Still ironing out the how/where/when.
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