“That ’70s Show” alum Topher Grace isn’t enjoying the film career many, including myself, expected of him.
Who didn’t see “Predators” last year and gasp, holy cow, that’s Topher Grace playing second fiddle – at best?
But the affable actor knows not to burden his film career with partisan sniping.
Heard Grace give a long-ranging interview to Adam Carolla on the Ace Man’s great podcast recently. Grace was ostensibly there to discuss “Too Big To Fail,” the HBO film version of the recent financial crisis. Naturally, Carolla talked about every topic under the sun save the film in question for a while, but they finally addressed the topic briefly.
And, when the conversation got more detailed, Grace played the Switzerland card.
He said he tries to avoid attacking one political party over another in his interviews surrounding the project. Instead, he explores the themes and emotions behind the key characters in the film.
How refreshing … and smart. Why don’t more actors take that diplomatic approach? Grace admitted he had his own feelings about who deserved the bulk of the blame for the meltdown, but he preferred to keep them to himself. Left unsaid was this salient fact – people watching the film can appreciate his work and the movie in toto without hearing his political musings ricochet around their noggins.
Grace isn’t a big movie star, and he may never be. But he knows well enough to craft his public persona in a way that doesn’t alienate half the country.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I had the pleasure of meeting Topher Grace just after he landed the part in “That Seventies Show”. He told me he thought it would be a flop. I told him at least I would watch it since I grew up in that decade.
Topher Grace is his real name (“Topher” is short for “Christopher”). He is from Darien, Connecticut. Darien has had only one democrat mayor since it’s founding in the 1770’s. She had one two-year term before the republicans crushed her and threw her out in the next election.
My guess is since Darien is one of the wealthist (and deepest red) towns in Connecticut, that Topher is a closet conservative. Heck, with his first payday from “TSS” he bought his parents a big house in town.
If Hollywood suspected he was conservative, it might also account for his slow rise in LaLa Land.
One more thing…he should be a big Hollywood star since he is as short as Pacino.
I’ve never understood the appeal of Grace as an actor since, like so many in the profession these days, they play barely differential characters from the one character which brought them fame (looking square at you Michael Cera). Reading this, though, brings him up a notch or three. Well played, Mr. Grace. Well played.
Thanks for sharing all the extra info, too, Mike B.
Being a closet conservative—or just “not rabid enough of a liberal”—may’ve been why his career’s not come as far as people expected. Even if he’s never come out as a conservative/challenged anyone on their liberalism, not taking a sip when the Kool-Aid makes the rounds can look “aloof”, which in Hollywood actually means “insufficiently kiss-ass”.
Forst paycheck? He bought his folks a house…PROOF he is at least a Libertarian.
A liberal would have bought a mound of cocaine and a bevy of hookers with the same money. Maybe given $10.00 to “Free Tibet”.
So, i can see the membership of a party is kind of religion when it comes to influence on a career in US.
Espesially in Hollywod. I like Topher, I think, he deserve better career.
Mike: even if he is a closet conservative, he doesn’t shy away from appearing in liberal movies (Traffic, In Good Company), so he’s clearly willing to keep his work and his politics separate. If only liberal actors could do that.
Regarding his role in Predators: I suspect he took it to try some things he’s never tried before (I can’t provide any more details without spoiling a plot twist), and speaking as someone who’s about the same age as him, what child of the ’80s wouldn’t jump at the chance to be in a Predator movie?
And as for the state of his career, according to his IMDB page he’s got 5 mainstream movies and 1 TV show coming out in the next couple of years, so I’d say he’s doing alright.