The Waterfrontcreator Kevin Williamson wrote the villainous character of Grady with actor Topher Grace specifically in mind. Williamson, known for projects such asScream,Dawson’s Creek, andThe Vampire Diaries, among others, has brought a new TV series to Netflix.The Waterfrontfollows the powerful Buckley family, who run afishery and restaurant in a small town in North Carolina. To escape their debt, the Buckleys get back into the drug trafficking game with a supplier named Grady (Grace), who turns out to be dangerously unpredictable.
During an interview with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan forThe Waterfront, Williamson explained that he wrote the character of Grady with Grace in mind. “I wanted someone who was so darn likable,” the screenwriter said, “someone we knew to be so darn cute and funny and winning.“Williamson went on to say that he enjoys characters that are really funny but do terribly evil things. “[Grace] really plays the duality very well.” See Williamson’s full response below:
Ash Crossan: It’s funny because you have someone like Harlan who can be outwardly scary, and then you have Topher Grace that comes in and he’s kind of silly, but he’s a different type of terrifying to me. He really knocked my socks off.
Kevin Williamson: Isn’t he great?
Ash Crossan: He’s so great.
Kevin Williamson: Well, to be fair, I did write that character with him in mind I wanted someone who was so darn likable, and someone that we knew to be so darn cute and funny and winning in all those ways in which you don’t usually see a psychotic psychopath, a horrible person. I like when really, really, really nice, funny people do really evil things. He really plays the duality very well.
What Kevin Williamson’s Comments About Topher Grace Mean For His The Waterfront Character
Topher Grace Was An Effective Inspiration
Grace rose to fame playing nerdy teenager Eric Forman on the sitcomThat ’70s Show(1999 - 2005). Though he has played dramatic and even villainous roles since, the fact that Grady was explicitly written with Grace’s brand of comedy in mind made a significant difference regarding how the character came across on screen.The Waterfrontis full of large, serious, and menacing characters, including the Buckley patriarch, Harlan (Holt McCallany). Still, Grady is the most terrifying,since there’s an implicit understanding that this supplier could do a number of violent things at any moment.
Characters like Grady have a lot to do with why Williamson’s projects have been so successful.
Characters like Grady have a lot to do with why Williamson’s projects have been so successful.The Waterfrontis aNetflix crime dramathat checks all the boxes of the genre. However, the strange likability of Grace’s Grady andthe way this quality inspires fear rather than traditional comedy helps the Netflix series to stand out in a sea of similar TV shows. This character might not have been as effective had Williamson not written him with a specific actor in mind.
Our Take On Topher Grace’s Performance In The Waterfront
Grady Was The Highlight Of The Waterfront Season 1
The Buckley family dynamics inThe Waterfrontwere exceptional, but I foundGrace’s Grady to be a highlight of the Netflix series' first season. The actor leaned all in with the chaotic energy of his character, and it was truly unsettling to watch. However, I found thatthe big question of what unpredictable thing Grady would do next served as the driving forcethat kept me watching episode after episode. It’s clear that Grace was the perfect muse, and I’m eager to see what other intriguing characters Williamson writes forThe Waterfrontseason 2.
