Interview: How JOHN PROCTOR's Molly Griggs is Balancing Broadway and Netflix Fame

Molly Griggs is having a breakout moment. She’s currently starring on Broadway in John Proctor Is the Villain, a new play by Kimberly Belflower, that examines The Crucible through the lens of a high school English class in rural Georgia. On screen, Griggs is also making waves in Shonda Rhimes’ latest hit The Residence, a murder mystery set inside the White House. Griggs stars alongside Uzo Aduba, Randall Park, and Giancarlo Esposito as Lilly Schumacher. 

BroadwayWorld spoke with Griggs about her experience working on Broadway, being a part of the legacy of a Shonda Rhimes show, balancing stage and screen work, and more! 

You are having quite a moment right now, Molly! First of all, you are starring in John Proctor Is the Villain on Broadway. What has it been like working on this show?

It’s been so amazing. It’s been really hard work, but very rewarding work. All of us are so aligned, and dedicated, and excited to continue to have people come and see what we made. We’re so proud of this play.

How has it been working with the cast?

Not only is it one of the most talented casts I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with, it’s the biggest group of sweetie pies I’ve ever met. The vibes are incredible. We really love each other and respect each other and everybody is really coming and doing their best work.

What do you want to tell audiences who are planning to see the show?

I know that the title is provocative, for sure. My wish that audiences bring to this is the most open heart and open mind as possible. This is not a show that we are preaching a particular way to be or think, we’re actually asking really complicated questions that don’t have clean answers, and we’re asking audiences to sit in the discomfort of these tough questions. Asking ourselves how can we move forward when there’s no good, there’s no bad, it’s just this murky gray area. How can we do our best and be good to each other when all of these contradicting truths exist in us and in other people?

You are also currently starring in Shonda Rhimes’ The Residence on Netflix. What was it like when you found out that you got the role?

Oh man, it was the best news! I cried, I was so excited, I called my family. My husband was right there, he was fist-pumping the air, he was so excited! Working with someone like Shonda Rhimes, who has such an incredible body of work under her belt... I knew that the scripts were unbelievable for this, and Paul William Davies wrote the most wonderful, weird, beautiful characters, and the most complicated murder mystery I could ever imagine. It’s so dense, and interwoven, and yet very fun and exciting to watch. I knew I had a big responsibility ahead of me as well, but I had the best time. It was life changing.

What is your favorite part about the character you play, Lilly Schumacher? 

My favorite part is how big and ridiculous I was allowed to be when playing her, because she is so full of herself, and unconcerned about how she is perceived by people. She is either unaware or un-self conscious, it’s a strange combination of the two. And it was amazing to get to be a person who feels that way. I had so much fun, we were able to surprise ourselves, and surprise our scene partners. And I felt completely transformed, I had that stick-straight hair and big, beautiful nails, and the pink dress. I felt so far from who I am as a person, so it was amazing to fully settle into that woman who is so completely different and arch and silly.

What is it like knowing that you’ll be a part of the legacy of a Shonda Rhimes show?

Oh man, I haven’t even thought about that! It’s amazing! I hope that this show can join the pantheon of her other shows in terms of the way that audiences feel about them, because I do think it deserves to have a seat at that table. I think the writing is on par with the other stuff that she has made. And also I think this cast is really special. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of something like this.

The opportunity to be tackling both the stage and the screen at the same time is pretty awesome. How does that feel?

It’s a dream come true. I feel like this business is so tough sometimes, and it can be really hard to get a lot of no’s, and it’s a miracle to get one yes, and the fact that I have two projects that are able to coincide when they’re being introduced to the world, I just feel very, very lucky. And I feel lucky that the characters could not be more different. They’re at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of who they are as human beings, and that is something I’m really proud of as an actor, that these directors and casting directors have been able to see so many different people with me, and I hope to get to do more of it. It’s so fun.

Do you have anything else you’d like to share?

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