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When I spoke with Grant for this interview, it was immediately evident that he possessed a genuine politeness and graciousness that can be rare in the entertainment industry. His authenticity flowed into his insights on the characters he plays, how he defines success, and his encouragement to other dreamers. Read on for our insightful and encouraging chat, below.

I read that you actually watched Grown-ish before joining this season as your character Kyle—how does it feel to be on a show that you once watched?

It feels kind of surreal—to see the people that you watched from an audience perspective and then to go from that to working with them on the actual set, it’s kind of like mind-boggling. It’s great—the cast has been awesome, and they’re very welcoming.


What can we expect from Kyle in this new season of Grown-ish?

We’ve pretty much only seen the shadier side to him but now we’re going to start to see the kinder aspect of the character, that dualistic version of him as a person, and hopefully more from the group in general—the fraternity.


The entertainment industry, especially the acting world can be an unstable industry, how have you handled the waiting and unknown periods?

Just by doing something every day to improve. I feel like it’s much easier to deal with the waiting period when you’re spending the time productively because it doesn’t feel like waiting. [Also] to stay self-confident because it’s very easy to get down on yourself… Just remember your past successes and stay focused on the goals you set.


What does success look like to you and for you?

I think it looks like enjoying what you’re doing and feeling like you’re in the place you’re destined to be…Fulfilling your purpose—that would be the ultimate sense of success and joy.


Tell us about your upcoming projects Trigger and Cocaine Sisters.

They’re kind of like antiheroes. We just wrapped Trigger in Detroit, that’s going to be a tv film. It’s like a whole different character that I’ve never played before, but it was good to work on that range and show the people who do follow my career that there’s a lot more to me than what meets the eye. Cocaine Sisters…that will be a series. The last time I checked with them, they were still deciding which platform they wanted to launch on but I’m sure they will conclude on that if they haven’t already.

What is some parting encouragement you’d say to those starting in the entertainment industry or those just starting or finding their passion?

Don’t try to copy somebody because it looks cool on social media or whatever. Do the things that resonate the most with you and your inclinations toward things that you love. I feel like you get the most success out of following those kind of things—that are innate and natural.

 

Follow Grant on Instagram @thegranthall and watch new episodes of Grown-ish on Freeform Wednesdays at 10:30/9:30c and streaming on Hulu.

*Interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity