Conversations with Topher Grace (2015)

Career Q&A with Topher Grace.  Moderated by Bruce Fretts, Closer Weekly. 

Acclaimed actor Topher Grace first caught the attention of audiences as one of the stars of the iconic television series, That ‘70s Show, before going on to make his mark on the big screen in numerous films.

Topher currently appears in the Sony Pictures Classics drama, Truth, opposite Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett, Dennis Quaid and Elisabeth Moss. The film tells the true story of a group of journalists – with Topher portraying rebellious researcher, ‘Mike Smith’ – who uncover a conspiracy that would bring down President George W. Bush’s presidency. The film will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Topher is currently in production starring alongside Brad Pitt in the upcoming Netflix black comedy, War Machine, in which he plays a civilian media adviser to Pitt’s four-star U.S. military general trying to win the war in Afghanistan. Based on Michael Hastings’ book, “The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan,” and directed by David Michod, the film is scheduled to debut in 2016.

Topher has also made the move behind the camera and recently completed production as producer and star of the romantic musical comedy, One Shot, directed by Isaac Rentz. The film features Anne Heche and Taye Diggs and follows a failed Broadway singer who now works as a production manager who must save opening night by wrangling his eccentric cast and crew. On screen he’s also wrapped on the supernatural thriller, Home, expected for release by Universal in 2016.

On the big screen, Topher won the National Board of Review award for Breakthrough Performance by an Actor, as well as a New York Film Critics award, for his roles in In Good Company and P.S. in 2004. As a member of the ensemble cast in Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, he also won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2001.

Additional film credits include Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar; Gary Marshall’s ensemble, Valentine’s Day, opposite Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx and others; Sam Raimi’s Spiderman 3; Robert Luketic’s Win a Date With Tad Hamilton;  Mike Newell’s Mona Lisa Smile, opposite Julia Roberts; and Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Twelve among many other memorable roles including, most recently, American Ultra, opposite Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart.

On the small screen, along with That ‘70s Show, he has also appeared in Curtis Hanson’s Golden Globe winning TV film, Too Big to Fail, for HBO. He also appeared in The Beauty Inside, a 2012 social film developed by Intel and Toshiba. Directed by Drake Doremus and co-starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, the film is broken up into six filmed episodes interspersed with interactive storytelling that all takes place on the main character's Facebook timeline. Topher won a Daytime Emmy in the category of Outstanding New Approaches - Original Daytime Program or Series.

In 2014, Topher made his Off-Broadway debut in Paul Weitz’ acclaimed Lonely, I’m Not, opposite Olivia Thirlby, for Second Stage.

Topher grew up in Darien, Connecticut and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.