( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Grant Hall Known For His Roles on “Grown-ish”, “Tough Love: Los Angeles”, and “2 Eye Drops from Normal” Gears Up for Two New Projects Releasing This Year
ENSPIRE Contributor: Alexandra Rivera
Hall was an entertainer from a young age being raised by a family of prominent athletes. However, acting was not something he picked until college. It was not until his theater appreciation class that his passion for acting began. Hall then began taking part in on-campus improv and theater clubs while also enrolling in acting classes. Soon he signed with his first manager and made the move to LA to pursue his dream full-time.
Hall can also be recognized for his various modeling campaigns with the brands, Adidas, Jordan, Calvin Klein, and Abercrombie & Fitch. He hopes to use his platform to highlight his heritage, as well as philanthropic matters that mean a lot to him. As a contributor to organizations like Feeding America and the Cancer Research Institute, he believes in using his voice to create awareness in raising funds to help support charities such as these. Hall has two up-and-coming projects that eager fans will get to see in the coming months.
ENSPIRE spoke with Grant Hall on his recent success and journey in the industry so far.
Did your start in modeling help when transitioning into acting?
Definitely! Looking back, it certainly helped me build initial confidence working in front of a camera, and it also helped me land my first agent with little to no credit to my name. The first big-time job I ever landed in my career came from modeling. It was a global campaign for Abercrombie and Fitch. And I had people from all different states and outside countries contacting me on social media when the campaign aired. It was like my first little taste of success, and I fell in love with how it seemed to inspire people.
When did you hear you booked the role of Kyle for Grown-ish and what was that like?
I booked the role roughly a week after my initial audition for it. Here is a funny story, they made me do a follow-up audition to my first one. Which is typically referred to as a “callback,” and when you’re notified that you’ve been called back, you know they’re heavily considering you for the role. But, in this case, they asked me to audition for the same role again, but they have yet to say it was a callback. And they wanted me to do the same audition with the same lines but only change one word within all the pages of text.
I initially thought, “Why are they having me do the same thing again if it’s not a callback?” And, for a second, I thought it wasn’t worth doing. But then my voice of reason kicked in, and I decided I needed to swallow my pride and graciously accept the opportunity to act because that’s what I love to do. And thankfully, I listened to that wiser voice because I ended up booking the role. This experience taught me a very profound lesson about the fantastic opportunities that lie on the other side of you, overriding your ego and just doing what you know is right in your heart and gut.
Having done independent films and now a major marketed show like Grown-ish, what do you like doing more?
I love both equally for different reasons. I love doing independent projects because they frequently offer more significant opportunities to play entertaining and complex characters I may not have been given a chance to play if it was for a blockbuster film. And I also get to meet and work with super-talented upcoming directors. For example, not too long ago, I did an independent film called “Triggerman” with a very young, talented director named Tyler Holmes. It was an absolute blast, and we created a very significant film and piece of art. And the experience I had working on this film reminded me of why I love and respect independent filmmaking so much.
Working on a very established show like Grown-ish is also an incredible and fulfilling experience. With the budget being more significant and the crew being much more prominent, they’re able to take outstanding care of their actors, which ultimately helps me give my very best performance. Plus, the sets they put together are incredible, and they help you fully live in a world of the character.
You also get to work with highly talented actors, directors, writers, and producers who have been in the business for a long time. And, being that I was a fan of the Grown-ish before I booked a role in the show makes the experience of showing up to set and doing the work much more fulfilling. It feels like I’m living my innermost dream, and I’m the luckiest guy alive.
Since starting acting, what is one piece of advice that you’ve been given that has impacted you the most?
I think the best piece of advice that I’ve received regarding making it in this business came from my dear friend and mentor, Shaun Benjamin. He told me that this business is like being at a deli; they give you a number, and you stand in line waiting to receive your order. Many people get impatient and leave the line before they hear their number called, but as long as you stay patient and don’t give up your place in line, your number will eventually be called. This was told to me at the beginning of my career years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it.
Do you have any new projects lined up for this year?
Yes, I do, and I’m excited for them to be released. I recently worked on a show called “Cocaine Sisters,” which will be released sometime this year on a network to be announced soon. And I also just wrapped my feature film, Trigger, shot in Detroit which will be released later this year.
Grant Hall has a bright future ahead and fans can catch him in “Cocaine Sisters”, and his latest independent film, Trigger, which will be available for streaming on Tubi later this year.
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