Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 13 OctOber 2017
He’ll be back, but not like before:

Jonathan Groff plays an FBI agent

By JOCELYN NOVECK that. He’s a great student.” of shooting, I’d been fidg-
AP National Writer Groff sat down recently to eting and doing various
NEW YORK (AP) — His TV discuss the part, and work- things, and suddenly David
fans know him as Patrick ing with Fincher (the inter- came over and said, “what
in HBO’s “Looking,” and as view has been edited for if you don’t do anything?”
Jesse St. James in “Glee.” length.) It was genius.
His movie fans know him as AP: This character’s a de- AP: There seems to be a
the voice of Kristoff in “Fro- parture for you. Had you “Silence of the Lambs” dy-
zen.” ever wondered what it was namic here, with you as the
This image released by Netflix shows Jonathan Groff in a scene
from the 10-episode series, “Mindhunter,” streaming on Netflix And his theater fans? They like to be in law enforce- Clarice figure.
starting Friday. know him as the pouty, ment? Groff: Totally.
Associated Press thoroughly annoyed King Groff: No. Being an actor But it’s interesting, as amaz-
George in “Hamilton.” and artist feels like the op- ing as “Silence of the
This week, fans will see Jon- posite. We’re emotional, Lambs” is, David wanted
athan Groff in an entirely we’re expressive, we’re to blow up that notion of
new sort of role — as an FBI empathetic, and playing the comic book version of
agent, trying to get into the someone in law enforce- the serial killer, that brilliant
mind of serial killers, in the ment seems like the antith- omniscient genius, and re-
new Netflix series “Mind- esis of that — which made ally take a genuine human
hunter.” it really exciting. Also the look at who these people
The series takes place in the character of Holden is in- are. They had mostly aver-
‘70s — think Son of Sam and quisitive, really interested age IQs, and they’re just
Charles Manson — and is in bringing psychology and sad, (messed) up people
produced, and directed sociology to law enforce- with a damaged story.
in part, by David Fincher, ment. He’s kind of the New AP: The term serial killer
who knows his way around Age FBI agent. didn’t even exist then?
a gritty crime story, having AP: You come from the- Groff: No, and that’s the
directed “Gone Girl” and ater. What’s the difference fun of the show. It’s all this
“Zodiac.” in the two types of acting? vocabulary that we’re now
It’s based on the book Groff: It’s true that in the- very comfortable with, but
“Mindhunter: Inside the ater, you get adrenaline back then it didn’t exist.
FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit” from the crowd, but I’ve Watching these guys sort of
by John Douglas, who found that on TV, particu- shooting from the hip, go-
spent many years develop- larly something like “Mind- ing on instinct, is really inter-
ing psychological profiling hunter,” there’s a level of esting.
to probe the minds of the adrenaline that happens. AP: So there’s no Hannibal
country’s worst killers. When they say “action,” Lecter here?
Based on the early epi- everyone’s really quiet on Groff: It’s almost easier to
sodes, it will pull no punch- the set ... There isn’t a live understand, if it’s an Antho-
es: Somebody’s head gets audience, but my heart ny Hopkins type.
blown off in the first, and beats a little faster, and I ‘Oh, they’re an insane bril-
in the second, a serial killer get inspired in that space liant crazy person.’ But
describes truly unspeak- between ‘action’ and when it’s, no, this dude is
able (even for cable) ‘cut.’ my weird neighbor that I
crimes. “It’s not easy butch- AP: In theater, you can ignore, that’s really scarier.
ering people,” the killer keep refining your charac- AP: You had to leave
notes drily. ter. Can you do that in TV? “Hamilton” to begin shoot-
Groff’s character, Holden Groff: Yes, in theater, three ing this show in Pittsburgh.
— based loosely on author months into it, I’ll think, Was that hard?
Douglas — is a fresh-faced “Oh no, THIS is what it’s Groff: This opportunity was
newcomer to the FBI, and about! If only I’d been so extraordinary, it was a
Fincher says the actor’s thinking about that during no-brainer. But it was bit-
natural sense of curiosity opening.” And then three tersweet to leave the show,
was ideal. months later I’m thinking, because I loved that group.
“I met Jonathan when we “Oh, actually it was the first And there was actually a
were casting for ‘The Social thing!” You’re always refin- moment when we were
Network,’” Fincher said in ing. With David, it’s much performing at the White
an email message. “Part like theater, you’re always House, (“Hamilton”) direc-
of what makes a great softening or sharpening the tor Tommy Kail was just
performance is there has edges and creating some- reminding me of this, and
to be an inherent thing in thing really specific. President Obama got up
the actor that you know is AP: That first interview with impromptu and hugged
always underneath the sur- a serial killer in prison is everyone.
face. In the case of Jona- bone-chilling. And I was crying so hard.
than, (it’s) curiosity and de- Groff: It’s sort of the moment AP: Are you headed back
cency. With Holden Ford, everything comes into clar- to the theater soon?
it’s a hunger to be better, ification. At one point, the Groff: “I’d love to. It’s my
a hunger to understand, killer asks me, “Why are you first love. I’m addicted to
and Jonathan naturally has so tense?” For two days it.”q