As an actor, Graham Phillips has done it all, working in theater, television, and film. You probably recognize him from your favorite shows like Riverdale, The Good Wife, and Atypical. Now, Graham is returning to the theater world, playing George in a revival of one of the most successful musicals of all time, Sunday in the Park with George, at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center from March 8 to the 24th. We got to FaceTime with Graham before the show opened to learn more about his character and his career successes. He gave us so much advice for any young person looking to make it in the entertainment industry.
“You can find your own path and your own curriculum by choosing the constellation of people that you are inspired by and then just learning how they did it.”
Sunday in the Park with George comes from the Pulitzer Prize-winning twosome, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The 1983 musical revolves around George who immerses himself deeply in painting his masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, while struggling to create meaningful connections with those around him, including his lover, Dot. It has become one of the most acclaimed musicals ever, with 10 Tony Award nominations. Graham stars alongside Broadway’s Talia Suskauer (from Broadway’s Wicked) who plays Dot and the show was directed by Broadway veteran Eamon Foley.
Graham said he hopes people who go see Sunday in the Park with George will take away from the show the lesson to live in the moment, especially for anyone who who is feeling stuck in life and creativity.
Graham has had a variety of on-camera roles, including playing Zach Florrick on the CBS series The Good Wife, Ben Tennyson in Ben 10:Race Against Time, and Danny Campbell in the independent film Staten Island Summer. He also played Evan Goldman in the Broadway musical 13 alongside Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies in 2008. You may also recognize Graham from his recurring role as Nick St. Clair in Riverdale and Nate in Atypical. In 2019, Graham played Eric in The Little Mermaid Live!. He has also worked as a director, with his debut in 2019 directing The Bygone.
We were so intrigued when Graham revealed to us that his first time on stage came in kindergarten with a production of Annie. He has been acting ever since!
“What I was experiencing on stage when I was really young was just how magical it is to feel like I have permission to be as big as I want.”
We asked Graham about working on the set of Riverdale as Nick St. Clair. He said that KJ Apa, who played Archie Andrews, is one of the coolest people he has worked with in the industry and was super vulnerable talking about working in acting. This was so cool to hear despite Graham’s character getting beat up by Archie in one scene!
With so many roles under his belt, Graham said his advice to anyone trying to get into the entertainment world is just to go for it, and not be afraid to try something that is different. For those interested in the theater world, Graham recommends going to classes and experimenting with many forms of acting and not being afraid to make mistakes.
Consider this:
- Write something, make something. It is your time, don’t be afraid to express yourself and try something new.
Thank you, Graham, for FaceTiming with Young Entertainment! Follow him on his Instagram at @grahamphillips. Watch the rest of the interview, where we ask him more questions about his get ready with me routine, how he gets into his roles, his time on different sets, and more. Like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment.
You can get tickets here:
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