We picked the brain of the cast of FX's new horror series "Grotesquerie" ahead of the premiere!
Find out more about these dark characters on this chilling saga premiering September 25 on FX!
The highly anticipated new show Grotesquerie from Ryan Murphy makes its debut on FX on September 25 with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu. Scenes In Color sat down with the cast ahead of the premiere during a virtual press conference on Monday to get all of the details about this new horror series and what audiences can expect.
Grotesquerie is a 10 episode series that follows Detective Tryon (played by Neicy Nash-Betts), a seasoned investigator haunted by her own past. The story opens with the discovery of a series of gruesome murders, each more shocking than the last. Tryon’s relentless pursuit of the truth leads her into a nightmarish underbelly of the city, where every clue reveals a deeper layer of depravity. Paranormal and provocative cross lines as this dark and eerie story unfolds.
As she delves into the mind of the killer, it becomes clear that their motivations are steeped in a twisted mythology, perhaps even drawing from ancient horrors. The investigation takes a sinister turn when Lois starts experiencing unsettling visions, blurring the lines between reality and the supernatural. Her descent into darkness is mirrored by the increasingly grotesque nature of the crimes.
With each step closer to the truth, Tryon must confront not only the killer but also her own demons. As she navigates a landscape riddled with betrayal and madness, she realizes that the true horror may lie within herself. The tension builds as she races against time, leading to a chilling climax that challenges her understanding of sanity and justice.
Grotesquerie becomes a haunting exploration of obsession, trauma, and the depths of human depravity, making readers question how far one can go in the name of vengeance and the true nature of evil.
Neicy Nash-Betts leads the cast and describes how working on a horror allowed her to tap into her artistry in a way a comedy does not.
“People that can make you laugh can make you cry but the reverse is not always true. So I am grateful that I have a duality in my art. I’m so so grateful for Ryan because this opportunity especially in this genre is not typically led by black women.” -Neicy Nash-Betts
The series stars a stellar ensemble cast with some very new and up and coming actors, as well as several veterans that are familiar with working on a Ryan Murphy project.
Nash-Betts is an industry veteran who has collaborated with Murphy before for Red Devil and Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, having previously worked with the prolific producer on Scream Queens and Monster, the latter of which earned her an Emmy Award.
Veteran actor Courtney B. Vance also won an Emmy for a Ryan Murphy helmed project, portraying Johnnie Cochran in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.
Nicholas Alexander Chavez, who is a fairly up and coming name in Hollywood recently worked with Murphy on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story which was released on Netflix just last week. In Grotesquerie, Chavez plays Father Charlie, a young forward thinking priest whose eyes are opened by Sister Megan’s journalism. He talked to us about working with Ryan Murphy on back to back projects.
“Ryan is a world builder. It was interesting, because I got to work with him on two very, very different worlds. The Menendez project had a context already set for it, where we’re telling the story that’s based on true events that happened in 1989 and the early ’90s,” Chavez said.
“Whereas, this project was an entirely new world, where the only limitations were our creativity and imagination. It was interesting to just be thrown into the depths of what Ryan is capable of coming up with. It was an honor and a privilege to experience both.”
“There was no time in between and there was no decompression" he added, "One of the nicer parts of playing Father Charlie is that I could really just follow my impulses and i just trusted my instincts and everyone around me enabled me to make really bold choices; so you know with Lyle there was intensive, intensive preparation; this one was more so just raw, unbridled impulse."
The series stars Niecy Nash-Betts as “Detective Lois Tryon,” Courtney B. Vance as “Marshall Tryon,” Lesley Manville as “Nurse Redd,” Micaela Diamond as “Sister Megan,” Nicholas Alexander Chavez as “Father Charlie,” Raven Goodwin as “Merritt Tryon” and Travis Kelce (role unknown).
In the interview, Ryan Murphy was asked about NFL professional football player Travis Kelce as he is set to make his inaugural acting debut in Grotesquerie. Murphy explained, “He really was amazing. He worked with an acting coach for several months. He showed up off book. He knew everybody’s lines. He was so professional. He was so committed. He kept saying to me, ‘I’m real coachable. Coach me, coach me.’ So I did, and he ended up being a delight, and I would love to continue working with him on this and other things. I cannot say enough about him as a leader. He’s just the kindest, sweetest…everything you think about him is true.”
Murphy also went on to further discuss how the idea for the show came about by stating, “It’s a very interesting project; I wanted to write something for myself” he added, “For me it is a very personal piece, a meditation on what I think is going on in the world; what can we do to fight and keep our humanity.”
The exploration of there being something dark and sinister roaming within humanity makes for a perfectly chilling and thought provoking tale. “Something is happening around us … nobody sees but me,” Nash-Betts said in an interview with Vulture last month. Audiences will be scared, thrilled, bewildered, and entertained by Grotesquerie.
Grotesquerie premieres on FX on Sept. 25, 2024. Episodes will release weekly on Wednesdays on FX and be available to stream the next day on Hulu.