Posted in: FX, TV | Tagged: Grotesquerie, Micaela Diamond, ryan murphy

Grotesquerie: Micaela Diamond on Murphy, Nash-Betts, TV/Theater Work

Grotesquerie star Micaela Diamond spoke with us about her role in the FX series, working with Ryan Murphy and Niecy Nash-Betts, and more.

Micaela Diamond has emerged as a force on the screen since emerging from the theatre world. Since her theatrical debut in Netflix's tick, tick… BOOM! in 2021, she's also appeared on numerous TV shows like Max's The Gilded Age, Hulu's Up Here, and CBS's Elsbeth. Her latest is the FX horror drama Grotesquerie from Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken, which follows Lois Tryon (Niecy Nash-Betts), a detective, who must work with Sister Megan (Diamond), a local nun, to figure out the source of a series of heinous crimes that are threatening their personal and professional lives. But then, it's not – and that's when the Murphy series dialed up the intensity and mysteries as the layers of Lois's reality began to peel away. Diamond spoke with Bleeding Cool about embracing her golden opportunity to work with Murphy, auditioning, Nash, and how filming became a unique experience.

Grotesquerie Star Micaela Diamond on Embracing the Challenge Being Part of the Ryan Murphy-verse

Bleeding Cool: What intrigued you about 'Grotesquerie?'

Ryan Murphy, for one, when you get a self-tape audition that comes in your inbox for one of his series, it's a thrilling moment, and you want to deliver. I sent a tape and I got to read for the pilot. Then, in my screen test, he told me a little bit more about the whole series, and I loved the scripts. The idea of this 'Russian Doll' reality versus dream was great. I was enamored with the project as soon as it fell into my inbox.

What was it like working with Ryan, Joe [Baken], and Jon [Robin Baitz] as creatives on set?

Robbie, for one, is such a great in the theater world, so it's fun coming from that world myself into the television world with Ryan and Joe is incredible. [Robbie is] the greatest person and Ryan is a genius, so it was so fun to work together. The thing I miss about TV is you don't have table reads and sit down with all your writers to discuss everything; instead, you show up on set and try to meet their writing and deliver in such a way that will make them proud. They were in the back of my head every day on set, so it was it was a joy to create with them.

Were you always penciled in for Sister Megan, or did you read for other parts, too?

I was always going in for Sister Megan. To be honest, they thought I was too young at first, and I remember they were flying me out for my screen test. I got an edited two pages of sides, and the only change on them was a pilot scene. Niecy's character, Lois, said, "You're young" [chuckled] was added to the script, and I said, "My God! I think they might really want me!" That was a nice addition to the script.

How do you break down your chemistry with Niecy in the dynamic between Lois and Sister Megan?

Part of the reason I was drawn to the script was they're such unlikely friends in another moment of their lives. They wouldn't have given each other a chance, but for some reason, they, at this moment, need something from the other. Lois needs my religious knowledge as she combs through these ritualistic murders. There's a deeper layer of wanting to find some face and knowing I have that in some way. I've committed my life to trying to find it, at least, and that was fun to play. We're real foils for each other in life and on screen, which plays out in our dynamic. We have real opposite processes in a fun way. I come from the theater world, and she's done TV for a long time.

Can you name anyone in your life or personal experiences who helped drive your performance as Sister Megan?

That's a dangerous question there. I'm a Jew from New Jersey, so I wouldn't say I'm "close" to Sister Meghan, although there are moments in the scripts that feel human to me. She holds a lot of shame about her desire, and that is a common thread for a lot of women and men, and I could draw some of that. It's not terribly hard to have chemistry with Nicholas [Alexander Chavez] and I love playing those scenes out. Something that's nice about the show is I don't have a lot in common with this woman and it's fun to do projects that scare you a bit.

How does a project like 'Grotesquerie' compare to your other projects?

I've never done anything like this. I "really" from the theater world. So last year, I was playing a Southern Jew whose husband was being lynched in 1910. It's a different story to tell, but that's part of the fun you get to delve into these various time periods. Before that, I played Cher in the 60s, and I got to live through various people. This is by far the scariest work I've ever done. I wanted to find humor in her commitment to her lifestyle and work. I hope that comes through on the screen; the kind of 'Fargo '-seriousness is something I wanted to bring even into myself. I've done a lot, but this is the first of its kind.

Do you feel you're transitioning from the theater world into screen acting? Was it something that came organically to you? Who are your biggest inspirations?

I wouldn't say it came naturally. I was scared pretty much every day at some point on set. This was a scary big debut for me, but I tried to be a sponge and soak up as much information from these veterans as I could. Ryan created a well-oiled machine, so I tried to smoothly fit it into that machine as quickly as I could, but I'm not above asking for help. That's why you have a director to guide you, and we had some incredible directors in this series, so I will use them to my advantage, hopefully.

As far as my inspirations, I have so many. I'll start with one from the theater world who has been in the Ryan Murphy universe at one point, Annaleigh Ashford, who straddles both world worlds of TV, film, and theater so beautifully, always coming back to do the great roles in the theater, and then dipping her toe into every territory people in television and film. I'm constantly inspired by her. There's also Sarah Paulson, who's been a part of the troupe, if you will, for a long time, who I asked for advice at the beginning of this and said, "Play the stakes, play the world you're in, play the circumstance. It's not going to be too big." Those women were floating in my mind as I came to sit and follow.

The season finale of Grotesquerie, which also stars Courtney B. Vance, Raven Goodwin, and Lesley Manville, airs on October 30th on FX. All episodes are available to stream on Hulu.

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