Topher Grace is stepping far outside his comfort zone in The Waterfront, Netflix’s new crime drama, and embracing a role that pushes his range in unexpected ways. The actor, known to many as the affable Eric Forman from That ’70s Show, now plays Grady—a tech-world dropout turned ruthless poppy-farm drug lord. The role wasn’t just a casting decision; it was written specifically for him by Kevin Williamson, the acclaimed creator behind Scream and Dawson’s Creek. Grace recalled the moment Williamson reached out, describing it as an offer he couldn’t refuse. “He said the most seductive thing you can say to an actor: ‘I wrote this with you in mind,’” Grace said, joking that his wife understood the appeal of playing a charming sociopath.
Williamson has praised Grace’s casting, emphasizing how powerful it is to hand a weapon to someone known for making people laugh and see where it leads. “You just never know if he’s going to hug you or shoot you,” he told Entertainment Weekly, highlighting the unpredictable tension that Grace brings to the character. This layered ambiguity is precisely what makes Grady such a compelling figure—menacing yet charismatic, polished yet chaotic.
This role marks another bold pivot in Grace’s post-sitcom career. Since his time on That ’70s Show, he’s taken on a wide array of roles—from the awkward romantic lead to deeply unsettling villains. He’s previously played darker characters like Eddie Brock in Spider-Man 3 and a calculating killer in Predators, and perhaps most notably, a disturbingly composed David Duke in BlacKkKlansman. With The Waterfront, however, Grace leans all the way into his sinister side, without losing his signature comedic undertone.
Grace admits he finds villainy more creatively fulfilling. “Bad guys are better,” he explained. “When you’re playing a good guy, the audience is your partner. But when you’re playing a bad guy, there are no rules.” That lack of constraint seems to be part of what makes The Waterfront both intense and unexpectedly witty. Grace described the show as self-aware, with characters who sometimes realize the absurdity of their overly glamorous, problem-plagued town. He said he enjoyed heightening the satire by jokingly complimenting every character’s appearance, adding a layer of levity to the otherwise dark narrative.
The Waterfront seems poised to be a turning point for Grace—a chance to redefine himself for audiences who still see him as a loveable goofball. With a character as twisted and smooth-talking as Grady, he’s not only challenging expectations, but fully rewriting them.