Conversations with Nick Grimes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Grimes.

Hi Nick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up outside of Boston and was drawn to acting and writing from a very early age. As an only child, I spent a lot of time watching TV and going to the movies with my grandma, often begging to go back and see the same movie for a second and third time. I did local theatre, wrote little sketches and scenes with my neighbors, and was signed with a local agency but ended up taking a step back from performing after being bullied in middle school.

For many years, I became obsessed with foreign languages and had the chance to do several informal summer exchanges with family friends in Paris during high school and college, which helped me become bilingual in French. I also studied Spanish formally in school from 7th grade through the end of college and got to spend a summer in Argentina with my university!

I didn’t rediscover performing/acting until college, when I started taking improv classes and performing in Boston after a family friend encouraged me to get back into what had brought me joy as a child. After graduation, I moved to New York for work and ended up going through both the sketch and improv programs at UCB and performing around the city. Leading up to just before the pandemic, I wrote and filmed three sketches with a good friend from UCB. From there, my passion for acting and Film/TV was back in back full-force.

In 2021, as the world was reopening, my job had gone fully remote, and I jumped at the chance to move in with a friend in LA. After a whirlwind of culture shocks both good and bad (namely needing a car to go everywhere), I settled into California and began taking as many acting and writing classes as I could fit into my schedule. I like to call this period my unofficial grad school because I learned so much in a short amount of time and got to sort of choose my own curriculum.

Since signing with new representation in 2022, I’ve acted in a bunch of student films and indie shorts, performed in many improv and sketch shows, and gotten to audition for some very cool big projects. I’ve also written several shorts, three TV pilots, and most recently a feature film!

This fall, I’ll be acting in a horror comedy short that I wrote with a friend. Beyond that, I’m working on developing my queer coming-of-age comedy feature, EVERYBODY LIKES ME, after a recent successful table read I hosted with over 40 people in attendance!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t say the road has been smooth, but it has been rewarding. Pursuing anything creative and putting yourself out there, especially in entertainment, brings up a lot of emotions and old wounds. In an industry like this one, self-doubt is a necessary part of the process of honing your craft and developing confidence as a performer and storyteller. While it’s been challenging at many points, I’m very grateful for all of the inner work that choosing this path has prompted me to do and for the confidence I’ve gained over the past four years in LA!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an actor and a screenwriter! As an actor, I tend to prefer comedy but love anything with a strong story and a message. As a writer, I write in the queer coming-of-age comedy genre. Here’s my writer bio:
Eager to expand beyond typical queer stories that focus on the coming out moment, Nick focuses on exploring the emotional complexity and, more importantly, the endless humor in life after coming out. With exciting, culturally rich destinations as the backdrop for his protagonists’ emotional journeys, Nick writes joyful, absurdist features and TV pilot comedies overflowing with heart. Aiming to create the kinds of TV/Film he wishes he could have grown up with himself, Nick is a motivated storyteller committed to both entertaining his audience and sending them thought-provoking messages about the world we live in.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
One podcast that’s been a big help is The Screenwriting Life! I also love listening to Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang, to hear about other successful creatives’ journeys.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/nickgrimes
• Instagram: @itsnickgrimes