Greer Grammer is constantly typed.
She will embody bubbly, blond, not-so-smart characters.
Grammer is okay with that, because she loves the roles.
Yet she still wants to challenge herself.
So when she was approached by director Anna Elizabeth James for the role of Grace in ‘Deadly Illusions’, she jumped at the chance.
“I had worked with Anna before and she wrote the part for me,” Grammer explains. “It was a psychological thriller, and I was ready for that. I don’t do a lot of theater and I knew it would push me.
“Deadly Illusions” tells the story of Mary, played by Kristen Davis, who is a bestselling author of thrillers, and happily married to Tom, played by Dermot Mulroney.
Her publisher asks her to write another in her most successful series of books, which she has long put off, and offers her a $2 million advance.
The couple then hire Grace, played by Grammer, as the children’s nanny. This will help Mary focus on writing.
Mary quickly discovers that the line between fiction and reality begins to blur.
The production was filmed in 2019 in and around Albuquerque.
Grammer says the film brought her to Albuquerque for the first time.
“It was amazing,” she says of her experience. “My sister filmed ‘Graves’ in Albuquerque in 2017 and had nothing but good things to say. I was so excited that this is where we were filming. The film industry is so tight and tight-knit. It was warm and welcoming.
Filming took place in late fall and early winter, and Grammer fell in love with the whole experience.
“I got to see the Twinkle Light Parade in Nob Hill and the River of Lights,” she says. “Shanola (Hampton) and I took the tram up to Sandia Peak. We were completely underdressed, but it was so beautiful.
Bringing Grace to life was a challenge, Grammer says.
Grammer says there are many layers to Grace.
“I love playing her girly, delicate, polished version,” she says. “I also love playing the darker versions of her, being able to understand what she’s thinking and how her wheels are always turning. Grace is always having that internal struggle. She’s like a puzzle.
Grammer says she learned from the experience of playing an unstable character.
“What I took away from Grace was compassion,” she says. “Everyone is fighting and trying to do the best they can. What you see is not necessarily what you get. Mary shows Grace a great deal of compassion despite wrong motives. It’s so important. I think we need to have more compassion, grace and understanding. The last moment of the film is beautiful and human.
SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a film being filmed in the state or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
