Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with A Million Little Things’ Lizzy Greene

Since its premiere in 2018, A Million Little Things has connected with audiences around the world like no other. It continues to ride a wave of support, especially from fans on social media. One of the series’ breakout stars is Lizzy Greene, whose character, Sophie, has been through it all since losing her father. Pop Culturalist caught up with the rising star ahead of tonight’s season finale to chat about Sophie’s roller-coaster journey and what fans should expect moving forward.

PC: The season finale of A Million Little Things airs tonight. What can you tease about the episode? What can fans expect?
Lizzy: A lot of things go down. It’s definitely the most shocking episode yet because we’ve built up so many good, amazing things up till this point. This group of friends have been through so much. It’s unusual for them to go a while without experiencing something unfortunate because that’s how the story goes. They’ve had so many high points. This finale is definitely going to open a lot of their eyes. It may be the most infuriating episode yet. [laughs]

PC: There have been a lot of revelations made this season. Which will have the biggest impact on Sophie moving forward?
Lizzy: I think it’s the realization that her guitar teacher, Eddie, was having an affair with her mom. Eddie has become like a father figure to her, as she’s grown up without her father. She trusted him so much. I think that’s tainted her trust with a lot of people. It’s going to make her a lot more cautious from here on out and maybe not be as open with people. Up until then, she was rallying everybody together and keeping her father’s legacy alive.

PC: There are so many twists and turns in the series. How have you tackled all of them?
Lizzy: Well, first, we’re always surprised with what happens. Sometimes, we’ll get little hints here and there. Then, we’ll get the episode, and we’ll immediately go tell each other everything. We love to sit down at a dinner or anywhere and go over all the scripts and make our own choices. We also really like to create stories off camera to justify our characters’ actions and give the words on paper more depth in our eyes. Everything has been so surprising this season. They’ve made so many twists and turns that we didn’t expect at all. As a cast, we all have our little conspiracies about what’s going to happen later on because we really don’t know anything at all! They never tell us anything. We always talk about what we think will happen, and then, the writers throw us a curve ball.

PC: The last time we spoke, you said that you’re constantly learning new things on set. As Season 2 comes to a close, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned this season?
Lizzy: That’s a good question. I’ve learned so much. I think the biggest lesson is to take more pauses. In acting, you really have to note what’s happening in your life and apply that to your work—especially in those really, really tough scenes—to make things natural. You don’t want to look like you’re just reciting lines off of a script. I feel like this season, I’ve gotten a better hold on that because of all the situational stuff they’ve put me in. I’m so grateful for all the fun storylines I’ve gotten.

PC: Great answer. I know you said that the creators and writers don’t really tell you much, but have there been any early conversations on where your character’s storyline may head if the series is picked up for a third season?
Lizzy: As far as Season 3, we don’t know all that much. We know a tiny bit about one storyline, which unfolds in the season finale. It’s the biggest one that we end on. When it comes to my storyline, I don’t know much about where Sophie’s journey will take her, but I can see in Season 3 her experiencing more of the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. She’s getting to that age where she has to start looking at colleges. That could open up a new storyline for her. But again, it’s so hard to predict because our writers are so great. They are always throwing us curve balls. Hopefully, we get a Season 3!

Sophie’s experienced a few trip-ups in her relationships, especially when she’s caught with drugs. I think that it’d be really cool to see her build up again. In Season 1, it was about her recovering from the loss of her father and coming out as a better person. In Season 2, she continues to build on that, until it crashes and burns after everything happens. In Season 3, I’d love to see her build that back up.

PC: Speaking of relationships, which of Sophie’s has been your favorite to explore and why? Has that changed over the seasons?
Lizzy: I would say me and Stephanie’s [Szostak] because I have such a great relationship with her. She’s an incredible actress and a person. From Season 1 to Season 2, our storylines have changed so much. It’s gone from being there for each other as we recover from this tragedy to having more issues and conflict. They’ve grown together and then grown apart, which has been a really interesting switch and fun to play. If you ask any actor, it’s always fun to be mad and do the grittier stuff, not to be weird. [laughs] It’s fun to experience conflict. I’ve had such a great relationship with Stephanie, and I owe her so much. Like I was saying earlier, we always talk about the stuff in the scene. She’s so cool.

PC: The show tackles a lot of heavy topics and audiences have really connected with it. Does that add a different weight/pressure to a project like this?
Lizzy: Yes and no. Yes because the topics are very difficult for people and can be triggering, and I think that’s definitely a whole different level of responsibility to make sure that the way that we’re portraying these topics is in a way that’s sensitive and realistic. But no to the other part because our fans are so loyal and incredible. They’re always tweeting our creator and talking about how the show has helped them. They’re always sharing their own stories, which is so inspiring. The support of our fans puts everything in a different perspective. We know what we’re doing is helping people, which is really amazing. We’re trying to get rid of the stigma around mental health. We’re so grateful for them. They inspire us all the time.

PC: You’re also working with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. How did that partnership form? What can you tell us about the campaign?
Lizzy: It’s a phenomenal campaign. My audience is more skewed towards teens, which is who this campaign is targeted towards. We want to have conversations about mental health with kids my age. I think that’s really important, and I’m excited for it. I’ve learned so much about it through the show. I’ve learned so many different statistics and facts that I would have never learned in my normal life. I’m so passionate about it and I credit the show for that. I feel like I have a responsibility to use my platform for good. We in the process of getting everything sorted out. I’m really excited.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Lizzy: Grey’s Anatomy and Gossip Girl

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Lizzy: I actually do really like Disney movies. They’re so fun especially with Disney+, because they’re the best.

PC: Favorite book?
Lizzy: The Great Gatsby

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Lizzy: Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Lizzy: Oh, I’m like the biggest fan of Frank Ocean. I just love him so much. He’s got the greatest music of all time. Him and the Weeknd are my two favorite artists, and it’s literally the only thing that consumes my playlist.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Lizzy: Blake Lively

To keep up with Lizzy, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Catch the season finale of A Million Little Things tonight at 10/9c.

Photo Credit: Lesley Bryce