Exclusive Interview: Griffin Johnson Talks Diamond in the Rough, Working with Creator+, and More

Griffin Johnson is a rising young creative who first made a name for himself creating short-form content. Since then, he’s gone on to make his mark as an entrepreneur, actor, and producer.

His latest project, Diamond in the Rough, finds Griffin teaming up with Creator+ for Diamond in the Rough. Starring opposite Samantha Boscarino, Diamond in the Rough follows new college grad Ariana Alvarez (Boscarino) who is given a chance to turn her life around when she joins a stuffy country club…complete with a hopelessly hot caddy (Johnson). Drawing on her spunk, irreverence, and copious amounts of street-honed charm, Ariana battles prejudice, antiquated rules, and worst of all—mean girls—in order to shine through as a diamond in the rough.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Griffin about Diamond in the Rough, making his feature film debut, and more.

PC: Tell us about Diamond in the Rough and your character in the film.
Griffin: Diamond in the Rough is a golf rom-com. It leans more on the comedy side. My character Jason is goofy, but he’s a charming guy because he’s a very authentic character and true to himself. He’s this little goofy guy that’s lost in the world and trying to figure it out.

PC: You and Samantha have such great chemistry on screen. How were the two of you able to build that bond?
Griffin: We both came onto this film pretty quickly. She’s super good at her craft. She’s an amazing actress and very experienced. It was one of those things that you couldn’t have asked to work any better. It just happened. We were able to mesh as soon as we met.

PC: This is your feature film debut. Congratulations, by the way. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Griffin: Thank you. The biggest takeaway is that content and the creation of content is changing. The streaming platforms have definitely noticed that lately. I think that through this film and through Creator+, it’s going to start becoming even more noticeable that people are consuming so much content now that they’re able to identify when something’s authentic and when it’s not. A lot of people have been struggling to realize that within the traditional film space.

Creator+ has done an amazing job at keeping up with the culture and doing something new and fresh. They’re bringing the right people in to do it. That’s something that everyone’s going to take away from this film. They did an amazing job at keeping up with today’s times.

PC: You got your start as a content creator and you’re quickly building an impressive acting resume. Has acting always been a passion of yours?
Griffin: It’s definitely always been a passion. I love content. I’ve done a lot of short-form on TikTok and YouTube. In order to take content creation to the next level, film and TV are the places to go. I hope that I get to continue doing that and learning the ins and outs of both the producing side and the side in front of the camera.

PC: Prior to Diamond in the Rough, you also worked on a television series. How do those two filming experiences differ and how similar were they?
Griffin: We shot this movie in 17 days. It was super quick. With TV, there’s a bit more time to settle and learn your script and sit with what you’re doing. This was very challenging in that it moved so fast. You really had to dive into your character from day one. That was probably the biggest difference between film and TV.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also an entrepreneur. Often in this industry, people will try to put you into a certain box. Has it been a challenge for you to introduce the different sides of your talent and your craft?
Griffin: Yeah. Like you said, people always have biases, especially when you’re coming from the social media world. It’s actually easier to convince people that you’re something bigger than what they see you as. Obviously, you have to prove that through your work. I think that a lot of people think it’s difficult because they get discouraged. What I’ve learned is that it’s important to push through. I’ve been able to convince a lot of people that I’m more than just a TikTok kid with an iPhone, which is great. I’m very blessed that I came from there, but it’s definitely not that hard to pivot out. You just got to try.

PC: You’re also a producer on this film. How did that come to fruition? What did you learn from working behind the scenes that you were able to apply to your work on camera and also in the entrepreneurial space?
Griffin: I touched on this a bit earlier, but part of producing this film has to do with the fact people are consuming so much content. You can see it with the ads and the content that’s being put out and promoted. People have gotten a lot smarter. You can’t do the same commercials. You can’t do the same formats that people are used to because people can see through it.

That transition is why it made sense for me to produce this movie. What Creator+ is doing is they’re working with people that have their finger on the pulse—not only from the traditional filmmaking side but also with respect to content creation and the way that things are being shaped and developed in culture. That’s how it happened. It made sense. The reason that I was there was to help curate that.

PC: Is there a scene that you’re really excited for your fans to see?
Griffin: My favorite scene from an acting perspective is me in the golf cart with Sam. We’re sitting there and I’m telling my story and my background. That’s my favorite scene because it’s really hard to tell a story from someone’s shoes when you haven’t lived those experiences. That was probably the most challenging part of the film for me to act in.

PC: You do such a brilliant job balancing the dramatic moments with the comedy. For you as an actor, is one more challenging than the other?
Griffin: I’m a lot better at being funny than I am at being dramatic. For those scenes, I had to get an acting coach. She had to talk me through those scenes and get my head in the right space. Sam definitely made it easier though because she’s such a fantastic actress. So is everyone else in the film. That’s what made it easier. Those dramatic scenes are a bit more challenging for me.

PC: One of Creator+’s missions is to create impact-driven projects. Diamond in the Rough uses comedy to explore themes of gender equality and class dynamics. What has it meant to you to be a part of a project that’s pushing this type of storytelling forward?
Griffin: This goes back to showcasing issues and problems which have been at an all-time high in the past couple of years. Whenever you add comedy to something like that, it takes the serious edge off of it. Not in a way that diminishes the meaning or how important it is, but it makes it a little bit easier to talk about. It allows people to wrap their heads around it without feeling like they’re being attacked. This film does an amazing job bringing these issues to light and showcasing that they’re huge problems in the world and that people need to recognize that. But we’re not shoving it in their face. We’re not trying to push an agenda onto them. I would say that’s probably the most powerful thing about this film.

PC: Creator+ is going to continue to make new content and partner with content creators. If you could give advice to actors who are making a similar transition as yourself, what would it be and why?
Griffin: I said this on a panel and I really like this. My advice for any content creators who want to be taken seriously as actors and actresses is that it’s important they take the time to learn the space. They want actors and actresses to respect them as content creators. I think that a lot of them walk in with an ego or walk in and say, “I have 20 million followers. You should respect me.” This is a completely different world.

There’s a lot of work that goes into making a movie and that goes into being on camera and performing well. Don’t force yourself into a world that you’re not ready for and that you haven’t put the work into. Some of these people will audition for 10 to 20 years and not get a big role. It’s making sure that you’re aware of how film is and taking the time to understand how the industry works. That’s my biggest piece of advice.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2022, what can fans expect from you?
Griffin: I think 2022 for me is a big year of transitioning into roles and more importantly into different aspects of the entertainment industry. I’m looking forward to the business side, the entrepreneurial side, and being behind and in front of the camera. So I’m hoping it leads to more films and that I get to do a lot more in Hollywood.

To keep up with Griffin, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Diamond in the Rough on Creator+ today.

Photo Credit: Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Creator+