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

There are a million reasons why we’re obsessed with Lizzy Greene. The gifted young actress is absolutely crushing it as Sophie Dixon on the hit ABC drama A Million Little Things. The series follows a group of friends who are motivated to live fuller lives after the unexpected death of a close friend. Lizzy’s character is the daughter of the man who takes his own life, and her dynamic and multifaceted performance has had us on the edges of our seats. We recently caught up with Sophie to chat about the show’s sophomore season.

PC: You’ve been a part of A Million Little Things since Season 1. What initially attracted you to this project?
Lizzy: I would say the series’ confidence and sensitivity when tackling and approaching these sensitive subjects in a respectful way. They’re not afraid to talk about things that we don’t often talk about in television. The creators and writers are breaking the stigma around these real events and these real topics that affect people around the world. I think what makes our show really special is the way that people have connected with it. As a cast and show, we really listen to the fans’ response to our episodes. To hear how these episodes and storylines have helped people is incredible. That’s the most rewarding part about being a part of this series.

PC: Sophie experiences the unimaginable in Season 1 with the loss of her father. What is the preparation like when you’re playing a character who goes through such a traumatic event?
Lizzy: It varies depending on the storyline that my character is experiencing at the time. The emotion of losing a father is incomparable—or losing anyone super close to you. Thankfully, I’ve never experienced such a loss like that. I draw my acting inspiration from my personal experiences. This was obviously one that I haven’t experienced. I pulled material from other TV shows and movies with dramatic actors and how they portray things. This has been such a huge learning experience. I went from kids’ television to an adult drama. It was a big jump. No one ever sat down with me and gave me a crash course on how to be a dramatic actor. I feel like I’ve grown a lot from Season 1 to 2. As far as getting into the headspace, I picked the brains of my castmates. They’re veterans. They’ve been doing this a lot longer than me, and they’re always willing to help. They’re so great. I definitely appreciated that. Overall, we’re one big family, and we all want to help each other.

PC: Great answer! That loss has a huge impact on Sophie’s growth and maturity. Tell us about her journey from Season 1 to Season 2. Is there anything you can tease about her arc in Season 2?
Lizzy: [laughs] I’m so excited for the arc! I actually didn’t realize how much she’s grown from Season 1 to 2 until we started getting more into Season 2. People who watch the show were coming up to me and saying that they didn’t like how she was your typical teenage character. She’s angsty and always annoyed. But the loss of her father makes her grow up a lot faster. She’s no longer your average teenager. She’s gained this new mindset of maturity and responsibility. You get to see her become this motherly figure to Delilah with the arrival of her new baby sister.

I’m really excited about the midseason finale. It’s going to be our biggest episode yet. This episode is going to change Sophie’s dynamic with a lot of the friends in the group, with her mother, and with her family in general. She’ll question what she thought she knew. It’s going to be a huge change for her. She’s going to go through this big 180 turn. She’s going to become a bit more rebellious and start pushing the envelope a bit more. I can’t say much more! [laughs] I will also say that it was a lot of fun to play. I’ve never played a rebellious teen. It’s been on my bucket list. I can cross that off now.

PC: There are a lot of really complicated and beautiful relationships in the series. Which of Sophie’s has been your favorite to explore and why?
Lizzy: I really enjoyed the storyline with Sophie, her father, and the Good & Plenty candy and how he would leave the pink ones for her, and she would leave the white ones for him. He was thinking about her when she wasn’t expecting it. After his suicide, every character comes to these revelations, and this really shows that he was always caring for her. It helped her have peace with everything. I also love the storyline that her dad was her softball coach. When she wasn’t doing well, he would tell her that Dixons don’t quit. That’s such an incredible line and it plays a lot into the rest of the story. When everything is going down, she’s trying to keep headstrong and rise above everything that’s happening. We’ll get to see more of that in the second part of Season 2.

PC: You touched upon this a little earlier, but you got your big break on Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. What has the transition been like going from that series to A Million Little Things? What’s been the biggest takeaway being a part of this cast?
Lizzy: This whole experience has been unexpected. You never know if you’ll book another project. A lot of it is luck and being at the right place at the right time. When I got cast on A Million Little Things, I was so grateful. As far as the transition, I said this a bit earlier, but there’s no handbook. [laughs] I’ve been learning as I go, which isn’t as fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants as it may sound. I’m surrounded by veterans who have been doing this for so long. I owe a lot of my growth to them. They’re so insightful. It was a difficult change. I was challenged at points because I didn’t have any dramatic acting experience up to this point. Sitcoms and a single-cam drama are so different. I’ve been learning as I go. I’m getting to watch a masterclass of acting each day.

To keep up with Lizzy, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Catch the midseason finale of A Million Little Things tonight at 9/8c.

Photo Credit: Tiziano