Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Archenemy’s Zolee Griggs

Breakout actress Zolee Griggs is delivering heroic performances both on and off the screen. This year, she became a household name for her performance in Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and can now be seen starring opposite Joe Manganiello in RLJE’s Archenemy.

When she’s not crushing it on set, she’s also the co-founder of the GRL:WMN conference, which aims to provide mentorship to young girls around the nation.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of chatting with Zolee about her career, Archenemy, the film’s important message, and the future of GRL:WMN.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Zolee: I’ve always been outgoing and enjoyed performing. I grew up in church performing, singing, and dancing. I would also always do the school performances and plays. That’s really what started it all. When I was young, an agent approached my mom and asked if I would be interested. It all went from there. So, I’ve always liked to perform.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Zolee: Going to acting classes and workshops helped me come into my own, but also watching other actors like the Viola Davises, the Will Smiths, and all the people that came before me who took it so seriously, and how they progressed. Also, having people around me who would give me constructive criticism when it was needed. It took steps. There were different chapters in different phases of my life, but I’m super appreciative of each of those moments because I learned a lot.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Zolee: Definitely Wu-Tang—that was a life changer. I booked that two years ago right before Christmas. It was an amazing Christmas gift to know that I’d be working with RZA, the Wu-Tang Clan, Brian Grazer, and all those dope producers. It was a surreal feeling.

PC: On the flip side of that, you’ve been really open about the ups and downs of the industry. During those more challenging times, how were you able to persevere?
Zolee: One door closing just means that two more can open. Just because you hear no doesn’t mean it’s no to you as in, “No, you shouldn’t be an actress,” or, “No, you’re not talented.” It simply means you weren’t fit for this role or this role isn’t fit for you. I see everything as a step into the next chapter. So, I know I’m headed in the right direction based on the signs and everything around me. I’m still working. I’m still active. I can’t rush things. I just have to wait and see what the bigger picture will be.

Archenemy

PC: Love that. Tell us about Archenemy and your character in the film.
Zolee: Until people see it, we can’t really say. [laughs] Archenemy is super cool. It’s like a rogue, possibly superhero movie. You’re going to have to wait and see. But I play Indigo. She’s a super eclectic fairytale of a girl. She thinks that she’s the princess in her own Wonderland, but she takes on multiple lives because outside of her comfort zone at her home, she has to be a badass. She really wants to be the dopest big sister to her brother, Hamster (who’s played by Skylan Brooks), but life gets in the way. She has a lot of hurdles and obstacles to overcome, but she’s sick.

PC: What was it about this particular project that stood out to you?
Zolee: I love how free the characters are. Hamster is a young skater dude who wants to be a journalist, which I think makes it easy for people my age to resonate with. The same goes for Indigo: she’s free. I mean, her name is Indigo! [laughs] She’s rocking blue hair and she does whatever she wants, outfit-wise. She’s really cool. I think it’s a great modern mix to a superhero movie. I liked that our director, Adam [Egypt Mortimer], really captured what it means to be a young adult in the twenty-first century. He did a great job doing that.

PC: This is your first foray into the superhero genre. Did anything surprise you about the process? What was the biggest takeaway?
Zolee: Definitely the fight scenes and the choreography that we had to do! It was super sick. I’ve never had to fight anybody. I’ve never used prop weapons. I’d be on set a lot of times and Joe [Manganiello] would help me aim, shoot, point a gun, things like that. That was really fun, and I learned a lot. Then also having a stunt double was really sick. She would teach me moves and ways to keep myself safe. It was sick being a part of the superhero genre and learning the ropes and tricks of how they bring this to life.

PC: What do you hope audiences take away after seeing the film?
Zolee: I hope they feel like they can be the next superhero. I hope people will be excited to cosplay as some of the characters at Comic-Con. I hope people also take away the story of what it means to be there for each other, even if you’re not related. Just be kind to people. I don’t want to spoil it too much, but Hamster has a good heart, and because of that, it spreads to other people.

PC: Outside of acting, you created the GRL:WMN conference in 2018. How did that come to fruition? How early on did you know that you wanted to use your platform to give back to the next generation of young girls?
Zolee: It really stemmed from my experience in middle school. I always wanted a big sister. I always had family members who were there to help me maneuver through life, but it wasn’t until high school that we had a mentorship program called Sister Circle. It was the high school girls mentoring the middle school girls. It really opened my eyes to see what the middle school girls were going through.

I was very privileged to have that experience in high school; I know that a lot of schools don’t. So, that’s why I wanted to do it outside of school and give girls the opportunity to come in, enjoy a workshop day if they wanted, because it was free and all they had to do was sign up. I want to continue to do it. The main goal is to bring it to public schools around the nation.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Zolee: Right now, it’s Scandal—I’m re-watching it. It’s such a good show. I used to watch it in high school, and I think I like it even more now since I’m older and I have a better grasp of politics. Watching Kerry Washington is to die for.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Zolee: Mean Girls. It’s a classic—the outfits, even the language, “That’s so fetch.” You can’t go wrong with that movie. It has so many relevant parts to it, too.

PC: Favorite book?
Zolee: Right now, I’m reading 1984 by George Orwell. I also read it in high school and I completely didn’t get it back then. I was pretty turned off by the book. But, like I said, now that I’m older and more mature, I’m coming to terms with what it means and how relevant it still is. George Orwell was before his time. It’s just our society is progressing more and more into that book. It’s crazy.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Zolee: Always The Nutcracker. My grandmother took me to see The Nutcracker and it blew my mind with the acting, the theatrics, the performance, the costumes, the dance. It was such a beautiful production. I loved it so much.

I also would love to see Hamilton. I haven’t been able to because it’s such a success, but that’s one that I loved to see.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Zolee: I was dabbling in Phoenix the other day. I love Phoenix. They were such an alternative group back in 2012, so I was listening to their latest album and they’ve completely switched genres. They’re no longer alternative and rock. Now they’re like techno and dance, but I’m not mad at it. Everybody and everything has to change and evolve.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Zolee: That’s funny. I don’t know yet because it’s probably going to be somebody younger than me and they might not be discovered yet. So, the good thing is maybe I will be able to open that door for whoever that person may be.

To keep up with Zolee, follow her on Instagram. Check out Archenemy today.

Photo Credit: The Riker Brothers