Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with T@gged’s Timothy Granaderos

Timothy Granaderos’ star is on the rise. The exciting young actor continues to take on roles that stretch his acting muscles and force him outside his comfort zone. This year, he’s starred in two major projects that have garnered a lot of attention. The first is 13 Reasons Why, in which his character, Montgomery de la Cruz, emerges as the season two antagonist, committing an unthinkable crime: sodomizing another student. The second is on the fan-favorite series, T@gged, where his character, Ash, is struggling with his mobility and the possibility that he will be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Pop Culturalist caught up with Timothy to chat about all things T@gged.

PC: Season three is officially out now and we’ve learned Ash’s fate. How long after season two did you know where his storyline was heading?
Timothy: [laughs] I knew I was going to be alive. I didn’t know exactly what the details of my physical being were or what exactly was happening with my health, but I knew I was going to be alive and hopefully in season three.

As we got closer to the new season, Hannah [Macpherson] and I got coffee. We’re friends, actually. We live a couple of miles from each other and she told me, “Just so you know, this is where I want to go with Ash.” Obviously, I was totally on board. I trust Hannah and everything she writes.

PC: Ash is in a much darker place as a result of his injuries. What was the preparation like given his situation?
Timothy: I did a lot of research. I wanted to be true and honest to this type of injury. I found a guy online named Brian King, who has a YouTube Channel called Paralyzed Living. He does such a great job breaking down the day-to-day ins-and-outs of what he’s dealing with, whether it’s going up a ramp or opening a door in his house—little things like that. I did a lot of research before we got on set.

When we were on set, they brought in an OT (Occupational Therapist) who was with me every day. They walked me through everything that I would be going through and explained the difficulties someone in my situation would be having and feeling.

PC: How challenging was it for you as an actor to lose that physicality?

Timothy: That’s a good question. It was extremely tough for me because I’m a very physical guy. I’ve been an athlete my whole life, so it was tough to not be able to use my legs and be in the pain of the character, but that frustration helped build Ash’s arc in season three.

PC: His injuries start to affect his relationship with the other characters. What can you tell us about the dynamic between Ash and Elisia in season three?
Timothy: In season three, the tables have turned. Elisia has always been the wounded one and I’ve looked after her, but the roles are reversed this season. I’m now the broken one. She’s patient and trying to figure out how to help me without offending my will, which is tough, because Ash is so used to being the protector in this relationship.

PC: Besides his relationship with Elisia, we see Ash form a new friendship with Jake. Is there another character on the show that you would love to see Ash interact more with?
Timothy: That’s a tough one. Actually, I’d like more scenes with Rowan! Surprisingly, we haven’t had that many together in the past, even though our characters are close. Every scene I get to do with Lulu is a great one. In season three, you’ll see my character turn to Rowan for help. I’d like to see that relationship grow a little more.

PC: If you could pitch a storyline for Ash in season four, what would it be and why?
Timothy: I’d like to see him try to rehabilitate himself and go through that struggle. I’m actually a huge fan of the show Friday Night Lights, so seeing Jason Street dealing with that injury in season one was one of the hardest things to watch and I watched it as an actor and it was just so intense. I remember thinking, “I don’t know how he’s doing this,” so it’d be a fun thing to explore.

Also, Ash and Elisia have a strong foundation to build from. I’d like to see the trajectory of their happiness now that they’ve committed to each other.

PC: At the end of this season, there is an important person who returns back into Ash’s life. Have there been any early conversations about where that could lead in season four?
Timothy: Yes, small conversations. [laughs] Hannah has alluded to some things, but I think it’d just be really interesting to explore that relationship in a potential season four. Also, we left on a cliffhanger with Ava and Owl.

PC: T@gged has become this fan-favorite show with a huge, loyal following. When you look back on the project, could you ever imagine it would become what it has?
Timothy: It’s funny because we had such a big gap between the releases of season two and three, and our fans are insane! They were so committed to the show coming out and they stuck around even when I was impatient. I go back and I read a lot of their comments and they’re just so loyal and awesome. It keeps us so excited about doing the show.

PC: Besides T@gged, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can chat about at this time?
Timothy: The biggest one that I’m working on right now is season three of 13 Reasons Why. We’re currently in the middle of shooting. I’m excited for that to come out and for everyone to see what we’ve been doing in NorCal.

PC: Can you tease anything about the upcoming season?
Timothy: I wish I could, but I can’t. [laughs] I’ll just say it’s complicated.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Send a text or talk on the phone?
Timothy: Talk on the phone

PC: Most used emoji?
Timothy: It’s the guy with his hand on his forehead. It’s the “What did I do?” look and I have that feeling a lot.

PC: What was your AOL screenname?
Timothy: That’s hilarious. It was Mit909. It’s my name backwards and I thought it was really clever. Actually, one of my friends still calls me Mit.

PC: A song you can listen to on repeat?
Timothy: “Stand By Me”

PC: If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Timothy: Teleportation! 100%

PC: Early bird or late night owl?
Timothy: Early bird for sure. I love my mornings. I love coffee.

Make sure to follow Timothy on Twitter and Instagram, and binge-watch all three seasons of T@gged on Hulu today!

Photo Credit: Awesomeness