Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Timothy Granaderos About Season 3 of 13 Reasons Why

Timothy Granaderos continues to impress with his breakout performance as Montgomery de la Cruz in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why. Over the course of three seasons, Timothy has shown off his versatility and talent, captivating audiences around the world. His talent and commitment have led him from a three-episode arc to a series regular. He’s brought vulnerability when needed, aggression when required, and found humanity in a character who does the unthinkable. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with this scene-stealer about season three, his new clothing company, and we got an update on his other project, T@gged.

PC: In previous seasons, you’ve had to fill in the blanks when it came to Monty’s past and the root of his actions, but in season three we learn a lot about his home and personal life. Did anything shock you about his reveal?
Timothy: I don’t think anything was shocking. It filled in the blanks for me. In preparing to play Monty, I came up with all these different back stories and, funny enough, they were pretty similar to how they played out in the show. I think the reveal of his struggles with his sexuality and his relationship with his father humanize him to an extent. It allowed audiences to learn the reasons behind why he did the things he did, though it in no way justifies his actions.

PC: Did that change how you approached the character?
Timothy: When it’s written in the script, it gives you more to work with. Once I learned certain things about Monty, it changed my relationship with myself, with the other characters, and how I approached him.

PC: In season one, audiences had a difficult time separating the actors from the characters, specifically Justin and Bryce. Did you have a similar experience with your character?
Timothy: With season two, definitely! In season two, when Monty becomes the villain, Justin reached out to me and started a hashtag: #TimisNotMonty. Our fans have a visceral reaction to our characters and what they do, so it wasn’t a shock to me that they reacted the way they did. For me, it legitimized the work I did on Monty.

PC: Throughout the series, you’ve been able to show off your range and the different sides to Monty. We’ve seen him at his most vulnerable, particularly the scene with Winston and their conversation about Monty being who he wants to be. On the flip side, we have the extreme, where he’s sexually assaulting Tyler in the bathroom. As an actor, is one more challenging than the other?
Timothy: They’re both challenging, but in different ways. You have to approach each scene and try to understand what is going on in the mind of a high school kid who’s dealing with these different situations. When I read those scenes, I was immediately terrified. I was like, “How am I going to pull this off?” After hard work and preparation, it just happens. I wouldn’t say one is more challenging than the other; they’re different.

PC: What was your reaction when you learned that the other characters were going to pin Bryce’s death on Monty? Does that leave the door open for Monty to appear in season four?
Timothy: My initial reaction was, “Screw them.” [laughs] I had mixed emotions. As an actor, I was happy that my character was at the center of the story, but from Monty’s perspective, I was like, “Screw this! Screw all of them!” I was legit frustrated. With the way that our show incorporates flashbacks, there’s always the potential. I hope I get to go back and reprise my role. I’d like to tie up some storylines, but I’m at the whim of the writers’ disposal, so…

PC: Did you go into season three knowing that this was going to be Monty’s end?
Timothy: No, I didn’t. It’s funny. When I wrapped season three, I took a moment to thank the crew—they work so hard. They work endless hours, sometimes five or six days a week.

When I started this series, I never expected this is where we would end. It’s been a traumatic journey for Montgomery. We had three episodes left when Brian Yorkey, our showrunner, reached out. He was like, “Hey, this is where we think Montgomery’s storyline is heading.” It was a secret that I had to keep from everyone else. Like I said, I was excited to be at the center of all this, but at the same time, I was sad. I walked around knowing that there was a good chance I wouldn’t be coming back and this was how Monty’s storyline was going to end. I was sad, but thankful at the same time.

PC: If this is the last that we do see of Monty, what will you remember most about this experience? What was the biggest takeaway for you, both personally and professionally?
Timothy: I feel like I’ve always had empathy towards others, but from this character, his story, and his circumstances, I’ve become a little more sensitive to other people and I’m not quick to pass judgment on people, even if they’ve done things I don’t agree with. You need to take a step back and ask yourself what may be happening in their lives for them to act this way. I would definitely say I’ve gained a deeper degree of empathy.

Professionally, you need to work your butt off and be likable. You might start off as a bully for three episodes and it could turn into a series regular role, and it could change your life. Be a pleasant person to work with and you might get opportunities.

PC: Outside of 13 Reasons Why, you recently started a clothing company with your friends. Tell us about that and how it came to fruition.
Timothy: Two of my very close buddies and one of their friends started this clothing company called hnly. I grew up with them and they’ve always wore Henleys. They wanted to make a Henley clothing line that was local to Los Angeles and all organic. It was a passion project for them. I hopped on board to help promote, and I support the brand and anything that’s sourced from L.A. Let me tell you, the shirt fits damn well.

PC: The T@gged fans are dying to know whether we’re getting a season four.
Timothy: The T@gged fans always come out of the woodwork. They’re so passionate. Even when I’m scrolling through all my comments from 13 Reasons Why, they’ll say, “Hey, this is cool, but when is T@gged coming back?” I love seeing that because that project is so near-and-dear to my heart. Sadly, I haven’t heard anything. There’s always a chance that Hulu does something with it, but at this current moment, there’s no talk about another season. But, hey, with the power of social media, you never know! They’ve really championed the show for additional seasons, and fingers crossed that definitely happens. I see everything they say.

PC: Yeah, it seems like Lukas [Gage] is always retweeting them.

Timothy: Yeah! For a lot of us, it was our first main thing. It was a huge chunk of our professional lives. We all still talk and see each other whenever we can. I was actually just talking to Lukas ten minutes ago because he took this amazing trip.

Word Association: Cast Edition

PC: We thought we’d play a game with you. We’ll say a name of a cast member, tell us the first word that comes to your head.

Timothy: Oh, man! You know I’m bad at these. Let’s go.

PC: Dylan?
Timothy: It’s not one word, but if it was a hashtag it would be: ultimate badass

PC: Christian?
Timothy: Wise

PC: Alisha?
Timothy: Eccentric

PC: Brandon?
Timothy: Homey

PC: Justin?
Timothy: Flubalubadingdong

PC: Miles?
Timothy: Manicured? I don’t know. [laughs]

PC: Devin?
Timothy: Intelligent

PC: Ross?
Timothy: Hobbyist

PC: Grace?
Timothy: Strong

To keep up with Timothy, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, and binge-watch season 3 of 13 Reasons Why on Netflix today!

Photo Credit: Andrew Gleason