January 6, 2021

Actress Naomi Grossman on American Horror Story, One Woman Shows, and Loving Your Work

Naomi Grossman is an Emmy-nominated actress, writer, and producer. Best known for her roles as Pepper and Samantha Crowe on American Horror Story, Naomi has appeared in multiple feature films (Murder RX, Sky Sharks, and 1BR most recently) and also wrote and performed the one-woman show: “Carnival Knowledge: Love, Lust, and Other Human Oddities.”

naomi grossman american horror story pepper home

What you will learn:

How she is leaning into the solitude and isolation caused by the pandemic to spend more time writing and creating her new one woman show; why she moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and the challenges she faced trying to break into the industry fresh out of Northwestern University. [0:00-14:13]
What it was like performing in The Groundlings Sunday Company, working with talents like Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Michaela Watkins; why her experience at The Groundlings was not all positive and how she used that experience to blaze her own trail as an actor and performer; what it was like attending the Sundance Film Festival just before the pandemic began. [14:13-26:45]
Why she has gravitated toward one-woman shows as a creative outlet and has looked to Lily Tomlin as one of her inspirations in this milieu; what improv has taught her in life and in the arts. [26:45-39:41]
What advice and assurance she has received from friends outside the industry, and the importance of confidence in her work during such uncertain times. [39:41-44:41]
How Pepper’s character evolved on American Horror Story and what it was like saying goodbye to that character at the end of Season 4; what it was like traveling to Comic-Cons throughout the country as that beloved, fan-favorite character. [44:41-58:38]
Why Naomi still treasures the art made by her fans depicting her in her role as Pepper, and the connection film and television can provide to audiences; how she struggled for years to find her niche in the industry. [58:38-1:07:53]
Advice she has for those pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, and why she suggests not having a plan B; why it is crucial to surround yourself with like-minded people and to love the work of acting, even when you are still struggling to find success. [1:07:53-1:20:44]