Grant Bowler
We chatted with Grant Bowler, who plays Connor Owens on Ugly Betty,and shares the screen (and kisses) with vilanous Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater.
The Star Scoop:
Tell us how you came to be involved with Ugly Betty.
Grant Bowler:
Okay, sure. My character comes into the show early in season three, so I became involved with the show just after everybody had moved to New York.
The Star Scoop:
Coming into a cast that is already established, and a show that's already been on a while, what was the environment like?
Grant Bowler:
It's daunting. I've done it a lot, shows that are already up and established, and some very, very successful ones. And Ugly Betty is definitely one of those. It's always a bit scary. It's like being the new kid at school. You come in and everybody knows each other and they've been playing together for a couple of years and the show's up and it's running. It has a style. Ugly Betty in particular has a very unique performance style to it that works really strongly to make the show what it is. That can be daunting...to pick up on the fly how everybody works together and get in the groove with them. That can be a little bit frightening. The great thing about Ugly Betty is everybody working on it is so nice. Everybody was really, really welcoming and really helpful. I had a ball.
The Star Scoop:
Your character, Connor comes in in a role as a love interest for Vanessa Williams' character. They haven't had many of those types of characters on the show for her. Did you feel a little more pressure to make the part believable?
Grant Bowler:
Not really, no. I mean, I guess there was that pressure but I don't think I really felt it. That's kind of territory, acting wise, that I've done a bit of. No, the main thing was trying to get in sync with the actors on the show, with the performers on the show and how they go about things was the main thing. The guy/girl romance stuff - that was always pretty simple. It's not hard to act like you find Vanessa attractive.
The Star Scoop:
Have you had a lot of fan reception since joining the show?
Grant Bowler:
It's been fantastic. The show is very popular, and it's especially popular in New York. It's just wonderful. People have been lovely. I think they're really happy that Wilhelmina's found love. They like the fact that that's softened up that character a bit. It's good to have another guy on the show. Eric [Mabius] has been really happy, another guy to hang out with a bit. I've loved spending the time with him. The fan response has been fantastic, and immediate and wonderful. It's been great so far!
The Star Scoop:
As Ugly Betty continues, what should viewers expect for the rest of the season?
Grant Bowler:
Plenty of ins and outs. Plenty of twists and turns with this whole love affair that's been going on between with Connor and Molly and Wilhelmina and Daniel. There's a lot of twists and turns and hearts get broken.
The Star Scoop:
You're Australian. What does that do for you in this industry? Is it an asset? Is it nothing at all? How do you see that factoring in?
Grant Bowler:
That's a really good question. It's pretty common in Australian to be Australian actually. It's interesting. I don't notice it because I'm with me all the time. Yeah, I think there's a definite sensibility that we have culturally and maybe a way we are or way we go about things maybe makes it different. Maybe there's a little bit of novelty in that.
The Star Scoop:
You've been working consistently for quite some time now.
Grant Bowler:
Yeah, I've been very, very lucky.
The Star Scoop:
What do you want to say directly to your fans?
Grant Bowler:
Ultimately, it's the people that watch my work who employ me. So, never, ever be shy. I would always hope that anybody who is a fan would be quick to get in touch and let me know what they think and how they feel, and give me feedback for the work.
The Star Scoop:
Is there anything in particular that we may not have covered that you were hoping to discuss?
Grant Bowler:
I think you've done great. You've covered everything. I'm not releasing any albums!