Answers with Bitsie Tulloch

Answer 1

We're all very excited to see "Grimm" come back for its 4th season on October 24th. What do fans have to look forward to this season?

It is much darker both visually and tonally. The season premiere picks up right where the finale left off, with Nick having lost his Grimm powers, Monroe and Rosalee's wedding ruined, Captain Renard in critical condition from being shot, Juliette furious with Nick about having had sex with Adalind, and Sergeant Wu getting very suspicious.

How satisfying was it to hear of "Grimm"'s renewal for a fourth season?

It was so exciting! We found out in March while we were still shooting Season 3 and our producers came onto set to make the announcement and everyone was jumping up and down. I really think Grimm has gotten better and better every season and am so excited for the fans to see Season 4.

What was it about "Grimm" that made you want to join the cast?

I loved the idea for the show! And the pilot script was fantastic. I just thought it was such a great idea to do a procedural cop drama set within the world of fairytales.

"Grimm" is one of those series that just seems to keep getting better and better every season. What's the secret to the show's perpetual greatness?

We have amazing writers! I think the writing is fantastic and also NBC has encouraged us to have dark, mythical storylines. It seems like there has been less emphasis on procedural stuff and more focus on the mythology and wesen creatures, and the fans really love it. Also, since Season 3 the "Scooby Squad" has been in full force and that's always really fun. We love scenes where we all get to be together solving crimes.

"Grimm" has seen remarkable success internationally. What do you think it is about the show that appeals to both national and international audiences?

It has a little bit of everything: procedural, fantasy, Sci-Fi, great VFX, suspense, drama, romance, cool creatures, and a fair amount of light-hearted funny scenes. But I also think that the format of a fairytale is universally appealing - you have a protagonist overcoming massive obstacles to find his/her way home - that's an idea that's very relatable no matter where you come from. And many people are familiar with, for example, Little Red Riding Hood, so it's exciting to see these tales interpreted in a modern way.

How would you describe "Grimm" in 3 words?

Entertaining, mythical, suspenseful

How has your character Juliette evolved from Seasons 1 to Season 4?

She has become much more involved in solving crimes and therefore much more badass! Nick has been teaching her all about the western world and training her physically and she has become much tougher. Season 1 she was completely in the dark about the big secret so now that she knows, she is much more empowered.

Do any episodes of "Grimm" have an extra special meaning to you?

Season 1 there was a lovely romance-heavy episode with me and David Giuntoli called "The Thing With Feathers." It was very romantic with just the two of us running around in the woods for a week. Season 2 I LOVED the huge fight/make out scene with Captain Renard and the end of Season 2 when the gang morphs for me. In Season 3 it was definitely the stunt sequence where I beat up the abusive husband of my girlfriend (episode 310). So far in season 4 my favorite episode is one I'm about to start filming - 410 - because it's the entire "Scooby Squad" out kicking butt on a serious mission.

What can you tell us about your upcoming film "Chronic"?

I am so excited about Chronic because I was a big fan of the director Michel Franco, based on this wonderful film he did called "Despues de Lucia." It was only his second feature and it won a major category at Cannes in 2012. Chronic is about a hospice nurse played by Tim Roth, and my character is the daughter of one of his patients. It's very dark and intense.

What can Bitsie Tulloch fans expect from you in 2015?

We will have the season 4 finale of Grimm sometime in the spring, and hopefully we will be renewed for a 5th season. Grimm is going into syndication (re-runs) on TNT in early January 2015. I have 3 films coming out in 2015: a movie about concussions in football with Will Smith for Sony, the indie movie called Chronic opposite Tim Roth, and an independent film with Gil Bellows about a heist.

Do you have any techniques that help you channel the characters you are playing?

It totally depends on the character. Juliette on Grimm is fairly similar to me so it's not as hard to get into character. For Parkland opposite Paul Giamatti I did a ton of research about the woman I was playing, Marilyn Sitzman. She died in the 1970s so there weren't any interviews or anything for me to watch. And then much of my understanding about the event itself - JFK's assassination - came from relating it to my experience on 9/11. For the NFL movie, I am playing Keana Strzelczyk and am meeting her to discuss her life before I start filming. That's the first time I've been able to sit down with the person I'm playing.

Some of your fans might not know that you graduated from Harvard with a double major in Literature and Fine Arts. What inspired you to pursue a career in acting?

It was serendipitous and random and never really part of my master plan, which was to go to England and get my MFA. But I took a year off after Harvard and was living in Los Angeles and went to an acting class with a friend and fell in love!

What would you be doing if you weren't an actress?

I would have gotten my MFA and been a curator. I love art and collecting it. I'm really excited right now because one of my Dan May pieces is going to be in an upcoming exhibit in Los Angeles at LAX art gallery - that's the first time I've been able to loan a work :)