Grace Van Patten is having a moment. Just weeks before the much-anticipated release of Hulu's thriller miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers [1], in which the actress plays a grieving twin named Zoe Marconi [2], it was announced that Van Patten has been cast to play the lead [3] in Emma Roberts's upcoming book-to-TV adaptation of Tell Me Lies.
Up until recently, Van Patten had starred in mostly indie films and off-Broadway productions, but as she proved in her first TV appearance at the tender age of 8, Hollywood is in her blood. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she grew up with a dad who doubled as a mentor and a director for renowned TV shows like The Sopranos, Sex and the City [4], Boardwalk Empire, and Game of Thrones. Nonetheless, she wants people to know she's earning her spot because of her acting chops, not her last name. Keep reading to learn more about the rising star, and tune into Hulu's Nine Perfect Strangers [5] every Wednesday to watch Zoe's story unfold.
She Credits James Gandolfini For Her Getting Her Into Acting
Van Patten grew up surrounded by Hollywood talent, but it's James Gandolfini whom she credits for getting her into acting [7]. "I have a memory of seeing Jimmy Gandolfini start the scene as this big, beautiful, soulful teddy bear and then just shape-shift into an absolute monster," she recalled to Vogue, referencing her days on The Sopranos. "I remember being so in awe and thinking, How did he do that? I was fascinated by the idea of transformation and realised early on that's what I wanted to do."
She Made Her Off-Broadway Debut in 2017
In 2017, Van Patten took to the stage for the first time since high school in Hamish Linklater's Off-Broadway play Whirligig. Nerves aside, she fell in love with stage acting: "[It] is something that makes me feel so fulfiled because it takes so much discipline, [11]" she told Vogue. At first, she was nervous she'd get bored having to relive the same character night after night, but her experience turned out to be quite the opposite."It's like doing a different show every night with the same character. I'm dying to do another play as soon as it's possible, even though they terrify me," Van Patten said.
She's Worked With Hollywood Legends Including Adam Sandler and Glenn Close
In case you're unfamiliar with Van Patten's impressive portfolio of A-list co-stars, allow us to list them off: Adam Sandler [15], Callum Turner, Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Ben Stiller [16], Emma Thompson [17], Andrew Garfield, and Dustin Hoffman [18]. Her film credits include The Wilde Wedding, Under the Silver Lake, Central Park, and Tramps, the latter of which she starred in as the lead. She's also notably known for playing a Bard film student in the comedy drama The Meyerowitz Stories [19]. As for future characters, she'd love to channel her inner "badass villain" side [20] or "just do some crazy action thing."
She's Been Volunteering at Camp Boggy Creek Since She Was 7
In a recent interview with Glamour, Van Patten opened up about her close relationship to Camp Boggy Creek, [21] a camp for kids with terminal illnesses that her grandfather helped start back in the '60s. She's been volunteering there for as long as she can remember and describes it as a "beautiful" experience. "[The camp] gives these kids a life-changing experience. They go and hide all the medical equipment and make these kids feel safe and feel normal for the amount of time they're there," she said, adding, "Hopefully I'll be able to reach some more people about it."