Ouch! Magazine
Unleashing the Power of the Legendary Grant Rivers
[as originally published on ouchmagazine.com]
Grant, your journey from ENT doctor to screen actor is nothing short of cinematic. When did the idea of stepping in front of the camera first begin to take shape—and what finally made you say “yes” to that calling?
My acting career actually started in elementary school. Also, it was amplified by my mother taking me to great Broadway shows. I remember seeing Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza in South Pacific, and Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady. My interest was renewed when I was stationed in Norfolk, VA during my two years of military service as a doctor. There I acted in the Norfolk Little Theater and the Virginia Beach Little Theater. My most memorable role was as Nonno in Tennessee Williams' Night of the Iguana.
When I returned to NYC after my military service was over, I helped out backstage in non-Equity productions but was too busy to act. As an ENT doctor I was very interested in voice problems. My NYC practice started to attract actors and singers. As I got more involved with these patients, I was asked to speak about vocal health, including at the Juilliard School's yearly symposium. I moved to Los Angeles (for the weather) and saw more and more voice profession patients. So, it was an easy transition to go into acting myself when I retired as a doctor.
You spent decades treating performers’ voices—then, suddenly, you became one of them. How did your medical background shape the way you approach storytelling and performance today?
I have treated many actors and singers who were burning out their voices. So, hopefully I know what to do and what not to do to prevent this.
Your role in Suki Waterhouse’s “On This Love” was bold, unexpected, and buzzworthy. What was it like stepping into that romantic and controversial character—and did you anticipate the reaction it would spark?
No. I was and am still shocked. Who would think I would ever be mentioned in an article in Rolling Stone and numerous other publications? Suki and her sister, Emmi—who directed—were a real pleasure to work with. And Suki still mentions me in her posts! I feel very comfortable with celebrities, so I am not at all intimidated.
On the flip side, you brought humor and heart to Devon Cole’s “Play House.” Do you feel comedy allows you to explore a different layer of yourself as a performer?
Comedy is my forte. On the screen and in real life. I love improv and creating my own script as we go along. Also, I have written and produced numerous humorous short films such as "Are You My Cupid Date" and "Oh No! A Computer," both of which are on You Tube and Vimeo.
From Toyota to the L.A. Lakers, you’ve worked with powerhouse brands. What do you think draws advertisers and creatives to cast you—and how do you personally choose the projects you say yes to?
I try not to turn down any roles. I think you can learn something from every role you do.
Your pilot “Helen and Harold: Wrong Turn” feels like a natural next step—creating stories, not just acting in them. What was the inspiration behind the series, and what was it like developing it with your wife, Chanel?
We are both interested in intergenerational stories and helping each generation to learn to communicate and to understand each other. We have filmed a few of these short films and have many more waiting in a box to be filmed.
Speaking of Chanel, your real-life partnership has become a creative one, too. What’s been the biggest surprise or joy in building this second act together?
My wife is actually more accomplished and better known than I. She was personally appointed by President Biden to be a member of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Program Board and is presently the only remaining board member. She gives talks all over this and other countries. She also was president of the Center Theater Group's affiliates program. So, we fit in well in our other pursuits.
Hollywood often sidelines older talent, yet you’re rewriting that narrative. What message do you hope your career sends about aging, visibility, and reinvention?
If no one tells you to stop, DON'T!
For so many, the idea of reinvention can feel daunting—especially later in life. What would you tell someone who’s standing at their own personal crossroads?
Life only comes once and offers you endless opportunities, but you must be open to them.
Looking ahead, what stories are you most passionate about telling—and what does success look like to you in this ever-evolving chapter?
I have written three full-length scripts I would like to produce.
In “Second Chance at Love,” a very wealthy 50-year-old Texas rancher, recently widowed, meets Belle, a 30-year-old U.T. acting student, recently divorced. They develop a relationship blocked every way by their age and income differences, which are made frustratingly more complicated when she lands a film role in Los Angeles.
In Finder’s Keypers, an older teenage French boy is fishing with his award-winning father who is a doctor when he hooks a metal box covered with barnacles that ultimately contains a golden key to one of the world's great treasures. An exciting adventure story with his two daring teenage friends ensues.
And, in It's Time, two archeology students while exploring in Egypt fall through a time-line and learn a secret that will change and save our world.