Fans of American Horror Story know all about the beloved character, Pepper, but they may not know a lot about the actress who plays her. Pepper is seen in both season two and the current season of AHS and, for those who don’t know, she could certainly be described as one of the ugliest characters on television. Some describe her as “gremlin-ish,” others as a troll. Though Pepper may look creepy, the character also has a very endearing side that many fans have embraced. Actress Naomi Grossman, who plays Pepper on the series, is very different. She recently met with Michael Hayne of Salon and had much to say about the series, her character and even herself.
First of all, most fans didn’t know who Naomi Grossman was until their eyes opened in surprise at seeing Pepper on American Horror Story. Before AHS, she worked as a developmental actor, taking on small parts in video shorts and a few series. For instance, she played a cheerleader on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. Her big break, of course, came with playing Pepper in the second season of AHS, titled Asylum. She returned to the series as Pepper for Freak Show and with this role, Grossman has certainly discovered some interesting things.
For one, since she certainly doesn’t look like Pepper in real life, fans are often shocked by the fact that the actress is attractive. However, she said, “I’ve never been told I was so pretty until I played the ugliest person on TV.”
Another thing that fans have found about Grossman is that she is certainly dedicated to her craft, opting to go bald to play the freakish Pepper:
My agent and manager were concerned about my decision to go bald. They feared I would look like Pepper. I was actually slightly insulted by that! It takes two makeup artists working feverishly for three hours for me to look like Pepper! You know, every day I get dressed and think, ‘Who do I want to be today?’ So, lately I’m enjoying being a badass baldy! People take themselves too seriously. Especially women about their hair. I’ve never had more male attention than since I came here and shaved my head.
Grossman also talks about how wonderful it is working with Kathy Bates and how she really feels about her new found fame: “It’s so easy to get famous now. Have a big butt and an Instagram account. I happen to have both, but that’s not how I want to be known.”
You can join me and watch Naomi Grossman and the entire cast of American Horror Story: Freakshow Wednesday nights at 10 pm ET on FX…just make sure to watch with a friend, ’cause this show is creepy!
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