Over the course of 10 episodes, Groff had to plausibly transition from educated, upstanding, even boring FBI agent to a man whose confidence morphs into chaotic risk-taking. “In film and television,” he said, “I feel submissive to the directors of the process.”įincher and Groff’s keen sense of the character was key to Mindhunter’s success. And you’re still smiling, you’re still smiling, and action.’” Seems excessive, maybe, but Groff attributed it to the difference between theater and television. So throughout the season, the exacting director was on an anti-grin crusade: “ would be like, ‘We’re rolling, and Jonathan, stop smiling. He’s not a charmer, at least as Mindhunter begins he’s a young agent still figuring out who he is. “Actors are very needy and we want people to love us and we’re charming all the time.” But Holden isn’t a smiler. “Very early on, said, ‘You smile all the time,’” Groff laughed-an understandable affliction. Groff is also naturally chipper-an element Fincher didn’t love.
“No matter how tired you are, or whatever take we are on, or whatever month it is during the course of the shoot, “ Groff remembered Fincher telling him, “you’re going to have this curiosity about you.”
For Groff-who said he’s never really been a true crime fan himself-that unchangeable quality was natural curiosity.
