Leon Rippy breaks down what made him want to do this spiritual show.
Leon Rippy plays the tobacco chewing angel Earl in the new TNT series Saving Grace. His character is supposed to get Grace (Holly Hunter) to change her ways and turn her life around. But it isn't as easy as you think. Grace is a tough cop who loves to drink, smoke, and live on the wild side. But Earl is giving Grace one last chance at salvation. The new series premiers July 23 and will air Monday nights at 10 PM ET/PT.
Below is a conversation Leon Rippy about this new show provided by TNT.
What were your initial thoughts when you read the script for Saving Grace?
Leon Rippy: A lot of the scripts that come across your desk make you wonder why they're even greenlit in the first place. This one touched my soul and it moved me to tears.
What is the premise of Saving Grace?
Leon Rippy: The series is about an out-of-control Oklahoma City detective with a drinking problem and relationship problems who could use a little divine intervention. That would be me as Earl. He is not your everyday angel. But he's probably someone we all can relate to more easily.
What is Earl's relationship with Grace?
Leon Rippy: Obviously Grace is a challenge for Earl. I think he's seen in Grace something that he's seen in everybody he's assigned, but Grace is just a little harder than most. Grace is defiant and my job is to crack through it, and bring her to a more righteous way of life.
How do you think audiences will react to the series?
Leon Rippy: I think everybody will be able to relate to some portion of it on some level that's very personal to them. It's difficult to have conversations about spiritualism or just start one. It'll be interesting dinner conversations across the country when these elements come up. You're not talking about another good cop show. It's that spiritual thing. And hopefully it'll make people talk and not be afraid to bring up God or Buddha or Hinduism or what have you. It's not just Christianity.
How do you like working the set of Saving Grace?
Leon Rippy: I've been involved in two other series as a regular, and I never had feelings about either of those like I have about this one. It's just something magical in a way that I'm unfamiliar with. And so everyday is great anticipation when I come to work, wondering what's going to happen and where the next episode is going to take us. I'm just tickled to death.
Saving Grace premiers July 23 and will air Monday nights at 10 PM ET/PT.
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