Jonny Kandell Chats with Grace Chow

H/MU by Hendra, Photography by Stef King, Styled by Elizabeth Robins, Grace is wearing ’Sir the Label’

Never sleep on the CW! Serving us Emmy winners like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, cult classics à la “Supernatural”, to the incomparable “Gilmore Girls”- channel 11 has pumped out formative hits again and again. The network that launched a thousand shows is ready to add another unforgettable series to your watchlist. The procedural dramedy Good Cop/Bad Cop, about a sister-and-brother detective team investigating crimes in the Pacific Northwest, boasts an incredible cast with off-the-charts chemistry.

Gossip Girl alum (and one-time Cobra Starship collaborator on the track "Good Girls Gone Bad") Leighton Meester returns to the CW in a exciting new role as Detective Lou Hickman. Shining on screen alongside Meester is breakout star and Australian actress Grace Chow. Chow’s hilarious performance as zany bestie Lily Lim brings so much joy to the 8-episode season.

Chow chatted with Our Era about her love for the character, unbeatable energy with her co-stars, and authentic advice for Gen Z actors. We couldn’t be happier to introduce you to the wonderful talents of Grace Chow.

Can you tell me about yourself, the show, and your role in it?

My name's Grace Chow, and I'm a writer, actor, and, most recently, an honor of the Casting Guild of Australia's rising stars. I play Lily Lim in Good Cop/Bad Cop on the CW – the cute and sassy dispatcher with a macabre streak. I like to think of her as the Kramer of the show: always entering with fun, comedic, and chaotic-good energy. The show is by the brilliant John Quaintance, and we can't wait to share Lily with you!

What was it like working with an icon like Leighton Meester?

You know what? Amazing. Leighton is so fun, professional, talented, and just an all-around great friend. Working on a comedy means you get to have loads of banter and fun, so there was a great vibe on set and off! It was really wonderful to learn from her and Clancy Brown, who have such a broad body of work on screen. I admired the way they set the tone for the room – playful, you know? Of course, there was rigor, but there was a sense of playfulness and relaxedness that brought out the best work in everyone. I was grateful to have established a great bond with both of them on set. It was heartbreaking to hear how the recent LA fires had impacted them. I've sent my love.

The show is a brother/sister cop, detective procedural. As an actor, would you rather play the good cop, bad cop, or the criminal mastermind?

Criminal mastermind. No question. Villains are so complex and compelling to watch on screen with their compromised morals - it makes them unpredictable, and there's nothing more delicious than surprising an audience.

So much of a show's success is in the cast's chemistry. Can you talk about a time on or off set when you all got to know each other better?

I love this entire cast to bits. There are really too many great memories to list or choose from - We were always in stitches laughing. We also stayed in the same hotels throughout filming, so you really couldn't separate us! I'm proud to say that I started the group chat, and it lives to this day – you gotta be an intentional facilitator of the fun vibrations you want in life, you know?! So yeah, we all keep in touch and hope for a second season. You can see how much fun we had together in our screen chemistry.

A lot of shows focus on the romantic connection between lead characters, so it's refreshing to see a brother/sister dynamic play out. Do you have a sibling or family dynamic that inspires you?

Yes, I agree! And Luke and Leighton play siblings really convincingly. I have one older sister, Faith, and we fight and we laugh like most siblings. Once, when I was like five, I was so mad at her that I squeezed an entire bottle of shampoo into her pillow, and it smelled really nice, actually, so I'm not entirely sure what I was going for there. I thought, "That'll show her!" Luckily, she forgave me and has supported my career since. I want to say our relationship has inspired a lot for me, including my career! I think since she leaned into the sciences, it inadvertently pushed me towards the arts – just so people could tell us apart, I guess! Luckily, it wasn't hard to fall in love with the craft.

The CW is home to several incredible shows, including the Golden Globe winner Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and the cult classic Supernatural. What legacy do you hope 'Good Cop / Bad Cop' leaves?

I hope it brings the audience joy and laughs and that they fall in love with the characters and the story. I really hope I get to play Lily for many years to come.

What is one thing you learned from this experience that you'll take with you throughout your career?

I wish I could bottle the feeling of being on set or on a stage. I really do. I just know in my bones that this is what I'm meant to be doing- interdisciplinary writing and acting- and I wouldn't have it any other way. This particular experience gifted me with that "I'm so ready for more" feeling as well. Like a determination: "Yes! I can hold my own and play the daylights out of this hilarious character – what's next? I belong in this arena."

What are your favorite things about your character?

She just totally commits to who she is, and she wears her heart on her sleeve. I love how unabashedly weird she is down to her quirky fashion sense and slightly insane eyes. My favorite part of playing her is her squeaky voice, as it's quite different from my own. I want to commend you on your past work in theatre, when did you know performing was what you wanted to do? Thank you. I've always really loved theatre, and I still practice it. When I'm not shooting, you'll almost definitely find me holed away in some studio with other theatre artists developing new interdisciplinary live works. I think I've always known that I was a performer – I knew I could capture attention. In high school, I had two teachers who kind of saw something in me, and I think my interest in acting came from there. I would've been in my final year when I realized that I had things to say as well – That I wouldn't just be an actor but a writer and interdisciplinary artist also.

Advice for young folks who want to do the amazing things you do?

Just do it! Don't look for permission and do things on your terms. Start calling yourself an artist because no one else will, and make art! Do it in your living room! On the street! There's so much out there to try and express, and we're all going to die, so chase that fear or that fascination or that interest, and don't be afraid to go against the grain for what you truly desire and want to say. You've won a Rising Star award from the Australian Casting Guild and a Griffin award. Now you're killing it on a CW/STAN show. Where do you hope to go next? For writing - I've got a feature film that I've written that I would really love to see made. As for acting, I really feel ready to lead a series next. Maybe a gritty US drama. I also would love to do a period piece – I always excelled with classical text when I was in my conservatoire training, and I've never gotten to truly use it.

How can fans and folks continue to support you? (Social media, etc)

For starters, watch the show! My Instagram is @ace__chow, and it has two underscores if you're keeping tabs. "Last year, I abstained. This year, I devour without guilt, which is also an art." I read that Atwood poem every 1st of January. Bring on 2025, baby!

In the same way that we’re nothing without our close friends, the characters we see on TV need their support systems too. Detective Lou is lucky to have a hilarious confidant like Lily, and we can’t wait to watch their friendship continue to grow. Grace Chow’s talent and openness make her one to watch, on this show and all projects in her bright future.

Catch your next favorite series, Good Cop/Bad Cop, premiering February 19th on the CW.