‘That ’70s Show’: 1 Star Had Zero Acting Experience, Worked This Relatable Job Before the Show
That ’70s Show was a series about Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and his friendships growing up in Wisconsin in the 1970s. The show also starred Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, Danny Masterson, and Wilmer Valderrama and ran for 200 episodes. Since That ’70s Show ended, the cast has become some of the biggest actors in Hollywood. Ironically, one of the show’s stars auditioned with zero acting experience.
Topher Grace returns to acting in ‘Home Economics’
Grace is known for playing Eric Forman on That ’70s Show. The series debuted in 1998 on FOX and ended in 2006. Now, Grace is back with another role in a Modern Family-inspired sitcom, Home Economics.
According to Deadline, Grace’s new gig “documents the uncomfortable yet heartwarming relationships of three siblings in very different situations: one in the ultra-rich, one in the middle class, and one scraping by.”
Co-writers Michael Colton and John Aboud “were looking for the next great family sitcom that included the national conversation surrounding income inequality.” Home Economics is Grace’s return to television. After That ’70s Show, Grace went on to do films like Spider-Man 3, Valentine’s Day, and BlacKkKlansman.
“I was nervous the first day we started shooting, and about 48 hours into it, I became overconfident,” Grace admitted during a Television Critics Association panel. “The reason is because of these actors that are up here. This is like a dream team.” Home Economics airs April 7.
Topher Grace worked at Dunkin’ Donuts and Suncoast Video before ‘That ’70s Show’
During an interview with Broadway.com, Grace revealed what he was doing before landing a gig on That ’70s Show. “My resume had Suncoast [Video] and Dunkin’ Donuts [on it],” the actor said. “I remember meeting Ashton [Kutcher] in the audition room, and it was crazy,” he continued.
Grace said he had to audition “40 times” because the showrunners had someone else in mind. “I don’t think the creators of the show thought they would give the role to their daughter’s friend from boarding school,” Grace said of his connection to the show. “They [told me to] bring in a picture and a resume, and I brought in a picture of me and my friends at Six Flags.” Luckily, Grace’s multiple auditions eventually landed him the leading role.
Some of the ‘That ’70s Show’ cast are hopeful for a reboot
That ’70s Show holds a special place in the cast’s hearts, including Grace and his former co-star Mila Kunis. “I would do [a reboot or That ’70s Show movie] for sure because that was a very wonderful time for us,” Grace told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. Unfortunately, Grace doesn’t think a reunion is likely to happen any time soon.
“It would be so hard to bring that crew together,” he explained. “For me, I’d do it [even] if no one ever saw it. Just [because] it would be great to hang out with them for a week.”
Despite how difficult it might be to get everyone back together, Kunis would also consider being part of a reboot if it were to happen. “You know, maybe,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “I can’t say ‘no,’ because we’re all still very good friends, but we’re all in such different places in our life.” Other stars like Laura Prepon aren’t so interested in bringing the show back.
