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Naomi Grossman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Naomi Grossman
Born (1975-02-06) February 6, 1975 (age 49)
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupations
  • Actress
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1990–present
Websitewww.naomigrossman.net

Naomi Grossman (born February 6, 1975) is an American actress, writer, and producer best known for her role as Pepper in the second and fourth season of the FX horror television series American Horror Story.

Early life

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Grossman was born in Denver, Colorado. In her early life, she performed in community theatre shows. She received a lot of attention at Ponderosa High School, in Parker, Colorado, at their theatre program. After attending high school, she was a Rotary Youth Exchange Student in Argentina, she attended and graduated from Northwestern University with a theater major, as the only university she applied to.[1][2] She was a member of improvisational and sketch comedy troupe The Groundlings in Los Angeles, California, and wanted to ultimately perform on Saturday Night Live. When the group cut ties with her, she began teaching the Spanish language and separating herself from her acting career.[3] Grossman writes and produces and has cited Lily Tomlin, Tracey Ullman, Gilda Radner and Carol Burnett as inspirations.[1]

Career

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Grossman began her career in 1990 with minor television roles, along with commercial and theatre appearances.[1]

Not knowing what role she was auditioning for, Grossman sent in an audition for American Horror Story: Asylum in mid-2012 and was cast in soon after as Pepper, a woman with microcephaly; the season premiered later that year on October 17.[4] In preparation for the role, she shaved her head bald.[3] In 2014, it was revealed that Grossman would return to the series in its fourth season, American Horror Story: Freak Show, reprising her role as Pepper from the second season, making her the first to play the same role in two different seasons of the show. She spoke of her casting in the fourth season saying that reprising her role was "the last thing from [her] mind" since it had never been done before.[5] She performed her monologue life story focusing on her failed relationships, ""American Whore Story"" at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2024.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 She's All That Extra (uncredited)
2000 Marisa, Where Art Thou? Wendy Short film
2005 Over the Shoulder Goth Girl
2007 Bubbles Mama
Wacky Spoof Commercials People's Bank Gal 2
2008 Yes Bonnie
Men at Work Woman
2009 Represent Shania Short film
Table for Three Actress
The Hollywood Housesitter Waitress Short film
My Boyfriend Is a Blimp Suzy
Jesus's Secretary Mary
Hot Yoga Amani
Food Poisoning Naomi
Burka Girls Gone Wild Unknown
2010 Random Chapters in the Life of Some Guy Wife Short film
Paradrunken Activity Katie
2011 Chubduction Hilary Q.
Teat the Parents Girlfriend Short film
2012 Kev Jumba Dances with the Stars! Dot
Touch My Junk Traveler Short film
2013 Bakersfield, Earth Unknown
Rip Bella Tiavas Stylized as #RIP
2014 Just Me and All of You Katrina Short film
2016 Fear, Inc. Cat
The Chair Mother
2017 An Accidental Zombie (Named Ted) Carrie
Drifting Short film
2018 Painkillers Nurse Sheralyn
Sleep Away Mrs. Sturridge
Short Straw Jolene
2019 Bite Me Chrissy
The Lurker Grace Fisher
1BR Janice
2020 The Initiation Lillian Filming
Sky Sharks Natalie Rochefort
2024 Hauntology Annalisa Drouais

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Confirmation Kid Episode: "The Passionate Painter Mystery"
1998 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Cheerleader Episode: "The Pom Pom Incident"
2007 Destination Truth Herself/Translator 3 episodes
2012 FammGlamm Gazelda Episode: "Quality Control"
2012–2013 American Horror Story: Asylum Pepper Supporting role; 7 episodes
2014 American Horror Story: Freak Show Supporting role; 10 episodes
Halloween Wars Herself Episode: "The Haunted Farm"
2016 Alley Way Reagan 7 episodes
Point Society Sojourner 2 episodes
2017 Hell's Kitchen Herself Episode: "Leaving It on the Line"
2017–2019 ctrl alt delete Lorna Main role
2018 Casual Tanya Episode: "All About You"
American Horror Story: Apocalypse Samantha Crowe 2 episodes
2020 Good Girls Dr. Amanda Johnson Episode: "Frere Jacques"
2021 American Horror Stories Rabid Ruth Episode: "Drive In"
2022 Painted with Raven Herself (guest judge) Episode: "Shock It to Me"

References

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  1. ^ a b c Williams, Tenere. "Naomi Grossman: Actress - "I Could Be On A Desert Island with a Pen, Paper, a Camera, and YouTube and Be Happy"". Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  2. ^ Renken, Charlotte (November 2, 2014). "Santa Fe Comic Con: Naomi Grossman "Play With Me! Inside American Horror Story"". Hush Comics. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Hayne, Michael (October 24, 2014). "Naomi Grossman of "American Horror Story": "I've never been told I was so pretty until played the ugliest person on TV"". Salon. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  4. ^ "American Horror Story : Season 2". Metacritic. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  5. ^ Branch, Chris (December 12, 2014). "'American Horror Story' Star Naomi Grossman: Pepper Made Ryan Murphy Break His Own Rule". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
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