Jamie Gray Hyder is an actress who’s having success working in a number of areas. She’s one of the leads in a David Guetta music video that was just released yesterday. And she stars in a video game that was featured with the release of the PS4 game system. But what we’re loving about her right now is that she’s currently part of a sizzling storyline on USA Network’s Graceland where she plays Lucia, the sister of crime lord Carlito Solano and Johnny’s latest love interest.
TV GOODNESS: How has your experience been on Graceland?
Jamie Gray-Hyder: My experience has been amazing. The whole cast and crew is so welcoming, so warm. I get to work primarily with Manny (Montana, Johnny) and Erik (Valdez, Carlito Solano) and the two of them are wonderful to work with. Erik and I are like brother and sister in real life. And it’s really been a positive experience.
TV GOODNESS: Can you talk about this twist on the love triangle that’s going on? Johnny is with Lucia but Lucia’s brother, Carlito, is interested in Johnny as well…

Jamie: It’s definitely putting a new spin on sibling rivalry that’s for sure.
TV GOODNESS: And the love triangle too…
Jamie: Yeah, exactly, that competition on all levels. There’s already enough tension between Lucia and Carlito based on the fact that she’s kind of got to watch out to make sure he doesn’t mess up…she’s like our dad’s watchdog. But then you add that they’re both competing for the same guy…things get pretty heated.
TV GOODNESS: What can you tease about what’s coming up next? The last thing we saw…Lucia and Johnny were headed down to Mexico and her dad and she wasn’t too happy about it.

Jamie: No, that’s the last thing she wants to do. They’re going to head down to Mexico and we’re gonna get to see more of the Solano family dynamics. And you get to meet dad and you kind of get to see where Lucia and Carlito grew up and spent their lives. And it explains a lot, I think, as for their behavior.
TV GOODNESS: How dangerous is it going to get for Johnny down there?
Jamie: As dangerous for anyone to be down there in these circumstances, but especially Johnny. You know, he really is putting his neck out there.
TV GOODNESS: I assume Carlito will be finding out about Johnny and Lucia at some point…How is he going to react? After all, Carlito does have a temper…
Jamie: Yeah, I think things definitely are going to bubble over…eventually. Lucia and Johnny really do their best to try and hide it even, you know, as you see in the next couple of episodes. But eventually he’s gotta find out. So when he does I think things really do…get pretty extreme at that point.
TV GOODNESS: What’s an episode that we need to look forward to regarding your character?
Jamie: From here on out it’s pretty high stakes, I’d say, for all characters, especially for myself and for Johnny and for Carlito. You’re really gonna see these relationships play out in a more extreme way.
TV GOODNESS: Can you talk about shooting Graceland in Miami? That has to be fun.
Jamie: It is. It’s hot and humid. (laughs) But Fort Lauderdale and Miami are just so great. Miami’s got such a vibrant scene to it that it’s nice on the weekends to kind of be able to go and get away and have fun fishing on the weekends and going down to the Keys…it’s not a bad place to work, that’s for sure.
TV GOODNESS: You just did a music video for David Guetta’s “Lovers on the Sun?”
Jamie: I just finished doing that. We shot it out at the Mojave Desert, featuring Ray Liotta and Andrew Keegan and myself. And I’m really excited to see the final product. Because it was a long, hot day riding horses but it was a lot of fun.
TV GOODNESS: What’s the storyline? Is is it just a Western-y type of thing?
Jamie: Yeah, it’s a Western where actually it’s a female heroine who comes in and tries to save her lover from these bandits out in the desert. It’s sort of the story of how she does that.
TV GOODNESS: What was it like to work with Ray Liotta?
Jamie: He was fantastic. You would barely recognize him because he’s got a big beard and his hair is grown out for a Western that he’s working on. But it was awesome. He’s a really nice guy and we all had a good time that day.
TV GOODNESS: You also shot a video game?
Jamie: Yeah, the video game was released at the end of last year and it’s been doing really well. That was a really fun experience for me. I hope to do future games. Killzone: Shadow Fall is the game and my character is Echo.
TV GOODNESS: You’ve been doing so many different things, primetime television, music videos, video games…which one’s more challenging?
Jamie: I think the challenge is in general…of constantly finding yourself in new situations. I think that’s the thrill and the challenge of being an actor, in particular, is that you’re always getting thrown into new situations and you have to be adaptable. And they all definitely present more challenges more specifically but it’s kind of — across the board — always doing something new is the challenge and the excitement for me.
TV GOODNESS: So you do need different skills for each area?
Jamie: Yeah, some things become more important in different situations. You’re working on the video game, it’s very technical, so you have to be very aware of every move you’re making and all your equipment. And that’s adding a whole other level of awareness to what you’re doing. And then you’re doing something like a music video and you’re trying to get across a whole story in one day. So the challenge there might be going from A to Z in six hours. And then television, you’re trying to keep up a character over a few months period. You need to keep people interested and involved in what’s going on with your character. And that can be hard.
TV GOODNESS: What else are you working on?Â
Jamie: We just finished working on Graceland so I’m just back in LA and auditioning…
TV GOODNESS: Can you tease anything about the [Graceland] finale?
Jamie: I can tease the fact that when I read it I was shocked. I was shocked. I’m not sure if [fans] will be upset but they won’t be disappointed in the amount of excitement that it brings.
Check back here for more from Jamie. She talked to me about her time as a werewolf on HBO’s True Blood, which is in its final season.
Graceland airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on USA Network. A preview from tonight’s episode:
Related posts
Classics
John Griffin and Harold Perrineau Talk From on EPIX Season 1 Finale
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] How are we doing, #FROMily? In case you missed it this morning, the very good news is that that cliffhanger will be followed by a second season, which was gifted this morning ahead of the linear broadcast of the finale. I always legitimately appreciate when we…
Elizabeth Saunders Talks EPIX’s From
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] One of the things that makes EPIX’s From such a fun ride is the abundance of Canadian cast members. Elizabeth Saunders, who plays Donna, is a favorite from her turn on the third season of Mary Kills People, which US audiences still have not been able…
Corteon Moore Talks From “Broken Windows, Open Doors”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight’s episode of From had us all in our feels as we learned through flashbacks about the Sophie’s Choice Boyd had to make to save his son, and back in the present as Boyd said his piece with Ellis before heading into the woods with…
Pegah Ghafoori Talks From “All Good Things…”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode] Tonight on From, Fatima’s anniversary celebration turned into a Colony House of horrors when a misguided Kevin let his monster bae in and she promptly killed him and left the window open for her crew. While the party devolved into terror and sent everyone running,…
Shaun Majumder Talks From “Book 74”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight on EPIX’s From, Father Khatri made a bold move, kidnapping Sara instead of turning her in, and then recognizing her as a vessel for some big messages. That startling realization speaks to him on multiple levels–as a man of faith, a man trapped in…
Avery Konrad Talks About Sara’s Struggle in From “Silhouettes”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Over the course of the season so far on From, we’ve witnessed Sara’s battle against the voices telling her to to do terrible things, and tonight we saw her unravel further, threatening the Matthews and lashing out in a moment of terror with horrifying results….
Hannah Cheramy Talks From “Choosing Day”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight, on EPIX’s From, the Matthews participate in the show’s version of the sorting hat, choosing where to call home–the town or Colony House. At the end of the episode, Julie makes the decision to split from her family and instead settle in with Fatima…
Ricky He Talks From “The Way Things Are Now”
[Warning: Spoilers for episode 102 of EPIX’s From.] Epix’s new series From is two episodes in and it’s already laying the groundwork for a seriously spooky season. Tonight’s episode demonstrated the careful balance of relief and horror that the show hits, with our characters’ worst fears realized, just not when…
Catching Up with Ted Lasso and Previewing Season 2
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] The not so dirty little secret about how I approach a new series is that I sometimes make a call based on the headspace I’m in at the time. It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a show after the first season and then binge…
Interview: Henri Esteve on Grown-ish Season 3
An interview with Henri Esteve, who plays Javi on Freeform’s Grown-ish. He talks about his season three experience.
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…