‘The Neighborhood’ Star Hank Greenspan Teases Series’ ‘Bittersweet’ Ending (Exclusive)

Having a present come to an finish that you simply’ve labored on for greater than half your life is unquestionably bittersweet. Hank Greenspan, The Neighborhood‘s youngest cast member, shared what’s in retailer for Grover Johnson, his ending, and extra.

The CBS present is ready to end on Monday, May 11. With solely two episodes left till the Butlers and the Johnsons say goodbye without end, Greenspan shared that the final day of filming was “bittersweet.”

“It was more bitter than sweet, really,” he stated. “No one wanted The Neighborhood to end. No one was like, ‘Alright, looking forward to new opportunities.’ The industry is rough right now, so it isn’t ideal.”

“People would have wanted it to run a little bit longer, I think, but I think the ending that we did was really well written.” Greenspan additionally advised TV Insider that the series finale was rewritten. He and his castmates had a say in how it could finish after they did a table read and thought it “needed more punch.”

“That was the longest week of shooting ever,” he stated. “Because it was bittersweet. It was the final run-throughs we had. It felt like you savored it more. Everyone’s going to be excited to see the ending.”

The ending will function each Marty (Marcel Spears) and Malcolm’s (Sheaun McKinney) weddings, in addition to “tearful goodbyes” and “old tensions.” But what’s in retailer for Grover?

Find out what else he needed to say about being the one little one actor on set, why The Neighborhood resonated with followers for therefore lengthy, and extra on his indie film, Ethan Bloom, which is slowly rolling into theaters nationwide.

Monty Brinton/CBS

TVI: Signing on as a toddler, did you ever assume The Neighborhood could be greater than half of your life to this point?

Greenspan: No. I imply, I believe I didn’t even actually, as a child, I didn’t actually perceive what I used to be moving into, if that is smart. It was arduous to completely comprehend the total scale of what was taking place. I used to be solely six or seven years outdated, and I knew that I used to be on a present, nevertheless it was unimaginable to grasp. I’d say solely about perhaps in a few years in, did I understand hundreds of thousands of individuals watch this on daily basis or each week. That’s an enormous deal. It’s not that I didn’t comprehend it, nevertheless it was that I couldn’t grasp it, if that is smart.

How did you sort out being a child, going to highschool, and many others., and dealing on a serious present?

Well, it was arduous at first as a result of I used to be nonetheless going to highschool concurrently I used to be doing The Neighborhood for the very first 12 months. Basically, the way in which we tried to work it out with my college was the concept was that I’d do The Neighborhood for half of the 12 months, after which go into public college for the remainder of the 12 months. Then, that was type of a cluster. It didn’t actually work out. There had been a whole lot of issues that weren’t matched as a result of, with this, you’re employed with a set trainer once you’re doing TV. All individuals beneath 17 years outdated have to do college with a studio trainer for not less than three hours a day to satisfy the necessities. So, as a result of my studio trainer had mainly no reference to the college, there have been a bunch of disconnects. There had been issues that they taught within the first half of the 12 months, however I didn’t be taught, so I didn’t know the basics.

Also, I simply don’t like going to highschool personally, however ultimately, after that, we switched to doing on-line education, which is mainly the identical curriculum, however you do it from a pc, which is what I did with my studio trainer, which was quite a bit simpler as a result of it was extra constant. It wasn’t draining like I wasn’t ever tremendous stressed over my quantity of labor I needed to do or something, or it was by no means overwhelming as a result of the character of the present is simply very calm and I labored with very good individuals who revered me and it was very good to work on that set. I by no means had any poisonous arguments or incidents on that set.

I talked to Amber Stevens West just a few weeks in the past, and she or he stated, although she solely joined this season, the one factor that made her cry the most was fascinated by how a lot you grew up on the present. Was there something that made you emotional about The Neighborhood ending?

I used to be type of was. She’s positively proper. I used to be the tangible method of exhibiting that the present has modified.I used to be slightly, little child once I first began, and now I’m a tall little one. [laughs]. But that was in all probability the commonest factor I acquired advised that week was how unhappy it simply was. Everyone would take a look at me and get all unhappy.

I don’t know the issues that made me unhappy had been in all probability taking pictures the ultimate scene, in all probability probably the most. I believe the ultimate scene was really the primary scene of the final episode that we shot, and it was. It was additionally late; it was a late taking pictures day, and we had been all fairly exhausted. Then on the finish, they introduced out an enormous cake, and everybody celebrated, and it was actually unhappy however very, very cute, and I bear in mind Beth [Behrs] advised herself that she wouldn’t cry, however she did. I bear in mind earlier than the ultimate scene that we shot, everybody was crying. I believe Beth made like a guess with me on who would and wouldn’t cry. But, Beth cried on the desk learn and on the taking pictures of the particular remaining scene, which wasn’t the very last thing we shot, however anyway, it was very cute, however I acquired slightly choked up on the finish.

Why do you assume that The Neighborhood has lasted for eight seasons? What made followers resonate with it?

It’s attention-grabbing as a result of I grew up at a time after sitcoms. A set producer, Patrick, requested me what basic sitcoms I grew up with, and I couldn’t actually title any. I didn’t develop up with any basic sitcoms, or I grew up with Cartoon Network reveals, like [The Amazing World of] Gumball, however that was previous everybody’s time. Everyone on that set grew up with Roseanne, or they grew up with a Nickelodeon one like iCarly or Victorious, or one thing like that.

Sitcoms appear to resonate with individuals in a method that different reveals can’t, simply due to their nature. The characters in a sitcom develop into your lives, and if it’s a great sitcom, you’ll need to see what they’re going to make it out of it, and it simply looks like a really cozy factor. In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, sitcoms particularly resonate with individuals as a result of they’re constant, however not in a boring method, in an attention-grabbing method the place you realize the characters and it’ll all the time wrap round on the finish. It’s heartwarming. It’s a candy factor.

It’s a mixture of very, superb writing and only a very, superb solid. Also, the set, I had no reference for it as a result of it was the primary set I’d ever labored on, however individuals who had been veterans of the business stated that The Neighborhood was simply probably the greatest units, if not probably the most enjoyable set to be on that they’ve ever been on, simply due to how everybody appears to be like out for one another. Basically, there’s nobody who will get particular remedy. I identical to the idea of that quite a bit.

There’s no, “I’m extra vital than you. There’s no superiority actually. I’ve to thank Cedric [The Entertainer] for that as a result of Cedric is the boss. So all of it mainly comes down from the highest. I’ve heard of units the place if the particular person on the high is like an a**gap or one thing, then everybody else is type of going to comply with go well with in a method as a result of nobody’s having fun with themselves and since they’re not being appeared out for.

This was your first function. How did it really feel to work with veteran TV actors? Did they offer you any recommendation?

I believe they did, however truthfully, I can’t bear in mind a whole lot of it. I’m somebody who learns by observing different individuals and watching different people who find themselves good at one thing do it, and see their mannerisms and what habits they use. So, even simply being round all these good, good actors. It was actually, actually good appearing coaching for me, and likewise, simply get to persistently work 5 days every week is nice observe.

I’m extraordinarily fortunate to have that as a result of appearing isn’t all the time constant. I do know individuals who go from job to job, and it’s arduous to maintain it constant. That’s simply the character of the job, however I acquired fortunate on a present that was superb and ran for a really very long time, and so I acquired a whole lot of observe simply doing it persistently, and likewise being round all these legendary actors that had been on that set.

Ann Baggley

We know that Marty and Malcolm are getting married, and Dave misplaced his job. What are you able to tease about Grover’s ending?

Grover’s ending is, if there are solely three episodes left, they plant the seeds for what his ending goes to be early on in a few episodes earlier than. It’s mainly grounding him as his metamorphosis from being a Kalamazoo child to mainly turning into an L.A. child.

I bear in mind halfway by the present, the wardrobe individuals advised us they had been altering it. We observed it, after which we requested them about it, they usually confirmed it that they had been altering the way in which Grover dressed. They had been making him put on much less type of kiddie striped shirts, and extra flannels, extra sweatpants. The final couple of seasons, the wardrobe individuals knocked it out of the park for me. I believed I used to be fly. They mainly dressed him extra so to represent the concept that he’s being built-in into L.A. tradition and so the final episode goes to check his medal, in a method, on how on the 2 elements of him which can be from Michigan and from LA as a result of it’s he spent the primary half of his life in Michigan, however I believe probably the most adolescence have been spent in Pasadena.

Now that The Neighborhood is over, are you specializing in highschool or searching for out extra tasks?

My present plan is to pursue appearing, really. I turned 16 this 12 months, so it’s across the time I’ll begin taking a look at faculty. There are a whole lot of little one actors who do one present, then they understand they don’t like appearing, like, “This isn’t for me.”

Even if they’re a fantastic actor, there are many nice actors who don’t get pleasure from it. They’ll normally get into one thing like writing or directing. I nonetheless get pleasure from appearing quite a bit. I nonetheless actually prefer it, and that’s what I need to preserve doing for the foreseeable future. I’m making use of to dramatic arts college and ones like Juilliard or the National Theatre School of Canada.

In Ethan Bloom, you weren’t the one teenage actor on set. Did working round individuals your age make you are feeling extra snug? Do you be taught extra from adults? What are the variations in working with adults and teenagers?

I believe that it was really that’s a great query. It was about the identical, to be sincere, as a result of I believe I bear in mind on The Neighborhood at occasions, a part of the problem was being the one child on the present. I didn’t actually have like somebody to hang around with.

All these individuals on the solid and on set, we’re nice mates, however they’re twice my age, so most of them, I didn’t hang around with. That’s really not true. Some of us have, my household and Michael, our studio trainer, have gotten fairly shut, and we’re mainly household mates now. My grandma and his mother are actually good mates now.

But, I believe once you’re an actor, being a child, you need to be an grownup, in case you’re an actor, even in case you are not an grownup, as a result of you need to have the obligations of getting a job. It’s the identical as exhibiting as much as work and being accountable for your actions, and being on time. Obviously, you’ve got dad and mom there, you’ve got guardians who can look out for you. But you need to be accountable.

That’s why youngsters are arduous to work with a whole lot of the time. That’s why individuals don’t like working with youngsters, as a result of, I imply, this isn’t their fault. They’re youngsters. Most youngsters shouldn’t be anticipated to have a job, however I believe working with different youngsters was good as a result of we did get to have that type of camaraderie. When the adults sat on the lodge bar, the youngsters huddled in a single room, and that was type of good.

What was it like being the principle focus and being on display for 95% of the time, in comparison with The Neighborhood, the place the present isn’t centered on you the entire time?

It was extraordinarily difficult, and there was a noticeable distinction. Not solely was I the principle character on Ethan Bloom, however The Neighborhood is shot with a pretty big finances. It’s on a sound stage. There’s no third celebration.

You don’t must compromise on The Neighborhood, actually, for something since you all the time have a digicam following you. There’s all the time a microphone above you. You’re on a set. You’re on location.

So, that was an enormous distinction, particularly as a result of on Ethan Bloom, if one particular person is stressed, it trickles right down to everybody. There was a neighbor operating a lawnmower in the course of taking pictures, and the director mainly jumped over the fence, and I didn’t see what occurred, however the lawnmower stopped operating after that. Planes would come overhead, and there have been far more traces.

You needed to be on time mainly as a result of in an indie film, you’re additionally working with successfully borrowed time. You solely have a restricted period of time on every set, and you may’t simply preserve taking pictures till you get it. Basically, in case you don’t get it, then it’s going to fail. It’s a bunch of individuals shifting in a line. If one particular person stops, everybody behind them can also be going to must cease.

Ethan Bloom was taking part in in festivals, however now it’s coming to theaters. Will it’s launched nationwide quickly?

Yes, it’s in theaters domestically in South Florida and throughout Delray. I do know I did a few Q&As on the films in Delray. So in case you’re in Florida, you possibly can in all probability discover it, however it is going to be shifting throughout the U.S. We’ve seen a bunch of demand for indie films like Ethan Bloom. They sink or swim primarily based on phrase of mouth. So, all of the Q &A’s we did each single time, we acquired requested not less than as soon as, “When is this coming to New York? When is this coming to LA? When is this coming to whatever city?” And it should. It’s principally simply reliant on whether or not individuals need it to be there.

The Neighborhood, Mondays, 8/7c, CBS

Ethan Bloom, Opening in theaters nationwide, 2026