From the get-go, Madison Thompson has always been a total theater kid, as she had Playbills on her childhood bedroom wall and was constantly listening to Broadway soundtracks. While talking to her agents, they suggested she audition for Paramount+’s new series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
“It was one of those magical things that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had some experience with the acting sides of things, but when it came to the singing and dancing, I was a little rusty. It was a really long audition process, which was a privilege but also terrifying at the same time. I auditioned multiple times and did a dance call, a music call and many chemistry reads. I had to jump through a lot of hoops, but it was absolutely worth it,” the 22-year-old exclusively tells GRAZIA USA.
When the blonde beauty was finally told she had scored the role of Susan, she couldn’t believe it, especially since they tried to put her through another round of auditions, only to tell her she was starring in the series. “I was laughing hysterically, and I think I questioned if they made the right decision,” she quips. “But I jumped up and down. I also blacked out. I was sitting in a room thinking, ‘My life just changed.’ It was a combination of relief because I had become so invested in Susan and spent so much time on building her story.”
For Thompson, who appeared on Ozark, it was a dream come true, as this is her first series regular credit. From a young age, the actress’ father would play the Grease soundtrack on repeat on Friday mornings, so joining the new show felt right.
The show, which debuted on April 6, is Paramount+’s origin series, which takes a look at how the Pink Ladies came to be — four years before Sandy, Danny, Rizzo and Kenickie all came onto the scene. “It’s always been my dream to be a part of Grease, and I never thought I would be part of the Grease universe. It’s so special and kind of fulfilled my dreams in the most wild way,” she gushes.
The show explores the entire world of Rydell High School and what the school looked like before Grease debuted in 1978. “We do an incredible job of paying homage to the mothership of Grease. We spent so much time studying the performances of the original movie and really getting that energy and spirit on point,” she shares. “It was an incredible experience to bond with my castmates, who are all around the same age as me. There’s 30 plus original songs, and Justin Tranter, whose written for Justin Bieber and Imagine Dragons, is an executive music producer. It has its own tone, music, style and characters. It really holds its own in a different way.”
Additionally, Thompson enjoyed jumping into the character of Susan, a popular girl who comes back to find that her boyfriend Buddy is dating someone else. “She’s at the top of the hierarchy of Rydell, but she’s aware of her position. She is cunning, sharp and incredibly melodramatic,” she explains. “Susan is very much the antagonist, but I don’t use the word villain because she’s not one. She’s struggling with a lot and has a lot of pressure on her, which leads her to sort of manipulate men around her to get what she wants. Susan has a lot to learn from the Pink Ladies, but they could also learn a thing or two from Susan!”
Getting to play Susan comes with some perks, including her wardrobe. “I worked closely with the costume designer, who created such beautiful, dynamic and colorful outfits. We had a lot of fun building costumes for her,” she notes.
But there were challenges along the way since shooting a musical TV show is no walk in the park. “It’s obviously an incredible process to be part of, but there’s so much more that goes into it than a regular TV show. We’re learning choreography, we’re in costume fittings, we’re in recording sessions and voice lessons. The schedule is definitely grueling, but seeing the show makes it all worth it,” she says.
Fortunately, Thompson was able to turn to her cast and crew throughout filming. “We’re really, really close. We really came together and helped each other when we were having hard days. Every single person on the show has been training for this for years. I always say it was like going to musical theater summer camp in the woods for seven months. It was a unique experience. These people are now my best friends.”
When Thompson was younger, she was that kid who was always putting on shows in her bedroom. Once she was cast in the Sound of Music at her school, she immediately was drawn to acting. “I thought, ‘I want to do this forever.’ I asked my mom to put me in a musical theater class, but she accidentally signed me up for a TV film class, and the rest was history!” she says. “I’ve always had a love for acting. It was always just for fun, I didn’t think it would end up becoming my job.”
Luckily, she made her way onto Netflix’s show Ozark where she played Helen Pierce’s daughter Erin. “That transformed my life,” she says. “Working with Janet McTeer, who played my mom on the show, was a masterclass. She took me under her wing and made me feel so special. And the first day I worked, I was directed by Jason Bateman, so I was really thrown into the belly of the beast!”
“That show opened some incredible doors for me in the types of projects I could go in for, and I definitely wouldn’t have gotten Grease without Ozark,” she adds.
Thompson is itching to do Broadway down the line, so Grease has only helped by getting her into shape and building up the stamina to do so many shows. “I also want to do something with Marvel, and I love Reese Witherspoon. I look up to her and love how she is putting women at the forefront of her stories. I’d love to work with her company, Hello Sunshine, or play her daughter!” she shares of her hopes and dreams.
“I’m excited we get to share Grease with the world, finally! It doesn’t feel real yet. There’s a song for every moment in a person’s life or when you’re driving in the car. I can’t wait for people to fall in love with these characters,” she concludes.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is now streaming on Paramount+.
