Author: Emma Loggins
Date: 2009-03-09

Interview:
We were able to sit down with Kenneth Johnson to talk about TNT's Saving Grace along with his personal projects. Here's what the talented and charming actor had to say:

Now I've watched the March episodes, and it looks like Ham is kinda wishing he was back with Grace. What can you tell us about the dynamic between Ham and Butch?

Kenneth Johnson: Ham and Butch... obviously, you know their histories. Butch came from a little richer, snootier background than Ham did. Ham is more of a gritty, earthy guy, so they approach things differently. Holly was with Butch before, so there's a little tension in the first season because of that. But I think he kinda got over it, because she's been with about a hundred thousand guys, you know [laughs].

Right.

Kenneth Johnson: So, I think they're butting heads. They have two different ways of working. And I think that the fact, when you get somebody like Ham and Grace that can kind of finish each other's sentences and thoughts, you know, that's a great way to work. That doesn't come along that often in life, in any career that you do. And when you do, it just works. And when it works, you guys are great at what you do. And then you go with somebody else who's got a completely different technique and way of going about it, it's definitely gonna cause conflict. And that's our whole thing, we both try to take the lead in these things. And he's set in his Butch ways, and that's not gonna change. I think he like wants to bust him in the head, but he's just like, "What am I doing? Please 28 days go by so I can get back to Grace."

Then Grace doesn't want me back. She's like, "You left me, dude. Deal with it."

Beyond the March episodes, what can you tell us about Ham's relationship with Grace both in professional and personal terms?

Kenneth Johnson: Beyond the March episodes, they do get back together. However, since she opened her heart up to him for the first time and he didn't know how to deal with it... he just couldn't emotionally deal with anything due to what had happened... that obviously pushed her away. He really wants to be back with her, and he realizes right after he wanted time off that he wanted to be back with her. And she makes it hard, she makes him earn his way back.

I feel as an actor, I may be wrong, but I feel there is still a part of Grace that won't let him back in like she did prior to that. It's definitely not right back to where we were, she's making me earn it back, and even then it's not the same.

Also, I won't say why, but they get into a little bit of the religious aspect of spirituality and belief in God. That's something they've never done before. So that's an interesting dynamic that opens up, and I think it might be explored more in the 3rd season coming up.