Why The Waterfront's Grady Is So Familiar to Marvel Fans

Yahoo

28-06-2025

Fans remember that Grady's actor from The Waterfront series has previously played the role of a beloved Marvel character. Introduced as a notorious drug lord, the series' ending saw an ultimate confrontation between him and the Buckleys and Parkers. The families try to destroy the Grady's empire, leaving Grady devastated and angry. After an epic showdown, Grady and his men face a tragic fate. Throughout the show, Grady has been an interesting villain, catching the attention of many and making them recall his old Marvel days. But which movie was he in? Here are the details.
Grady is played by Topher Grace in The Waterfront.
Grady, as a villain, has a unique personality that boasts deranged and narcissistic traits. Recently, in an interview with ScreenRant, creator Kevin Williamson shared details on why he thought Grace would be an apt choice for the role. He said, 'I wanted someone who was so darn likable. Someone we knew to be so darn cute and funny and winning.' Further, he also expressed appreciation for Grace's 'duality.'
Additionally, he discusses how Grady stands out and what makes his character so terrifying. He added, 'It's funny because you have someone like Harlan who can be outwardly scary, and then you have Topher Grace that comes in and he's kind of silly, but he's a different type of terrifying to me. He really knocked my socks off.'
Marvel fans know Grace from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 (2007). There, he played the beloved anti-hero, Eddie Brock/Venom.
In 1998, he made his professional TV debut in the main role of Eric Forman in That '70s Show, which earned him massive attention and recognition. Aside from TV, he also has popular movie credits under his belt, such as Interstellar, BlacKkKlansman, Heretic, Playing It Cool, and others. He is also renowned for his antagonistic role as Edwin in Predators (2010). In recent years, he has been a vital part of shows like Home Economics and The Hot Zone.