Justin Cunningham Talks Taking It All Off For 'Grand Crew'

It’s no secret that NBC’s “Grand Crew” holds a special place in our hearts…

Source: Elizabeth Morris / NBC

Our Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden spoke with “Grand Crew” stars Grasie Mercedes and Justin Cunningham about the NBC sitcom and learned from the pair all about how difficult it can be to keep a straight face while shooting with so many funny people.

“For me, I feel like some of my scenes with Nicole, oh my goodness, it was so hard to keep a straight face,” Grasie Mercedes told BOSSIP. “And Carl too. The wine, the scene where I shot with Carl with the white outfit, that was a hard scene for any of us to keep from laughing, that was the hardest scene to not break out laughing. They ended up using one of my faces and that was me trying with all my might not to laugh… For me, Nicole and Carl are definitely the hardest to keep a straight face.”

Source: Elizabeth Morris / NBC

“Yeah, Nicole and Carl, well everybody for me,” Justin Cunningham admitted. “I break at everything. In that wine scene they cut away from me so many times because I was literally laughing and smiling. That was a really cool shoot for me because we shot in on my birthday and they got me little cakes and stuff. I have really good memories of that day because that was one of the funniest scenes that I’ve ever been part of and it was my birthday.”

Justin also opened up about his anxiety and how the episodes of “Grand Crew” dealing with therapy have really spoken to him.

“I suffer from severe anxiety, so I’m trying to find ways to work through and that’s something we got a great opportunity to highlight, self-care and therapy and how it’s useful,” Justin told BOSSIP.

Cunningham told BOSSIP his nerves have even lead to him holding back from watching the show as it airs on TV.

“For me watching it as it comes out it gives me too much anxiety,” Justin Cunningham told BOSSIP. “So I have to come back a few days later and watch it. I’m still kind of processing that we went out and did this thing and I’m on TV some place. It’s a very unique experience.”

Ironically, those nerves didn’t keep Justin from shooting a nude scene for the show — on his first day back on set following the pilot shoot at that!

“We shot the pilot almost a year prior, so that nude scene was my first scene back. When I got the script it was like, ‘Okay so that’s what I’m doing. Alright, I’m going on a diet and hitting the gym hard!’ No I’m kidding, I’m comfortable with my body. I didn’t really feel anything about it. I really felt bad for Carl because he had to stand there while they were getting the shot together and I’m being all method, actually trying to cry while I’m there naked and Carl just had to stand there looking at me. He’s like looking up and looking away.

“I wish I was there!” Grasie Mercedes interjected, laughing.

“My family is another story,” Cunningham continued. “We’re from the South so they were like, ‘I don’t understand why they had you naked up in there. That’s how they responded and I just ‘Delete!’ They were surprised I should say.”

“Grand Crew” airs Tuesdays at 8:30 pm EST/PST on NBC.