Task’s Fabien Frankel Worried He Hadn’t Earned the Right to Play Grasso

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Spoilers follow for Task finale “A Still Small Voice.”

The show *Task* portrays each character’s life through a series of difficult moral decisions. Throughout most of the series, Fabien Frankel’s character, Anthony Grasso, consistently makes the wrong choices, until the final episode, “A Still Small Voice.”

The first part of the show follows Detective Grasso, a complex character who alternates between being intimidating and falling for his new partner, Lizzie. However, it’s revealed that Grasso has been secretly sharing information about the team’s investigation into the Dark Hearts gang, led by Jayson. When this betrayal leads to Lizzie’s death, Detective Frankel takes over, displaying grief and loss. In the final episode, Grasso gets a chance to make amends. He turns against the Dark Hearts, risking his life – even while wounded – to save Maeve, a young woman they are targeting. By ultimately killing Jayson, Grasso rescues Maeve and offers them both a fresh start.

Viewers who watched House of the Dragon might recognize actor Fabien Frankel; he played the increasingly cruel knight, Ser Criston Cole. Both Cole and his new character in Task grapple with feelings of guilt, but while Cole embraces villainy, this new character begins a journey towards making amends. Frankel doesn’t necessarily see his character as a hero, but believes he could eventually fill the role once held by Tom Brandis (played by Mark Ruffalo), continuing the show’s theme of exploring complex masculinity.

The character Grasso is largely motivated by feelings of guilt related to his past Catholic faith. I was asked if I drew from my own life for this aspect of the role. While my mother is Catholic, I’m not religious myself, but my co-star, Brad, was raised Catholic and brought his own experiences and questions about religion to the character. He portrays those internal struggles beautifully, especially in the three scenes I share with Mark, where we discuss religion – in fact, those conversations form the core of almost all our scenes together. Mark, as a former priest, represents a voice of authority on the subject. Brad and I had many conversations about Catholic guilt, repentance, and the concept of confession to help shape these scenes.

In the final scene, Grasso confesses to his sister that he was secretly working for the Dark Hearts. The actor delivered the line, “I can’t live with it no more. I’m suffocating,” with a particularly moving performance. Interestingly, that specific line was improvised during filming. He remembered feeling that was exactly what his character was experiencing at that moment. He found it amusing that this crucial scene was filmed so early in the production schedule, and he still finds it difficult to watch. He appreciated the rare combination of a well-written script and the freedom to add his own interpretation, and even joked to the crew that this experience would make every future job feel restrictive.

I was frustrated that we filmed that scene so early because I hadn’t had enough time to fully develop the character. A lot of who Grasso is comes from my experiences in Philadelphia, and I’d only been there for five days at that point. I felt unprepared – I hadn’t yet gotten to know the character well enough. Being a British actor working on an American show so deeply rooted in a place I was unfamiliar with, I didn’t feel ready to perform that scene authentically.

I really hoped those initial impressions would fade. It was a gradual process, changing almost daily. I spent six months there, experiencing the local life – eating at the restaurants, trying the drinks, and getting to know people from New Jersey and Philadelphia. By the end of filming, I felt like I had a much better understanding of them. I wouldn’t say I became one of them, but I definitely felt closer to understanding their perspectives.

You worked with dialect coach Susanne Sulby to perfect the Delco accent for the show. Beyond that, how did you develop the character Grasso’s physical presence and mannerisms? I always start with a basic idea of how a person might move and carry themselves. For example, I often sit with my legs crossed, but I knew Grasso wouldn’t. A lot of it comes together when you get into costume – having a gun on your hip naturally makes you stand a bit straighter. And things like constantly eating and smoking also shaped his unique habits and personality.

Many actors find that convincingly eating on camera is surprisingly difficult. I actually find it helpful because it allows me to focus less on *acting* and more on the natural action of eating. I remember a classmate in drama school who was struggling with a monologue in a scene set in an asylum. The director had her make five beds during the monologue, and it completely took her mind off of performing. She delivered a much more natural performance because she was focused on the task of making the beds rather than on delivering the lines. For me, physical actions like eating, smoking, or drinking can be really helpful. Though, I will say, there’s a limit to how many Philly cheesesteaks you can realistically eat during filming! The first few takes are great, but by the sixteenth, it’s a lot harder to make it look convincing.

Towards the end of the show, Grasso has a final conversation with Tom while he’s in the hospital. Tom asks Grasso if he’s going to make him pay for his actions, but Tom responds by saying people are already hard enough on themselves. Earlier, Tom had suspected Grasso of wrongdoing, and this moment feels like he’s offering forgiveness. I remember filming that scene with Mark – it was one of the last things we shot. We used an old hospital in Delaware County as the location. I specifically asked if I could lie in the hospital bed between takes, because being in that environment creates a unique feeling – a mix of restlessness and exhaustion. The oxygen tubes made my mouth incredibly dry, and I actually avoided drinking water all day to maintain that sensation for the scene.

This scene picks up right after episode six, when Tom confronts Grasso about his betrayal. The dialogue – “You say all your Hail Marys and your Our Fathers, and then what? All these sins, they just disappear?” – is powerful, and you and Mark really explored what faith means to each of your characters. Brad wrote this scene fairly late in the production process – about three months in, and it ended up being one of the last major additions to the script. It was a rare opportunity to perform such a lengthy scene – six pages long – with an actor as talented as Mark. We didn’t discuss the scene much beforehand, just acknowledging that it was coming up and feeling a bit daunted by it. I was definitely the most nervous about shooting this one. We didn’t rehearse at all; we just filmed it, and it felt surprisingly natural and special. It was crucial that Mark and I didn’t reveal too much of our characters’ intentions to each other during the scene.

There’s a brilliant little moment when Grasso asks if he can have a cigarette – it just *feels* right for where the conversation is going. It’s like he’s succumbing to a bad habit at the exact moment he might confess everything. To me, it’s less about wanting a smoke and more about a final act of defiance. The second Mark pulls out that photograph – maybe even before – Grasso realizes he’s lost. That cigarette feels like his last stand, a way to reclaim some control before it all falls apart.

I really enjoyed working with Alison Oliver – she’s a fantastic actress and a good friend, so that scene felt genuinely sad to film. It wasn’t a scene we discussed extensively, though. We spent a lot more time talking through their earlier interactions – like the bar scenes, the dancing, and the intimate scene in bed – really breaking those down. But when scenes are more about instinct and physical reaction, there’s only so much you *can* discuss. You just have to let it happen. That sequence was a huge undertaking – we filmed in the woods for weeks during the summer heat, and it was the longest shoot of the entire show.

I also have really fond memories of having fun with the camera and grip teams. We were somewhere in a hotel – I think maybe Pennsylvania, though I’m not sure! We’d all hang out, drinking beer at the hotel restaurant, and one time we even went swimming with Brad and Mark Roybal, the executive producer, at a quarry. I spent a lot of time with the cast and crew, and actually, everyone I knew in Philadelphia came from that job – or my tennis teacher!

Ever wonder what happens to Grasso after the events of the show? It seems likely he’d go to prison, but I’ve also considered other possibilities. I can picture him as a father, and surprisingly, even leaving the police to become a priest.

I had the same thought! It would be fascinating if he switched from being a police officer to a priest, even to the point of becoming a prison chaplain. It’s a bit like Mark Ruffalo’s character, but with their roles reversed.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any information about season three of House of the Dragon. I’d love to share a spoiler, but I’m not allowed to reveal anything at this time.

Someone asked about his haircut from the previous season, jokingly calling it his “Alicent breakup chop.” The hair hasn’t actually changed since season two – he still has the same Caesar cut. The hairstylist took full responsibility for that decision, explaining it was a practical choice. Long hair just doesn’t make sense for someone going into battle, especially hand-to-hand combat. They looked at real fighters – most have very short hair, and those with longer hair have to constantly tie it back. The idea was to make him look prepared for war.

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2025-10-20 04:58