From Broadway and The Lion King to one of the most hated characters on Netflix — Anthony Crane opens up about playing Chandler Groff in Outer Banks.

There are few things more satisfying for an actor than hearing an audience boo their character.

For Anthony Crane, that reaction is something he knows very well.

In his latest appearance on Hellblazerbiz, Anthony takes us behind the scenes of Outer Banks, discussing his unforgettable role as Chandler Groff, JJ Maybank’s biological father, and the journey that turned Groff into one of the show’s most controversial characters.

Anthony reveals that when he first joined Outer Banks, he wasn’t even the original actor cast in the role. After the production break caused by the 2023 strike, the role ultimately came to him — and he quickly discovered just how dark Chandler Groff was going to become.

Finding the darkness in Chandler Groff

Playing a villain is rarely as simple as making someone evil.

Anthony explains that he wanted to understand what was happening underneath Groff’s behaviour — the resentment, narcissism, broken relationships and years of destructive choices that shaped the character.

Rather than trying to excuse Groff’s actions, Anthony approached him as a real person with a history.

For him, villains are fascinating precisely because they don’t necessarily see themselves as villains. They are simply characters pursuing their own goals, often through very different means.

And with Chandler Groff, that meant exploring a man who had spent decades running from his past and making increasingly destructive choices.

The shocking Season 4 revelation

Anthony also discusses discovering where Chandler’s relationship with JJ was heading.

The revelation that Groff would ultimately kill his own son was a huge turning point — both for the character and for the production.

Anthony recalls initially wondering whether Rudy Pankow had known what was going to happen to JJ, before discovering that Rudy had known for months.

For Anthony, however, the challenge was to portray the aftermath.

Season 5 allowed him to explore a much more fractured Chandler Groff — a man haunted by what he had done and increasingly losing control.

As Anthony puts it, Groff was already broken, and afterwards he became even more unhinged.

Working with Madison Bailey

One of the most fascinating parts of the interview is Anthony’s discussion of working with Madison Bailey, whose character Kiara is determined to confront Groff.

Anthony describes Madison as a “powerhouse” and explains how the pair approached their scenes almost like a three-part duel.

They deliberately thought about their major confrontations as a beginning, middle and end, building the emotional intensity throughout the season.

The result was a relationship that became one of the most electric elements of the final season.

Morocco, Croatia and a 25-foot drop

Filming Outer Banks took Anthony far beyond the show’s familiar North Carolina setting.

He talks about shooting in Morocco, exploring Essaouira, meeting locals and immersing himself in the culture between filming.

Croatia provided another completely different experience, including locations previously seen in Game of Thrones.

But Anthony wasn’t simply sightseeing.

He also threw himself into the show’s physical demands, including performing a 25-foot deceleration drop from a 100-foot tower.

His attitude?

Why not do it if the opportunity is there?

From Broadway to Netflix

Anthony’s career journey is every bit as interesting as Chandler Groff.

He spent years working in theatre, including The Lion King, Les Misérables and Broadway productions, while also working with extraordinary talents including Eric Idle and director Mike Nichols.

The pandemic ultimately helped push him back towards screen acting, with self-taping opening up new opportunities.

One of those opportunities was a role on Succession, which helped open further doors and eventually contributed to Anthony landing Outer Banks.

His story is a reminder that careers don’t always move in a straight line — sometimes the detours become the most important part of the journey.

A fitting farewell to Outer Banks

With Outer Banks reaching its fifth and final season, Anthony reflects on what the show means to him.

Perhaps surprisingly, his favourite memory isn’t a stunt, location or dramatic scene.

It’s the people.

He talks warmly about joining a cast that had already spent years together and being welcomed into what had become a close-knit family.

Being given the nickname “Tony Tainment” by Carlacia Grant was, for Anthony, a sign that he’d truly become part of the group.

And as for Chandler Groff’s legacy?

Anthony simply feels privileged that he was given the opportunity to take such a big swing with the character.

Watch the full conversation with Anthony Crane on Hellblazerbiz for a fascinating, funny and surprisingly deep conversation about villains, acting, theatre, Outer Banks, stunts, Morocco, Croatia and the career behind one of Netflix’s most hated characters.

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