Written byKyle Dawson, Photo Editor

VSU alumnus Myles Grier began looking for new job opportunities while he was waiting to hear back about his audition for the upcoming NBC drama “Game of Silence.” Finally, the 2011 graduate got the call he was waiting for.

Grier will be playing the younger version of the show’s main antagonist. The show will premiere next Tuesday.

“Demetrius Grosse was cast as the older Terry Bausch and I auditioned for his younger self,” Grier said, “After seeing Demetrius’ photo, I had a feeling I had a pretty strong chance, since we have similar features.”

Grier, who was a theater and dance major, credits VSU, and more specifically professors Jacque Wheeler and Duke Guthrie, with honing his acting skills and getting him ready for auditions.

“I began auditioning for mainstream TV and film as a teenager, but educationally, theatre was and still is the best way to work out the acting muscles,” Grier said. “Jacque Wheeler and Duke Guthrie always pushed me to be better and are excellent at preparing their students for the professional theatre or on-screen world.”

After moving to Los Angeles after graduation, Grier spent eight months working at internships and other jobs while also auditioning for roles in order to save enough money to buy a car. Since then, he has starred in the short film “Intruders” and the drama series “Black Boots” as well as appearances in ABC’s “Scandal”, CBS’s “NCIS” and NBC’s “Aquarius.” He said that his favorite part about acting is looking through the eyes of different characters.

“My favorite part of acting has been the freedom to explore a totally different human being, while finding the similarities between myself and that other person,” Grier said. “My character in ‘Game of Silence,’ for example, comes from totally different circumstances than I do, but those circumstances help all of us to understand his choices, even if we don’t agree with him.”

Grier said that he prefers more dramatic roles, which is evident by the parts he has played in the past.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing complex characters, which I got to explore in theatre while at VSU.” Grier said, “I’ve been fortunate to work on some TV dramas that have great characters and story, which makes the job so much more enjoyable.”

Although he lives in Los Angeles, Grier actually got the role for “Game of Silence” through his former agent in Atlanta where the show will be filmed. The show’s creators have also worked on successful dramas including “Friday Night Lights”, “NCIS” and “CSI,” and Grier is excited for the premiere, which he and some other cast members will be live tweeting.

While Grier has been removed from VSU for five years, he has not forgotten about the university that helped him become an actor.

“All four years in the theatre and dance area were some of my most valuable years learning and working out my craft, preparing me to have the level of skill to work as a professional actor,” Grier said.

To learn more about “Game of Silence” go to @NBCSilence on Twitter or @NBCGameofSilence on Instagram.