Spencer Grammer Relishes the ‘Greek’ Life

Spencer Grammer knows a thing or two about life throwing a few curveballs your way every now and then.

Just a few years ago, Grammer was a theater major at Marymount Manhattan College when she landed the role of Lucy Montgomery on “As the World Turns.” She eventually left the CBS soap in 2006, only to soon land her first primetime gig on the ABC Family series “Greek.” Both roles have kept her from finishing the last 20 or so credits needed for her degree, but Grammer isn’t about to complain about her blossoming acting career.

“It’s super exciting for me,” shares the 25-year-old actress. “I don’t know if I would have ever imagined how lucky I would be.”

On “Greek,” Grammer stars as Casey Cartwright, the sorority queen bee at fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University. The Los Angeles native confesses that she and her character are “pretty similar in a lot of ways,” but there are also a few noticeable differences.

“I’m kind of more of a tomboy. I’m less girly,” Grammer explains, before fully getting to the root of their differences.

“I kind of walk manly!” she quips, laughing.

The young star hails from some rather impressive genes, with her father being actor Kelsey Grammer. In fact, she first graced the small screen when she appeared as a child on her father’s hit series “Cheers.” But while Grammer was enjoying the excitement of her breakout “Greek” role, she was also experiencing several challenges in her personal life — the loss of a grandmother and grandfather, as well as her father suffering a heart attack last summer.

“It’s just one of those years,” she says of the hurdles.

Her father has since recovered and is doing much better, but Grammer admits, “It was scary there for a second.” She explains that she dove into work to keep her mind preoccupied, but Grammer says that was a restless time dealing with her father’s medical emergency.

“I still had to keep shooting after I found out,” says Grammer, whose mother, Doreen Alderman, is her father’s first wife. “Until I could leave it was hard. It’s taught me that work is really important to me and how to get through it all.”

During those trying times, Grammer was able to lean on her “Greek” family, including newcomer Jacob Zachar, who portrays her brother Rusty on the show.

“We’re pretty close. We hang out a lot,” she says of the cast. “They’re like family. We all kind of just bonded on the set in a lot of ways and we’ve become really good friends.”

As young stars finding Hollywood fame for the first time, it would be easy for the cast to suffer a setback or two. But while she’s a self-proclaimed tomboy, Grammer isn’t one for showing off her athletic skills in public.

“I don’t really go out that much, so I’ve never really done anything super crazy,” says Grammer, whose hobbies include painting, making travel collages and playing X-Box 360. “If I started doing cartwheels naked down Hollywood Boulevard maybe I’d get more press!”

“I just kind of stayed out of that,” she continues. “I went to college in New York and I’ve been working pretty much the whole time. When I work, I just don’t have time to be crazy. It might get crazier in the next couple months though!”

“Greek” and its second season recently returned with new episodes and Grammer points out that everyone involved in the show has “gotten better with their characters.” The cast also welcomed a guest star in singer-actor Jesse McCartney

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get to work with him at all, but we did hang out in the makeup room and stuff,” Grammer says of McCartney. “We gossiped a little bit. I don’t even remember what it was it was so uneventful. He’s super nice and awesome and unbelievably talented. It was such a pleasure to meet him.”

As for her future after “Greek,” Grammer plans to finish up that degree and then it’s simply a matter of anything and everything.

“I’m like beggars can’t be choosers,” she jokes, admitting she’s open to anything from film to theater and everything in-between. “No, I love every aspect of the entertainment industry. It’s just nice to play great parts and I think Casey is one of the best parts I’ve had the chance to play.”

“I’m really lucky and blessed to have all the opportunities that I have now,” adds Grammer. “I love what I do.”