Best known for his powerful presence and thoughtful performances, Merrick McCartha brings layered intensity to his role as District Attorney Grayson Valwell in Amazon Prime’s new crime thriller Countdown.
In this exclusive interview, McCartha opens about stepping into the world of high-stakes justice, working alongside television icons, the lessons learned from theatre, and how he stays grounded in an industry full of noise.
From Detroit roots to commanding a room with quiet strength, McCartha’s journey is one of both discipline and inspiration.
Congratulations on your role as District Attorney Grayson Valwell in Amazon Prime’s new thriller “Countdown.” Can you tell me about the show and role in it?
The show is an action/crime thriller about a secret task force in Los Angeles that’s been assembled to stop a major, dangerous threat to the city. My role is Grayson Valwell. I’m an attorney, but I’m also kind of a politician. I’m trying to get into the group and understand what’s happening so I can assist. I have a lot of resources, and I want to help the team stop this threat.
Did any director or episode offer a unique creative challenge or stood out during production?
I can’t say it was a challenge. It’s been a great group to work with. Production has been fantastic. I’m working with stellar actors and icons. Eric Dane is an iconic television actor, and most of my scenes are with him. Initially, I was a little nervous meeting and working with someone so well-known.
That faded quickly because we just got to work, and you realize you’re both actors there to do the job. I was also thrilled to meet Jensen Ackles. I didn’t have any scenes with him, but we did meet on set, and he was really gracious. He’s every bit the great guy people say he is.
Is there anyone that you’ve been starstruck before?
The first time I realized I was starstruck was years ago. I was working as a waiter in a fancy restaurant. I was just going about my evening, and suddenly this bald man walked in. I stopped in my tracks. It was Patrick Stewart. He has such commanding presence I was frozen.
I also did a show called 9-1-1, a drama that’s like an action series about firefighters and police. Angela Bassett plays the lead officer. My first day on set, I had to be very stern with her in the scene. I’d just met her, and here I was, expected to be intense and serious. That was tough, because I admire her so much. But she was incredibly gracious.
That scene was also with Dawn Lewis. So, my first day was acting stern with two iconic women. That was definitely a moment.
What is an interesting skill that you have picked up from the roles that you have played so far in your career?
Memorization. I memorize very quickly. Also, acting when no one is there. Sometimes you’re performing to a camera that’s directly in your face, and the other actor isn’t even present. You still must deliver with the same intensity and focus.
That takes practice. Some people get nervous or distracted, but as an actor, that’s part of the job. Acting in film and TV means working with the camera in your space and making it work.
You were born in Detroit. Were you surrounded by the performing arts as a child and was it at a young age when your interest in acting began?
My mom was a big Motown fan. Our house was filled with music The Temptations, The Whispers, and so many R&B artists. I knew all the lyrics from a young age because she played those records constantly.
I went to CASS TECH, a nationally reknowned high school focused on science and math, but it also had a strong arts program. It was like Fame a lot of talented dancers, singers, and actors. That’s where I dipped my toes into performance. I took a dance class and got involved in theatre, but I was still focused on math and science. I was afraid to take the risk of pursuing acting seriously at that time.
I dabbled, but I didn’t truly pursue acting until years later.
You are a trained theatre actor and an active member of The Road Theatre Company. Do you use different techniques?
I think every actor who does both would agree it all comes down to truth. Whether you’re on stage or in front of a camera, audiences can tell when you’re being truthful emotionally.
On stage, you need to articulate more clearly and sometimes amplify expressions so the back row gets it. On screen, the camera is right there. You don’t have to do anything overt. Just feel it, and it will show in your face and body naturally. That’s when the best acting happens when it’s involuntary and authentic.
Do you kind of like prefer theatre to film and tv or was it the other way around?
I love both. They’re completely different experiences.
With theatre, you’re performing for a live audience. You’ve trained for weeks or months, and once the curtain goes up, you can’t stop. You can feel when the audience is with you or not. That feedback helps sharpen your skills and makes you a better performer.
On set, it’s more technical. You take what you’ve learned from stage what connects and adapt it. With camera work, subtlety is powerful. Doing nothing can mean everything.
On stage, doing nothing might not land.
Actors should explore both. You grow in different ways through each medium.
Is there a theatre production that you really wanted to do?
I’ve never done Othello, and I’d love to. I’ve done some Chekhov, and I recently performed in The Seagull, which was a lot of fun.
What was your first professional role and were you nervous?
My first full stage production was The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, where I played Pontius Pilate.
He’s this bombastic, abrasive character which I’m not in real life so it was fun to play someone completely different.
It was an ensemble cast, so I wasn’t alone on stage. I had support, and we all really loved working together. That sense of ensemble helped ease the nerves.
What was your first professional TV role?
The first professional onscreen television was I did an episode of Criminal Minds.
So fun thing about this and the business of acting is you get to book a role on a television show and me starting out, it wasn’t a big role, it was a small role.
I was a new actor, so I go in and I’m playing a doctor on the show. It’s an episode where the killer bust into the doctor’s room and I’m trying to treat a woman patient, and I turn and I’m saying a couple things. So, I did that. I was very proud and excited, and they ended up cutting the whole thing.
My agent called; he said they’re going to bring you back. They’ll certainly will make it up to you. But they had to cut it because the episode was running too long so they couldn’t include it.
I went back and I auditioned for a couple things, and I booked a much bigger role, for the same show. I was playing the mayor and Shamar Moore was on set that day and Jennifer Le Hewitt was there too. It was really fun. I had a great time.
You have had experience in life away from performing, such as engineering. Do you think that has helped you when preparing for roles and getting into character?
Yes! Acting for the camera requires preparation. I use my nerdy engineering brain to organize my process. I make checklists, I plan, I prep.
It might seem ironic, but that technical prep helps me be less technical when I perform. It frees me to just be human and present.
I ask myself: Who am I? Where am I? What do I want? Who are they to me? That structure helps me feel ready.
Do you create playlists for your roles?
Absolutely. Music sets the tone. It brings a certain energy.
Acting often happens subconsciously. You know your lines, but when you’re really in a scene, it’s not about reciting it’s about listening and letting your response happen organically.
Was there any particular songs for District Attorney Grayson Valwell?
Yes! For Grayson, I play “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J. It has that confident stride, that rhythm of someone in control. It helps me get into his mindset.
Is there someone in this industry, an actor or a figure who has really inspired by you?
There’s lots of people that I am inspired by particularly in acting. My father was a big influence on me growing up just having good strong values.
As an actor one of the first people that really inspired me was Gary Oldman. When I saw his performance in The Professional (Leon) I was blown away by his intensity. He was so fluid with everything and whimsical in delivering his lines and how he portrayed the character. I’ve always wanted to work on as an actor to getting that intensity.
It’s interesting one of the recent episodes of Countdown I was inspired by a scene I saw in Slow Horses. Gary Oldman’s boss Kristin Scott Thomas in the show she’s sitting at her desk. She’s writing something down and he comes in and she just ignores him as she’s talking to him.
I thought that was powerful. When I got to Countdown. There was a scene where I’m sitting at my desk, and Eric Dane comes in and it’s not in the script that I’m writing or doing anything.
It says that I’m just sitting there waiting for him to show up because I know I’ve done something to hurt him. When I got to set, I did it where I was writing something down and working as he comes in and sort of ignoring him and Derek, didn’t say a word, didn’t change anything, he liked what I did.
Another actor that is a great influence is Denzel Washington. I’m a big fan.
There’s another episode that hasn’t aired yet where I was doing a scene with someone and there is a certain thing that Denzel Washington does sometimes when he is acting I do the thing, I’m not going to say what it’s now because I’m rolling on, but if anyone who reads this interview can pick it out let us know because that’s something I was focusing on. I’m excited to see how it turns out.
I think you should take inspiration from things that you’re seeing other actors do, and don’t look at it as you’re copying, but it’s an inspiration. You’re going to do it your own unique way.
It is a dream for many people to be a successful actor. What keeps you grounded?
My family and my wife. I’ve learned that what makes an actor great is their connection to real life and real people. If you start thinking, “I’m a movie star,” you’ve missed the point. Most stories are about ordinary people with real struggles.
I love being out in public, connecting with people. It helps me stay human and that’s what acting is about.
Is there a question you would love to be asked but never have been?
I’d love to talk more about different acting techniques I like to use.
After Countdown, what projects do you have lined up?
There are projects I filmed before Countdown that haven’t aired yet. One is a sitcom called House of Payne, where I play the dad of one of the characters. I’ve been on the show a couple times now, and we recently shot more. It’s been so much fun.
I also worked on another show I’m proud of. I can’t reveal the name yet, but it’s a reboot of a television series from the ’80s and ’90s. I’m excited for it to come out.
Whether he’s portraying a sharp district attorney, performing Chekhov on stage, or channelling Denzel’s nuance on camera, Merrick McCartha approaches each role with curiosity, craft, and authenticity.
As he continues to carve his path in television and beyond, McCartha remains a thoughtful artist with a clear passion for storytelling and a grounded connection to real life. With Countdown now streaming and new projects on the horizon, this is just the beginning of what promises to be a compelling chapter in McCartha’s ever-evolving career.