Cave Creek’s Mark Grossman takes on Genoa City

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Life is funny, according to Cave Creek native Mark Grossman.

The Cactus Shadows High School graduate rode dirt bikes and played sports until his mid-20s, when a modeling scout recruited him.

Last year, things changed for Grossman. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Adam Newman on “The Young and the Restless.”

Grossman was nominated his first year on the show. The prize ultimately went to co-star Bryton James, who plays Devon Hamilton on “The Young and the Restless.”

“To be nominated in the first year was so amazing,” Grossman says. “It was very nice. Before this, I had never done daytime. It’s on five days a week, so the workload is a lot more. We shoot things at a much faster pace. It took a while to get used to the pace and volume.”

Grossman said “The Young and the Restless” films five episodes in four days, Tuesday to Friday. He usually takes a break from working on Saturday, but he starts reading scripts on Sundays and Mondays.

When Grossman auditioned for the show, he wasn’t sure of the role. He’s glad he ended up where he did.

“Adam Newman is such a great character,” he says. “I love characters like that. He has a push-and-pull relationship with his father. Adam is the black sheep of the family. There’s so much to play. He’s super compassionate and loving, but he has a very dark side.

“It’s always fun playing the dark side and stirring up the drama.”

The Newman family is the core of “The Young and the Restless.” He is grateful to be a part of a show where many actors and actresses have spent most of their career.

“The great thing about soaps is they’re ongoing,” Grossman says. “That’s the exciting part. The stories are ongoing. The stories are always changing as time goes on. I enjoy going to work.”

The best piece of advice he received was from co-star Peter Bergman, who plays Jack Abbott on the show.

“He’s so nice,” he says. “He told me to just be bold and make bold choices because it’s always going to be a new day in Genoa City.”

Grossman says Cave Creek was a great place to spend his childhood. His first job was as a busboy at Harold’s Cave Creek Corral.

He tries to return to the Valley as often as he can, generally on holidays and when he gets time off to see friends and family.

“When I come home, I love hiking Piestewa Peak,” he says.

He had a taste of acting in Arizona when he appeared in the 2016 Tom Sizemore movie “Durant’s Never Closes.”

“I had a small part. I was one of the kids in the booth,” Grossman says. “I had never eaten at Durant’s before. When I did that movie, I couldn’t believe how good the food was.”