Gracie Lawrence 'Lives for' Jonathan Groff's Spit in Broadway's Just in Time: 'I Want That Talent Juice'

Published: June 4, 2025

Gracie Lawrence, the 28-year-old singer and actress, has earned her first Tony nomination for her role as Connie Francis in the Bobby Darin bio-musical. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, she opened up about her experience working alongside Jonathan Groff, who is known for his "wet" singing style.

Lawrence joked about getting spit on during performances, saying, "He's spit inside me, up my nose, his saliva — but I live for it. Give it to me!" She also expressed her admiration for Groff's talent, saying, "If any of his saliva could rub off on me, I want that talent juice! I want it!"

In Just in Time, Lawrence plays Connie Francis, a trailblazing pop star whose unmistakable voice and heartache anthems defined a generation. With chart-topping hits like "Stupid Cupid" and "Where the Boys Are," Francis became one of the most successful female artists of the late 1950s and early 1960s. But offstage, her life was far more complicated: she and Darin shared a secret love affair, one ultimately doomed by her domineering father, who forbade the relationship and kept them apart.

Lawrence told PEOPLE that she was unaware of Francis's life story until she began working on the project. "I was a fan of Connie Francis's music my whole life, I knew all the hits. I didn't know her deep catalog — which now, I really might be the craziest Connie Francis fan ever; I could go really deep," she said.

Lawrence and Francis share a lot in common. Both found fame in the music industry at a young age and had to endure their own pressures that came with fame. Lawrence said, "I think a lot about the similarities between us, and also how challenging it probably was to be a woman in the pop music scene of the late 1950s and early 1960s."

Lawrence's Tony nomination took her by surprise, saying, "I was genuinely so shocked. To be welcomed into this community so lovingly has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am happy to just be performing every night. It's such a gift, but this really feels like such a very large cherry on top."

As for working with Groff, spit aside, it appears pretending to fall in love with the 40-year-old Tony winner is a joy. Lawrence said, "It's really hard. It's really hard to fall in love with Jonathan Groff. Yeah, it's really a challenge. I'm a really good actor."

Tickets to Just in Time are on sale now. Catch Gracie Lawrence and Jonathan Groff in this heartwarming Broadway bio-musical.

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