Courtney Grace tells how news-anchor experience helped in pivotal ‘Disclosure Day’ role

Former news anchor turned actress Courtney Grace shared how her journalism background helped her prepare for her role in “Disclosure Day.”

Grace portrays an NBC News anchor who finds herself at the center of a groundbreaking broadcast as Margaret and Daniel, played by Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor, release secret government footage exposing decades of alien encounters.

In an interview with Variety, Grace reflected on how years spent as a news reporter influenced her approach to acting. She said 7 years in broadcast journalism taught her to deliver information clearly while keeping personal reactions in check. 

That discipline, combined with three years of acting training, helped her navigate scripts and stay grounded on set. The “Sweet Magnolias” actress called both experiences “absolutely necessary” to her performance, adding that being back behind a news desk “felt like home,” especially with a teleprompter in front of her.

Grace said acting had long been an ambition. She recalled auditioning for a school play in elementary school, where she struggled to get through a few lines and didn’t land the role. The experience stayed with her, carrying a belief that she wasn’t “cut out for it.” She later performed in high school musicals, but the self-doubt lingered on for years.

Still, she said the desire to act never fully disappeared. After building a career in journalism, the pull towards acting grew stronger until about three years ago, when she decided to pursue it again. Encouraged by those around her to go and “do it,” she enrolled in acting classes. Afterwards, she only had a $500 booking.  She said stepping onto that set was when everything finally “clicked.”

Discussing her final broadcast scene in the film, Grace called working with director Steven Spielberg and writer David Koepp a “gift.” Although she only received her own scenes rather than the full script, she felt what was provided gave her everything she needed. She also praised the film’s portrayal of journalists responding to extraordinary events in real time.

Spielberg's Disclosure Day, starring Blunt, O'Connor, and Colin Firth, opened in Philippine cinemas on June 10.