Grace Gummer: She's her mother's daughter

Grace Gummer, whose homespun name doesn't reveal much of her maternal roots, is used to getting questions about Mom. Ask, and she smiles politely, head tilting to one side -- looking, alas, just like her mother. Albeit a young, coltish version, with bursts of energy, hand gestures and a full-out laugh.

Gummer, 25, is first to admit there are worse crosses to bear than being Meryl Streep's daughter. And then becoming an actress, too. No pressure, right? Then again, older sis Mamie Gummer did it.

After graduating from Vassar, Grace landed a role in the Off-Broadway play "The Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents," garnering praise for her portrayal of a sex-on-the-brain teen. She later appeared in Teen Nick's TV series "Gigantic," the new indie thriller "Meskada," and she has a small role in the upcoming Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts film "Larry Crowne."

For the past few months, she's been onstage at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in Tom Stoppard's acclaimed Broadway play "Arcadia," playing Chloë, a savvy teen lusting after a smug academic (Billy Crudup). She sat down with Newsday contributor Joseph V. Amodio to discuss "Arcadia" (which closes next Sunday) and, yes, the M word.

Is it sad, with "Arcadia" coming to an end?

Yes. Not that it gets easier. I'm never not nervous before going onstage. Like . . . what if I fall on my face? What if Billy forgets a line? It's live theater, anything can happen.

Well, at least you've never actually fallen.

Oh, I have! I run around a lot in this play, up and down that gravel path upstage. It's like pebbles, and you can slip. One day, in that scene where I throw the briefcase into Billy's face -- I throw it, run out . . . and fall! It was so bad the kid who plays Gus, the character who's mute in the show, was like, "Are you OK?"

Well . . . maybe the audience didn't see . . .

Oh, no, they saw.

But the show goes on.

Exactly.

You spend the play yearning after Billy Crudup -- sounds rough.

She laughs.] I was talking to my best friend who's in law school, and she's telling me about her class on criminal theft, or something. And I'm like, "Really? 'Cause I've been flirting with Billy Crudup all day. That's my job." Y'know, I watch this play as much as I can. I go back into the audience and . . .

Really? You leave backstage?

Yeah. I'm not onstage for a full hour. So I throw a shawl over my head, sneak into the back of the house, and it's . . . incredible. From the audience, I got a new sense of appreciation. It's so beautifully written. There's a cadence, it's like a symphony. I felt so lucky to know I could run back, get into costume and be up there.

Do the ushers ever ask for your ticket?

[She smiles.] Nahhh. That would be funny, though.

"Larry Crowne" is coming out soon. And you play . . .

A student in Julia Roberts' speech class. It was intense, people running around. They've even got a masseuse on set. I was like . . . "I can get a massage right now?" Tom Hanks directed, and he was great. But all of a sudden, there's two cameras on me, all these people watching, Julia Roberts sitting there, and Tom Hanks says, "And . . . action!" And you're like . . . ummm. It was the most nerve-racking thing I've ever done.

Now for the inevitable family question . . .

Yesss . . .

What's your dad really like?

Ha!

I'm serious. We know about your mom. But what's Don Gummer like?

My dad's great. He's an amazing artist. A sculptor. He's wonderful and supportive. I love going to museums with him -- we talk about . . . everything.

I saw some of his sculpture. It's . . . big. Architectural. Like undulating buildings.

He's incredibly visual. I feel he's like me, in that I have a hard time expressing myself. I can't . . . really put . . . words to what I'm thinking.

Do you get tired of people always asking about your mother?

Well, it's inevitable. I mean, for me, she's just . . .

A regular mom?

Yeah, exactly, the one who yells at me about the dishwasher. I'm just lucky to have great parents. My sister's an actress. My brother's a musician. I found it hard growing up in such a . . . creatively driven family. I wanted to have this thing to create, myself. I feel like I finally found that.

None of you got a science gene, huh?

My little sister may be into that. But she's young, she doesn't know. I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer when I was growing up. Or I'd still love to teach, maybe.

You never know. Could happen.

Could happen.