Kate Mara admits shock twist in ‘Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea’ didn’t ‘affect my performance’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“The most surprising thing is how fun the shoot is,” reveals Kate Mara about working on “Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea.” In our recent webchat she adds, “The world my character is inhabiting and everything she’s feeling is isolated and lonely, yet it was such an amazing set to be on.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
“Black Mirror” is the anthology series created by Charlie Brooker in which each episode takes on new characters and stories to tell a dystopian tale using sci-fi technology. Mara says each episode “moves us in one way or another. Whether it’s to tears, shock, terror or laughter. Charlie always finds a way of getting people to react.”
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SEEour video interview with Josh Hartnett (‘Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea’
“Beyond the Sea” is a feature from the sixth season of the show. Set in 1969, Mara plays Lana, the wife of astronaut Cliff (Aaron Paul) who has just moved to the country. She lives with an artificial replica of her husband, which Cliff can transport his consciousness into while on a years-long space mission. When the only other astronaut on the mission loses his family, Lana suggests he use Cliff’s replica to get relief in the countryside.
Mara explains, “Charlie wrote it in isolation during COVID. It explores how isolation effects us as humans. My character feels isolated for so long. Then her husband, who’s not actually her husband, starts to relate to her in a way that makes her feel like she is seen. It givers her such light and hope. That’s how I was looking at the episode. How human connection is so important to our existence and survival.”
With Paul playing both astronauts inhabiting the replica, Mara says, “Aaron’s physical being is there but when he’s acting as David-Cliff, that’s what they called him in the script, he’s relating to me in a totally different way. He’s more present. He’s connecting more with my character. It really wasn’t that difficult for it to feel different and react differently.”
In typical “Black Mirror” fashion, “Beyond the Sea” ends with a shocking twist as David makes a violent and disturbing choice. Even though the actress knew it was coming, Mara admits, “The end is totally irrelevant for what I’m doing before that. It’s doesn’t effect my performance or choices in the way it would effect Josh’s. But I was surprised when I read it. I didn’t expect it to go there.”
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