TV & Movies
There are some things that you just dont want peoples opinions on.
Every minute is precious when it comes to interviewing a major star.
So, naturally, Jodie Turner-Smith and I kick off our call by catching up on all thingsEuphoria.
Turner-Smith often shares herEuphoriareactions on Twitter, much to the delight of her followers.
The episode where Eric Dane acted out Cals meltdown was brilliant.
I texted Eric immediately.
Another thing to note about Turner-Smith is that she casually drops the f-bomb, often.
It falls from her lips with great ease.
But shes not completely unguarded.
The actor is jaded enough to not put all of herself out there.
Shes been burned before, but well get into that later.
Born in Peterborough, the 35-year-old moved to the U.S. Maryland, to be exact as a child.
She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband of three years and their 23-month-old daughter.
When we talk, Turner-Smith is in Florida for work, and she has mixed feelings about the location.
Its sunny, but with humidity, so its much nicer in that regard, but its Florida.
Sorry to anyone whos from Florida, but you know.
Were here to talk about Turner-Smiths new film,After Yang.
Turner-Smith plays mum Kyra, opposite Colin Farrell, who portrays her on-screen husband, Jake.
The intense drama explores what it is to be human.
It takes Yang dying for the family to realise just how much he had trulylived.
The existential observations at the crux of the film undoubtedly attracted Turner-Smith to the role.
c’mon, God, let the future look like that, the actor says.
The relationship between Yang and Mika is so incredible.
If our technology could really do that… how beautiful.
The film is centered on an interracial family, something that Turner-Smith herself can relate to.
Even with the focus on mechanical beings, this film, at its heart, is about human issues.
Kyra, as a mum, feels this more so.
Do any of those elements resonate with you at all?
For women, its always going to be something that we struggle with.
Were in a patriarchal society.
First of all, we were told we couldnt go to work.
Well, white women, at least.
We were told that our place was in the kitchen.
Then its like, if you are going to work, theres something unwomanly about you.
This was the first time that I played a mum, then I became a mum shortly after.
Im glad some of those issues resonated.
I was 100% operating in the blind.
I had no clue, really.
Kyra defends her husband for staying late at work, yet is wracked with guilt when she does it.
Its an interesting dynamic, dont you think?
Shes covering for him, which a lot of women do.
Being in an interracial relationship yourself, how did you relate to that union of cultures?
Were not battling racism, were battling whats really separating us a lack of understanding.
Yes, I certainly share a lot less about myself now.
We were on the internet and chat rooms, using social media, right when it started.
Were used to sharing everything.
As soon as people feel like youre in the public eye, suddenly what you share becomes political.
It becomes political that youve chosen a partner whos outside your race.
It becomes political that your child is mixed-race.
The more people know who you are, the more people have an opinion on those things.
And there are some things that you just dont want peoples f*cking opinions on.
So Ive learnt to share a little bit less.
Everything in life has a light and dark side.
There is a yin and a yang [laughs].
How do you deal with it?
I had to turn off my message requests, and honestly, my mental health improved.
My life is so much better without that.
The thing is, there are a lot of people who are hurting.
We all want attention and connection.
If were lucky and mentally stable, well seek it in the right ways.
After Yangis an intense body of work.
As Kyra, your scenes are often confined to the four walls of the house.
Was it hard to break away from that intensity at the end of the working day?
For me, I like to keep it as separate as I can, but it doesnt always work.
At the end of the day, your body doesnt know whats real and whats false.
I bring my daughter everywhere I go.
After a scene, when I go to the trailer to be with her, Im just her mum.
Im her fathers wife.
Shes like, Booby.
[Laughs] You know what I mean?
Its a very close-set cast.
Did you get a chance to bond with Colin before filming?
I met him the day I auditioned, but we immediately had a connection.
There was a mutual respect.
Our friendship grew as we filmed in that little house.
All of us [cast and crew] shared a beautiful communal energy.
We became a family for that short time.
Thefamily dance sequenceat the beginning of the film is so visually pleasing.
You were all perfectly in-sync.
Tell me, how was it to film?
I had three days to learn that dance, because I came onto the film last minute.
I got hired on a Thursday, and we started on the Monday.
The first scene I filmed was that dance.
When you get to do something physical, you’re free to get out of your head.
The body does not know how to lie.
Its extremely athletic, too.
Youre fcking sweating your tts off.
I was like, Im gonna relearn this dance!
Congratulations on your NAACP Outstanding Actress nomination for your lead turn inAnne Boleyn.
You facedignorance and backlashwhen you were cast as the first Black woman to play the role on screen.
Do you feel somewhat vindicated now that your performance has been heralded?
And if they did end up hate-watching it, then good for me, thank you for that watch.
I was really proud of myself for doing it, thats what made me feel vindicated.
I didnt leave anything on the table, I know I gave my whole self.
I was raw, five-months postpartum, I felt like I could feel everything.
It was such a fun, juicy character to play.
I had fun and I worked hard, and thats all that matters.
Im grateful to have been recognised [with a nomination].
But if any part of the acknowledgement validates your experience, then youre always going to look for that.
I tried to divorce myself from what people were saying about my performance.
I let that be something for my husband and friends to celebrate.
AfterQueen & Slim, I found that reading reviews is a sure way to break your heart.
If the good ones mean something to you, then the bad ones will crush you.
[Laughs] Well, you know, hes just kind of the perfect husband.
In my case, I got him after all of his super wild days.
I get all of the experience and none of the crazy.
The experience makes him better.
He would do anything for me.
Im so lucky that Ive chosen him to be the father of my daughter.
But unfortunately, I have to keep that off the internet.
But I do want to brag a little bit.
[Laughs]
After Yang premieres in the U.S. on March 4 at 9pm on Showtime.
Its set to debut in the UK later this year.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
This article was originally published onMarch 4, 2022
