On December 11, 2020, Amazon will be premiering the original television series The Wilds.
A group of teenage girls from various identities and backgrounds find themselves stranded on a deserted island. A retreat meant to give the girls useful skills, help with college applications, and create forever bonds goes haywire after a plane crash. As a result, eight teenage girls are left stranded on an island.
The television series created by Sarah Streicher was inspired by the emotions that come with heartbreak. Streicher was inspired by those feelings and how they parallel to being a teenager. The “dystopian slumber party” explores heartbreak, love, confusion, social pressure, and all the things that make being a teenage girl not just difficult but a complex experience. The show questions which experience is more burdensome being an American teen or being stranded on a deserted island with several strangers.
While discussing the show there is a sense of excitement from the cast and crew. For many of the leading actors, this was their first time being cast in a lead role. The Knockturnal was able to sit down with the cast and discuss their preparation processes and bringing Sarah Streicher’s vision to life. Stars Mia Healey and Shannon Berry, who are both from Australia, utilized Matthew McConaughey films and a dialect coach to develop the rhythm of their Texan characters. Watching films and reading became a powerful preparation tool for the cast Erana James, Sarah Pigeon, and Jenna Clause who all used art to better understand the personalities and the worlds their characters were navigating.
By building upon the characters actresses Erana James and Jenna Clause were able to honor and depict their indigenous heritage with the characters of Toni and Martha. The actresses discussed their indigenous heritage and being able to depict it on screen. They share a sense of pride in not just their backgrounds but the ability to highlight them on-screen. With The Wilds the eight girls come from different backgrounds, but, they all end up on the same island bonding over experiences and the cast in many ways is reflective of that.
We caught up with Sarah Streicher (Creator & EP), Amy B. Harris (EP & Showrunner), Reign Edwards (RACHEL), Helena Howard (NORA), Sarah Pidgeon (LEAH), Mia Healey (SHELBY), Shannon Berry (DOT), Sophia Ali (FATIN),Erana James (TONI) and Jenna Clause (MARTHA) to discuss working on the exciting show. Check out our exclusive interviews above!
