WGN’s hit show “Underground” returns for season 2 on Wednesday, March 8.
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The Knockturnal was lucky enough to secure interviews with the cast of the hit NBC show “This Is Us.”
Actress Jasika Nicole can be seen on season two of WGN’s hit show Underground. Nicole previously starred on Fringe.
Season two of WGN’s 10-episode, hour-long hit series Underground, follows an unremitting struggle for freedom within a divided America on the brink of civil war, each side vying to enact their own justice. Set in the aftermath of the Macon 7’s daring attempt to stage the greatest escape in history, this group of American heroes continues on their harrowing journey to freedom, with legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman blazing the trail.
We sat down with the show’s stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Aldis Hodge to the discuss what fans can expect. Be sure to tune in on Wednesday March 8, 2017 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Congratulations on the new season. Can you tell us about the relationship has evolved between Rosalee and Noah?
Aldis: How can we say it without spoilers?
Aldis: Well, see where we end off, so Noah has been in jail this entire time. By the time we come back to the first episode, we haven’t seen each other.
Jurnee: In months.
Aldis: So we don’t really know what’s going on, so the love is still strong, but there’s a lot of curiosity. We’ve both had our personal journey of growth, so that coming into the rest of the season, how it plays out, you’ll see a very different side of how they relate.
Jurnee: Yeah, it’s almost like, Rosalee and … I was going to say, Noahlee.
Aldis: Noahlee.
Jurnee: #noahlee. Rosalee and Noah are like, star crossed lovers. I mean, the love is there, but the circumstances are just so unfortunate that prevent them from really being able to just live a happy life.
Aldis: If I may say, it feels kind of Romeo and Juliette in nature.
Jurnee: Yeah, it is. You know If in any other time and any other moment, they would be able to just settle down, and have a family and live happily ever after, but unfortunately, the environment prevents that from happening again and again. So the struggle for them is to just get back together. Rosalee wants to break Noah out of prison.
Aldis: That’s if they can get back together.
Jurnee: And I think the beautiful thing about the way Misha and Joe write is, these stories are so relatable. They just put that storyline in this time period. We can just see ourselves in these characters.
Absolutely. Can you speak a little bit about Rosalee? She’s more on the forefront. She’s out on the Underground Railroad. Can you speak a little bit about the journey that she’s taking this season?
Jurnee: Rosalee has really become a completely different person. Yet, that person was always inside of her. She just was trapped in the big house in season one. We see in season two how she’s run to the north, gained her own freedom and realizes that freedom’s not so free. The sacrifices, she has to pay for her own freedom, she can’t live with that. She can’t sacrifice her family. She can’t sacrifice Noah, so she’s got to go back and rescue them.
In that process, she’s been trained up by Harriet Tubman to be soldier. She knows how to work this Underground system and how to transfer cargo. In the process, she’s really become a soldier. Not just in the sense of being a gun slinger, which she is, but mentally. She’s strong. She’s tough and she’s smart. She’s always been super intelligent and knows how to engineer things for her greater good. It’s exciting, because season two, she really comes out of her shell.
There’s so many themes in this show that resonate with what’s going on today in America. Can you reflect on that a little bit? It’s a little bit of a heavy question.
Aldis: Heavy. It’s honest. It’s an honest question. It’s unfortunate that there so many ties, but I think the beauty of being on show like this, where there is relevance is you can go back and see what was done, that you don’t want to repeat. You can go back and see the progress and the productivity of being, I guess, being open. You know, and understanding the true values of what it means to be in this nation.
It’s great when you have an example and you can be a part of an example, that continues to teach people how to look above and go beyond, our own fears and stereotypes. If we can be that, or at least be a part of that as we stand today, that’s fantastic. You know, as artists, it’s nice to pepper your work with something that actually effects your audience in a way beyond entertainment.
Jurnee: Yeah. The theme of this season is citizen versus soldier. Which really challenges all of us, because we see what happens when we are complacent. When we’re bystanders.
Aldis: Just being a citizen.
Jurnee: Yeah, and we see the necessity of being a soldier and rising up, and resisting wrong. Not letting our nation go back to this time. I think one thing I love so much about our characters is, this season they’re running towards danger. They’re taking the fight head-on and that takes a lot of courage to do what no one else is willing to do.
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Season two of WGN’s 10-episode, hour-long hit series Underground, follows an unremitting struggle for freedom within a divided America on the brink of civil war, each side vying to enact their own justice. Set in the aftermath of the Macon 7’s daring attempt to stage the greatest escape in history, this group of American heroes continues on their harrowing journey to freedom, with legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman blazing the trail.
We sat down with the show’s stars Amirah Vann and Jessica De Gouw to the discuss what fans can expect. Be sure to tune in on Wednesday March 8, 2017 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Congratulations on another new season. The first episode was so intense. Your character, she’s in this very dark spiral. Can you tell us about playing out those dark moments?
Amirah: Yeah. You know, you got to go there. I feel like season was received so well. Our fans were so amazing that we all kind of agreed, that we wanted to commit as much as possible to season two. Go even farther. Really kind of try to enhance what was already written on these amazing scripts. It’s just about falling right into it.
Your character is more on the forefront. Can you share what fans can expect?
Jessica: Well, I think the first season Elizabeth was learning a lot. The second season is very much about what it means now. Her having found her new path. How far you have to go to commit to that.
Being from Australia, what was your perspective diving into the material?
Jessica: I had an idea of American history, but the Underground Railroad, specifically, no not really. It’s my understanding that a lot of Americans sort of don’t know enough about it as well. Yeah, a lot of learning, but we’ve had a season now to really get a grip on it. It’s just taking it to the next level.
For you, Pearly Mae seems to be haunting you. Can you speak a little bit about that and those tough decisions she had to make for her family.
Amirah: Yeah. I think that just, people loved, loved, loved that relationship and loved that character. It just makes sense, just how the past can kind of haunt you and that it carries on with you. It’s just what Miss Earnestine is going to constantly be struggling against is all the new, like how to exist in this new world. You can’t extinguish the past completely, as much as you try.
Your character is no longer in the house. She’s doing a lot of hard work out on the field and it’s taking toll. Can you speak a little bit about that emotionally?
Amirah: I think the same way that we learned season one, there was no difference. In the field, in the house, it’s torturous either way. There’s no benefit to either. I think the real tortures are psychological. The real tortures are the new relationship and that emotional relationship. The institution of slavery is awful whether you’re in the house or outside of the house.
Absolutely. For your character, she joins this sewing club of sorts. Can you tell us a little it about what fans can expect from this club?
Jessica: The sewing circle. I guess, the sewing circle is just about sort of showing that there are so many people involved in the Underground Railroad. There are people behind the scenes and a lot of different walks of life, all trying to rectify this horrible situation [with] what is happening. It’s about introducing this new bunch of women who are doing their part.
Can you tell us a little but about working with John Legend? He joins the cast!
Jessica: He does. Frederick Douglass.
Underground
Season 2, Episode 5
Air Date: April 5, 2017
Pictured: Alano Miller, John Legend, Chris Chalk, Jake Dellinger
Amirah: Yeah, he’s fantastic. He’s such a committed artist. He’s such a committed human being to human rights. I mean, I feel like he just embraced it, like he embraces everything. As an artist, really excited about it and we were excited to have him in that capacity, because he’s already an extraordinary EP for music. It’s just another blessing of just being surrounded by really extraordinary artists.
My last question is, can you share what you admire about Joe and Misha as writers and creators?
Amirah: Everything.
Jessica: Yeah. I mean, look at the show.
Amirah: Oh, yeah.
Jessica: Very exceptional. Also, they stick to their guns, I think. Their creative path is sort of very, very sure, which I appreciate.
Amirah: Yeah. I feel like, if they stick to any pocket, it’s just a pocket of truth. I think that’s what makes art really fantastic and kind of go farther is when you’re living in truth. When you look at your page and that’s what you have to go on, you’re starting from a great place.
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Walter Presents bring the best of international television to the United States this spring.