We chatted with lead stars Alexander Ludwig (Bad Boys, The Hunger Games) and Jessica Frances Dukes (Ozark) about their post-apocalyptic yet optimistic new drama miniseries, “Earth Abides” streaming now on MGM+.
Isherwood ‘’Ish’’ Williams (Alexander Ludwig) is a geologist who wakes up after a world-ending pandemic, lonely and isolated from all, he soon forms a connection with another survivor, Emma (Jessica Frances Dukes) as they face the new and dangerous world together.
Throughout the episodes, we see the characters go through a metamorphosis as they evolve into a world being reclaimed by nature. Soon, other survivors join them as they must unite as they attempt to face challenges that put them at risk of division and danger. Do not expect zombies, infected, or massive action set pieces. This world ended with a whimper, and this story’s message is how humanity can survive while the Earth Abides. While the world ended, we did not.
The Knockturnal spoke with stars Alexander Ludwig and Jessica Frances Dukes about the series, its introspective nature, and their familiarity with the 1949 science fiction novel of the same name by George R. Stewart, which this series is based on. This is the first-ever adaptation of the classic story on the small screen. The novel was progressive for its time, while the show is very reassuring in its portrayal of the end of humanity.
On the star’s familiarity with the novel, “I was not. But then of course immediately I bought it and I started to read it, but then I was like, I only want to read where we are,” Dukes explained.
Her thought process was reading through the chapters that corresponded to the arc of each episode, “So I saw my reaction to it with fresh, not necessarily as an audience member, but whatever Emma went through and how it was described in the book. I took that from my emotional sort of memory bank of knowledge or whatever and created my version of that,” Dukes described.
She saw the book as the framework of the show, while also praising the creator, showrunner, writer, and executive producer for beautifully adapting the novel, Todd Komarnicki. Ludwig said that he had not read it before, but was amazed by it.
“[I] read the book and was immediately transfixed by it and it had this almost biblical kind of feeling and I immediately was like, I have to do this,” Ludwig said.
This was the right time for the show to come out, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, as the series sends a message of hope for humanity and trust in nature to heal itself. The first episode is all about Ish as he sees the devastation of the world, losing almost all hope. The show soon hits its stride in episode 2 with the introduction of Emma and their relationship.
The show won’t have you scared but will run through the whole gambit of emotions. The episodes can feel cozy and uplifting, but when the violence comes, it can hit hard while still keeping the uplifting feeling. There is a balance that is created and effectively maintained that shows the urgency that the characters are thrust upon with the drama and the stakes raised as the community grows and our characters encounter new challenges as they attempt to rebuild civilization.
The ensemble cast not only had amazing chemistry on screen, but off-screen as well, “Our whole cast. Yeah, we, you know, I think going through something like this bonds you in a way that not a lot of shows do. I will forever have a deep, deep connection to Jessica and our whole cast and crew from the top all the way down to the bottom,” Ludwig explains.
Dukes and Ludwig expressed how working on this series taught them a thing or two about life and survival, “I learned so much from her even just in researching her, learning like, how do you skin a cow? How do you, you know, plant? I do not have any bit of a green thumb. And I’m like, now I want to plant herbs… There’s so many things that I just took from her that I just absolutely loved,” Dukes said.
“My hope for people who watch the show is that they can leave remembering just how lucky we are to be able to share this beautiful planet together,” Ludwig explained.
Ludwig and Dukes’ performances were captivating as the characters adapted to so many situations but stood strong as pillars of their community. They felt very natural as they brought warmth, strength, and guidance to the screen. The series brings a gravitas that makes it feel like more than just another post-apocalypse show.
Earth Abides premiered on MGM+ on December 1st, there are six episodes in total, with the series culminating on December 29th, 2024.