Sense8 Season 2 Premieres at NYC’s AMC Lincoln Square…
The second season of Sense8 will premiere on Netflix in just one week on May 8th. To celebrate the monumental success of the first season, cast members and executive producer Grant Hill held a special premiere of the first two episodes on April 26th 2017 at AMC Lincoln Square.
A ground breaking series that highlights diversity and talent from all over the world mixed with the Wachowski’s sisters genius directing. This show combines mystery, sensuality, politics into this action packed drama, which is why it is no surprise that it is a world-wide hit.
Following straight from where the series left off in the first season, we see Will and Riley hiding away from Whispers and the plot line only gets more complicated and operates at a much quicker pace than the first season. Yet at its fore front, our common humanity is at the core of every episode, which is especially welcoming during this current political climate.
The Knocturnal was able to get exclusive interview with cast members Tina Desai as Kala, Max Riemelt as Wolfgang, Terrence Mann as Mr.Whispers, Daryl Hannah as Angelica, and newly added cast members Toby Onwumere as Capheus and Valeria Bilello as Lila.
Q: Hi Valeria, what can you tell us about your character, Lila?
Valeria: Well, Lana was very secure about what kind of Italian woman she was looking for. She was inspired by a book called “My brilliant friend,” there is one character that she loved and the idea of femininity that she was looking for was Italian. Smart, clever, quick, dangerous, sexy but in a very independent way. Wait patiently and then attack.
Q: What feedbacks have you gotten from your character?
Valeria: Well, clearly, I have to wait one year to speak about this role. There was a lot of attention and rumors. I waited because it’s worth it and I can share this with my fans. We started to read and prepare the character for a year before shooting.
Q: Hi Terrence, what do you think the second season will bring out that the first didn’t?
Terrence: Well, you try to bring out more of who these folks are. We do a deep dive into the humanity of everybody and the sense8’s learn who each other are and learn to trust. For my character, you get more back story. I think on a visceral level you get power and love.
Q: Hi Toby, can you tell us a little bit about your character’s growth?
Toby: We can see who he is to his community, the Kenyan community. That really blossoms quickly and unexpectedly in a different arena because I’m a driver but I may be in a whole different setting. So it’s a dive into the deep end but I got my seven family members. I meet a nice lady and we get to spend time so it would be a great addition. I think he grew a lot in maturity, in his love life and he has a great deal of responsibility.
Q: Toby, what was your process for preparing for this role?
Toby: I knew that this change, a re-cast of the character, might get some people to be resistant. But the cast welcomed me. Everybody had a caring thing for me and it’s lovely. I just want to come here and say what I think is beautiful and be an advocate for the show.
Q: Hi Max Riemelt, can you tell us a little bit about your character this season?
Max: Well, there’s a lot of growth. We all change. So it’s constant change. It’s good to see and a really good lesson to learn. Not to be defined by singular labels because our lives are more complex than just a box.
Q: Max, what is it like to travel with all these people for six months?
Max: It’s great, it’s like a second family and I’m enjoying this process!
Q: Hi Daryl, what can you tell us about your character’s development this season?
Daryl: I think you understand more of who Angel is and where she came from. Why she did what she did in season one; which is pretty gnarly.
Q: Hi Tina, what is the difference for you shooting this season in comparison to last season?
Tina: This season is far more intense in every way. We are shooting in a lot more cities. There are a lot more sense8 happening, so we visit each other a lot more. Connecting with each other more. In my personal storyline, I’m married now so we’re exploring that situation. Then there’s the classical situation of trying to avoid Whispers and as a scientist, how do I help to avoid the Whispers. There are some fight scenes and my role comes in to help deal with the physical well being and health of everyone. There’s a lot more drama, comedy and romance and edge of your scene.
Q: Tina, what’s your process for getting ready for this role?
Tina: You have to be ready and shooting the first season, we kind of know what our characters are and beyond that, I don’t have a process because Lana re-writes things on the day. She’s inspired by a location, another actor and she can just want to bring you in. So you don’t know how it fits in the storyline until you watch it. The readiness is all and trust Lana’s direction.
-Summer Luk
Photo Credit: Marion Curtis/Netflix