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Interview: Cynthia Erivo Reveals How She Prepared to Take on Her LUTHER: THE FALLEN SUN Role
May 17, 2024
BroadwayWorld sat down with Cynthia Erivo to discuss starring alongside Idris Elba in Netflix's Luther: the Fallon Sun, a continuation of the popular BBC series. Erivo, who is currently in London shooting the film adaptation of Wicked, plays Odette Rain, a Detective Chief Inspector who must work with Luther. Watch the interview video now!
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0:00
Starting off, tell us a little bit about your character
0:03
and how she's sort of introduced into the Luther universe. Yeah, Odette Rain is a DCI in this police precinct
0:11
and she is kind of no holds barred. She's very powerful, but without really needing to force it
0:20
I kind of love her. She's very, I think there's something very thrilling about her
0:24
You watch her sort of, she is very much by the law
0:28
She wants to do everything right. There is good and there is evil
0:32
There is right and there is wrong and there's no in between. That's where you meet her. And when you're first introduced to her
0:37
she's at the beginning of this case and she's trying to figure out what's going on
0:42
And she is resistant to the former DCI, Luther and any of his help
0:49
But as you get to know her, she has to learn that there is darkness
0:55
and we all have access to it. And there is a gray area in between what she believes is good and bad
1:01
And she has to, and depending on the situation or the circumstances
1:07
will determine how you use those assets. And I love that you get to watch her sort of unravel
1:15
and become a bit messy, become a bit gritty and actually become a little bit of a mirror
1:20
of the man that she once thought was an adversary. Yeah. Yeah, you mentioned that once she thought he was an adversary
1:26
and at the beginning she is resistant to his help, but they're still working for the common good
1:31
So how do you approach a character like that that can be seen as sort of complex in the world of the movie
1:37
Yeah, I think I embrace her complexity. There are moments where she needs like fire
1:45
and then there's moments where she needs to be a little bit less forceful
1:49
And I think we just play with the tune of that. There's like a rhythm that she exists in all on her own
1:56
And there's peaks and there's troughs and I sort of just was riding the wave
2:01
That script is really wonderful and it was written beautifully for me
2:04
and I really enjoyed playing her. I think you take from the world around you
2:10
and I think we had a wonderful setting to be in. It's amazing to work opposite Idris
2:16
because he's so open and helpful and so it's so easy to play off him as Odette
2:25
And that's sort of what I did. I took from the surroundings, I took from the script
2:29
I took from what I knew of Odette myself and I already knew that I wanted to play her
2:35
slightly different to what you would expect a female DCI to be
2:42
And that was just someone who was confident in the power that she had and she didn't really need to force anyone to give it to her
2:48
She just already had it, which meant that she could play things with a wink
2:51
and she could play things with a bit of a smile and she could ask questions with cynicism
2:57
and, you know, joke a bit, push a bit. And I loved doing that. Yeah
3:02
Yeah, definitely. And there are some really intense action scenes throughout the entire movie
3:07
How do you approach a character that is going to be so emotionally and physically challenging
3:13
With absolute delight. That's how I approach it. That's my favorite thing
3:18
I love the opportunity to be physical. I love the opportunity more to be both physical and emotional in the same character
3:26
And I think that's a really special gift to get because it means that you have to use all of your abilities
3:34
And that's what I loved about this. I could be my physical self fully
3:39
and I could be my emotional and thoughtful, heartfelt self as well
3:44
You just open arms is how you approach it and you go for it that way. Yeah
3:49
Yeah. I mean, even seeing I follow you on Instagram and seeing how much you post about being a runner is so inspiring
3:54
Does the discipline that it takes for being so athletic and a runner
3:58
ever translate over into the discipline that it takes for being an actress
4:03
Always. Always. For me, I have to start my day that way
4:07
I have to start my day being very, very physical because it helps to focus
4:13
It helps my body to it's like it wakes my body up, tells my body it's time to keep moving and my brain gets switched on
4:20
So for me, there is no other way to connect to the work that I'm about to do
4:27
except to be physical and in my body. And so when you do a role that needs you to be physical
4:33
there's also like you're not just working to be ready at work
4:36
You're also working to be ready for the character and for yourself
4:40
So it's twofold. And I think that's how I use my physicality and my athleticism
4:50
If that's a word. Yes. To create these roles. I wouldn't have it any other way
5:00
It's sort of the easiest way for me to access them, you know, to be in my body and in my brain and ready. Yeah
5:06
Amazing. Looking over the entire movie as a whole, what do you hope that longtime fans of Luther enjoy about it
5:13
But also newer fans of Luther who are just going to see it for the first time on Netflix? I hope the longtime fans recognize moments in the film
5:24
that are a nice callback to the series. You know, him standing over London and looking into the horizon and seeing it all
5:32
The sort of grittiness of the villains that we're dealing with and the darkness that it is
5:38
and the way that London becomes its own character. And I hope that new fans see that there is a way to do this kind of
5:45
you know, police drama with grit and darkness, but also that there is a bigness to it
5:51
The fact that we're out in the world, that the world is included now
5:56
not just London. The world is, which I think is really cool. Yeah
6:02
Detective Superintendent Shank. We need to know where he is. Look, I know he's in prison
6:09
Except he's not in prison. Of course he's not
6:22
You promised me you could help. You know what they did to my son
6:29
I need to stop this man. I'm still a copper. Not anymore
6:34
And if you refuse to stand up, tactical unit will shoot you dead. Something's coming
6:45
John. I looked you right in the eye. Because I was curious
6:52
I wanted to know if you'd see it in me. Because that is who you are, isn't it
7:04
The man who knows all about people like me. Why does he make an announcement
7:15
He wants the world to think a bad dream has come true. It's only that I get him before you get me
7:21
Make it 50. I know this man. I can live with what has to be done
7:30
You can see me now. I am enjoying myself. That's a no-man's-land
7:43
Because I'm ready
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