“Storytelling is a way we can play with how we see our real lives, but in a safe way”: Toni Collette, John Leguizamo and fellow cast and creatives on The Power
The Power is the new ten-part Prime Video series, adapted from the bestselling feminist sci-fi novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman. Developed in an all-female writers’ room, it takes viewers into a world recognisable as our own, but slightly removed, where one day, teenage girls around the globe suddenly have the ability to electrocute people, and can awaken the same ability in older women.
Through it’s slightly on-the-nose fantastical concept, it allows us to imagine what might happen next if old gender power imbalances of our inherited patriarchal system were overturned – if the lack of agency women have over their bodies, the way they are exploited, abused and denied abortion rights, was replaced with a physical strength. Would there be chaos? Revenge, murder and abuse? How would governments respond? The story follows the reactions of five contrasting groups from around the world. As the success of The Handmaid’s Tale has shown, the science-fiction realm can be a fertile place to explore issues prescient in today’s society, the control over women’s bodies being a crucial one, and The Power harnesses that to potent effect.
Ahead of the show landing on Prime Video, we heard from the cast and creatives about the making of show. Toni Collette and John Leguizamo spoke about their roles as Mayor Margot Cleary-Lopez and Dr Rob Lopez, Margot’s husband, and how the show uses its genre to explore topics around gender and power in a way that straightforward drama cannot always reach.
Halle Bush and Heather Agyepong further spoke about their characters, Allie and Ndudi, and the fun they had on-set, while novel writer Alderman shared her reflections on seeing her story come to life on-screen.
Ria Zmitrowicz and Zrinka Cvitešić told us about playing Roxy Monke and Tatiana Moskalev, Raelle Tucker gave us some insight into the writing and creation of the show, and the impact she hopes it will have.
Sarah Bradbury
The Power is released on Amazon Prime Video on 31st March 2023. Read our review here. Watch our red carpet interviews here.
Watch the trailer for The Power here:
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