Morena Baccarin stars in the Downtime episode of The Twilight Zone season 2. (Photo: Morena Baccarin/Instagram)
Morena Baccarin, known chiefly for playing the female lead in Deadpool movies and TV shows like Firefly and Gotham, stars in one episode of the second season of anthology science-fiction and horror series The Twilight Zone. The current series, that began airing in 2019, is the revival of the original series, a Rod Serling creation, that first aired in 1959.
Although the season itself divided critics, Baccarin’s episode titled Downtime was received well. Written by Jordan Peele, who also produces and hosts the series, the episode is about a woman who gets promoted at work and also gets other successes but is still unable to make sense of the world.
Morena Baccarin spoke to Indianexpress.com about The Twilight Zone, her character, life under lockdown and more.
Q. What made you say yes to The Twilight Zone? Was it the show itself or something you found appealing about your character or her story?
A. I love the show itself and really like the modern adaptation of it. I felt the story was really compelling and mind-bending and asked some interesting questions.
Q. What, in your opinion, makes The Twilight Zone so timeless and relevant for our times?
A. It’s more current. The casting certainly reflects that. And the themes are more relatable to our more technically proficient watchers.
Q. Talk a little bit about your character in the episode.
A. My episode is about a woman who discovers that she is in a game. That she is an avatar and not real. It deals with identity and reality. Who are we and how do we perceive ourselves.
Q. How was the experience of working on the show? You star in an episode that Jordan Peele, a master at blending horror with social commentary, himself has written. That must feel great?
A. Yes, he is a great writer. It was great fun to unravel the story and peel back its layers.
Q. What are you doing to kill time these days?
A. There’s plenty to do with the kids not being in school and not many places to go. We read, play games, cook and try to get some work done in between.
Q. Did you always want to be an actor? How did you get into the profession?
A. I come from an artistic family. My mom was an actor, and it’s what I knew early on. However, I sort of stumbled on it in high school and have never stopped. I guess it’s in my blood.
In India, The Twilight Zone streams on Voot Select.