Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks Discuss Constellation

Constellation is not about prostates in space. (More on that later—thank you very much, Jonathan Banks.) The eight-part Apple TV+ psychological, sci-fi action-drama stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Django) as troubled astronaut Jo Ericsson. Jo is battling PTSD after a deadly mishap on the International Space Station, and life back on Earth is proving to be taxing. For starters, nothing “feels” the same. Jo’s daughter and husband are by her side, and other colleagues and friends offer support, but something feels off. Worse, Jo’s plagued by memory fragments of what she experienced in space. But her determination to get closer to a deeper truth only fuels her growing madness.

It all filters into the mix for a captivating, if not mind-bending, sci-fi series that may surprise viewers with its shades of horror. Created by Peter Harness, the first two episodes of the show were directed by Michelle MacLaren, who was behind the camera on super hits like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Morning Show, The Walking Dead, and Games of Thrones. Banks plays a pivotal role in the series, playing former astronaut Henry Caldera. (Look for a surprise twist on that front.) James D’Arcy, Rosie Coleman, William Catlett, Henry David, Carol Weyers, Barbara Sukowa, Julian Looman, and Sandra Teles also star.

Rapace and Banks teamed up to discuss the series in this exclusive MovieWeb interview, which, like the series, turned a bit trippy. Read on.

The Perfect Role for Noomi Rapace

Constellation will be a stellar experience for sci-fi and action-drama fans. The writing is sharp and thought-provoking. At the heart, however, is a huge mystery. What is happening to Jo back on Earth? And what really happened in space? We dare not give away even a clue about how this intelligent series unravels its creative puzzle box. To be sure, it’s great fun watching Rapace’s tortured Jo try to maintain her sanity in this stunning, sweeping, scenic drama.

Rapace admits that she felt the character had been created specifically for her and was candid when discussing that revelation. Was it all fated in the stars?

“It really felt like it was written for me. It was almost creepy. I started reading and I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ She [Jo] kind of talks like me. She has a child… she speaks Swedish and English to the kid. She loves her work, she’s super determined to, you know, follow her dreams. And she’s a mother at the same time. And Peter Harness, who wrote those amazing scripts… his kids go to the school I went to, a small school in Sweden, out in the countryside. It was just too many things that it was like, ‘This is just meant to be.’ And I totally fell in love with Jo from the first read.”

Breaking Bad Reunion for Jonathan Banks

It’s fitting to note Apple TV+’s growing interest in surreal sci-fi shows. Silo turned heads with endless fan theories and mysteries and recently started filming its second season. Extrapolations, though it had an environmental bent, was a clever brain twister. On the horizon is Colin Farrell’s Sugar, and Dark Matter, starring Joel Edgerton, is already generating buzz.

Meanwhile, director/executive producer Michelle MacLaren, who has proven herself in gritty dramas like The Walking Dead and Games of Thrones, reunites with her Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul star, Jonathan Banks. Of working with MacLaren again, Banks said:

“I’ve known [Michelle] since she was a kid. She was the P.A. that was holding signs up—‘Please don’t walk this way,’ or whatever. So, I’ve known that director a long time. And I love that director and I pretty much follow that director anywhere. And when I read it, I tell you, I mean… I had to go back, I had to make phone calls to both Michelle and Peter Harness to say what it is, but I also knew that Noomi was going to do it and… I’m all in. And I’ll tell you something, here we are, we’ve shot it, and you know, you want to do something every once in a while, and really want to do it, and here we are—the glow has not worn off. I want to do it now more than I did a year ago.”

Prostates and Zero-Gravity

Working in zero gravity is no easy feat. Ariana DeBose recently tackled it in I.S.S. Noomi Rapace underwent the challenging preparation and filming here, which made costar Jonathan Banks eventually chime in.

“It was extremely challenging, hard physically,” Rapace admitted. “I prepared a lot and was on a strict kind of schedule of food and training. You know, strengthening up my core balance, but I also had an amazing team around me. And I was dreaming really weird dreams that I was floating, and I was trying to figure out how to get to the loo from my bed… in my dream. So, it really moved into me… everything became a bit like on a different frequency, and that was really kind of like Jo moving into my system.”

To which Banks quickly remarked: “You’re in bed and trying to get to…? I don’t understand. You don’t have a prostate.”

Rapace laughed, but Banks, a good kidder, kept rolling with it. In fact, when MovieWeb asked what viewers might think about the series’ final shot—a shocker indeed—Banks mused:

“I mean, don’t you want more? Let there be more? And I don’t think I’m allowed to say these things. I can’t say no more. Let’s jump back and talk about my prostate, alright?” Experience the first three episodes of Constellation on Apple TV+ on Feb. 21, with weekly episodes airing thereafter. Watch the trailer below.