Nicole Beharie: āEvery episode of Black Mirror Iām like, please donāt let this happenā
The star of new Black Mirror drama Striking Vipers talks about social media, Charlie Brooker and Brazil. -
Hi, Nicole! What can you tell us about your episode ofĀ Black Mirror, Striking Vipers?
Thatās whatās so tricky! I donāt think I can tell you anything. What the heck are we going to talk about? I play the wife of Anthony Mackie. The episode is largely about navigating coupledom, and how technology might hinder a relationship in the Black Mirror world.
Is filming an episode of Black Mirror as surprising as watching one?
It was honestly the most fun Iāve had. We shot it inĀ SĆ£o PauloĀ in Brazil, which was amazing. It definitely didnāt feel like any other experience Iāve had before.
How did you get involved? Or when Charlie Brooker comes a-calling, do you just say yes?
Are you serious? Black Mirror is literally one of my favourite television shows on the planet. I look forward to it. Iām disappointed when itās over. I binge it. I was just honoured to be asked.
Do you Americans think all us Brits are as utterly bonkers as Charlie Brooker?
We only had a big conference call between the table reads, so I still havenāt met Charlie face-to-face. My mother is Jamaican and I grew up in east London so I have a ton of family in the UK. So I know for a fact that you are all just as crazy!
What one Black Mirror-style thing do you hope comes true/definitely doesnāt come true?
Oh my goodness. Thereās so many things I really hope donāt happen. Every episode Iām like, āHoly shit, please donāt let this happenā. In Nosedive, where everyone is being rated and you lose your housing and your job because youāre unpopular ā¦ I feel weāre moving in that direction and itās extremely scary. I like the idea of having a timer for dating, like in Hang the DJ, where every time you meet someone, you find out how long that relationship is actually going to last. I kind of like that.
What would happen in a Sleepy Hollow/Black Mirror crossover?
Sleepy HollowĀ had so many storylines, Iāve really no idea what would happen if you added technology. The fans from both worlds are super smart and super loyal. It would be great to have something super-juicy, scary and mind bending to share with the fans.
Youāre only 5ft 2in. How do you reach the top shelf in the supermarket?
I would say 5ft 3in on a good day! How do I reach the top shelf? Iām going to beat you up when and if I see you! You know, thereās some jumping, and some leaning and some climbing. Sometimes I require a little bit of assistance. I donāt pick a lot of things off the top to be honest.
