"As soon as I read 'Lucky', I felt so much empathy for a woman who couldn't sit still and desperately wanted a place to put down roots," says Anya Taylor-Joy of Lucky Armstrong - the titular character of Apple TV's new limited series. "And I was intrigued by the idea of nature versus nurture. There’s something about a character who knows how to read
everyone around her - but struggles to read herself. I loved the idea of a woman trying to break free of the patterns that once kept her alive. That’s something I think a lot of people can relate to."
Signing on as an executive producer, Taylor-Joy says: "I thought that if I could be a part of this show not only as an actor but also as a producer, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the best of the best. I was in the writers’ room with [showrunners] Cassie [Pappas] and Jonathan [Tropper], and I was watching cuts in the makeup chair. It felt incredibly collaborative. I was included in every step of the process - and that shaped how I played her."
Instrumental in helping shape the series, Taylor-Joy also cast her co-star: "It was imperative to me that we got Drew Starkey. He had this genuine care that came through, while also feeling like he could be a little bit dangerous. Once we had our first meeting, I said, 'Yes! This is definitely him.'"
Starkey adds about Taylor-Joy personally reaching out: "It all happened very organically and naturally. We got along quickly and built this solid trust from the start."
Coup De Main spoke to Anya Taylor-Joy and Drew Starkey about their new series and Fiona Apple's opening credits song...
COUP DE MAIN: Anya, throughout your career you have famously fought many big evils like the Devil, James McAvoy, an Australian warlord, the Harkonnen family... and now in 'Lucky' you're tackling human greed. What was it like for you getting into character for this role?
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY: What I thought was very intriguing about 'Lucky' was as the lead in the show, you have to have the audience with you in some way, shape, or form - and how to do that when you're playing somebody who's consistently lying and pretending to be other people was a challenge I was very excited about. I felt like I had my performance on a dial, consistently of how much was authentically her, versus authentically the con.
CDM: Fiona Apple has written the opening credits song for this series, which is very exciting as she famously is very particular about what she chooses to work on. If you could each hire any songwriter to pen a theme-song for your own life, who would be top of your wish-list?
ANYA: Honestly, Fiona is up there for me. I freaked out when that became a possibility, and I just think it's the coolest thing ever.
DREW STARKEY: Major! Fiona is good. God, I don't know. I mean, you're wearing a Wings t-shirt, so I'm gonna have to say Paul McCartney. Feel like he'd do a good job.
ANYA: Pretty good.
DREW: I don't have--
ANYA: For your life? <laughs>
DREW: I'm not saying that my life is worthy. <laughs> Yup, Paul.
ANYA: <pretends to play guitar>
CDM: There's a fun scene in 'Lucky', where your characters sing along to David Bowie's 'Modern Love' while driving.
ANYA: I should have said David. David is always the answer.
CDM: Drew, what are some of your favourite songs for car karaoke?
DREW: Oh god, Bowie is up there. A lot of Bowie. Well, it's a song that I've been singing all day today - 'Sexy Boy' by Air. That's a really good car karaoke song. It's a good dancing song too.
CDM: An important theme of this series is the debate of nature vs. nurture. Which side of the argument do you personally believe in?
ANYA: I think you don't have a choice in the cards that you are initially dealt, but I think you do have a choice in how you play them. It just takes an awareness and a willingness to do the work.
'Lucky' is streaming on Apple TV now - with new episodes every Wednesday through August 19.
Watch a trailer for 'Lucky' below:
