Summary

• Apple TV+ continues its streak in the sci-fi genre with Constellation, a psychological thriller about an astronaut's quest to uncover the truth after a space station accident.
• The show features a talented ensemble cast led by Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks, delivering an engrossing and thought-provoking entry into the sci-fi genre.
• Banks discusses the complexity of the show's plot, the unique challenge of his dual roles, and finding the humanity in both characters, making Constellation a thrilling watch.

Apple TV+'s streak of exploring the world of sci-fi continues with Constellation. Created by Doctor Who alum Peter Harness, the drama centers on an astronaut who returns home after an accident aboard the International Space Station kills one of her crew and nearly leaves her stranded there. As she begins noticing differences in her life and having hallucinations, she races to get to the bottom of what actually happened on the ISS and what was actually the goal of her crew's mission.

Noomi Rapace leads the ensemble Constellation cast alongside Better Call Saul's Jonathan Banks, James D'Arcy, Julian Looman, Lenn Kudrjawizki, William Catlett, Barbara Sukowa, Carole Weyers, Rebecca Scroggs and Henry David. Much like Silo, Foundation and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters before it, the show delivers an engrossing and thought-provoking entry into the sci-fi genre.

Prior to the show's premiere, Screen Rant interviewed star Jonathan Banks to discuss Constellation, the complexity of the Apple TV+ show's plot, the unique challenge of dual roles and internal conversations, and finding his character's humanity.

Jonathan Banks Talks Constellation

Screen Rant: I'm so excited to chat with you in the chat about Constellation. It is such a fantastic show. What about this sort of genre-bending story really caught your interest to be a part of it?

Jonathan Banks: Well, I'm going to be honest with you, when I read the script at first — because you can imagine, you saw the complicated twists and turns in the story — when you see it on paper, and how it moves from one place to the other, and then back very quickly, sometimes it's hard to keep track of. I had to call Peter Harness and say, "Explain this to me, explain this, explain that." My decision was made when it was Michelle MacLaren that asked me, she knew me, and I was all in. And I am so glad I did it. It was a great ride. It was just good, felt good. These were good people, too. They were good people. Good actors? Yes. Great actors? Yes. But also just good people.

I love that, I'm so glad you got to have that touching experience on set. So, you talked about the twists and turns the show takes, I can't get into spoilers, but given the unique nature of your character, what was it like balancing this sort of duality that you have as the show goes on?

Jonathan Banks: Well, one is driven, obsessed with trying to keep something, to get it back at the cost of human life, if necessary. The other is eaten with jealousy and envy and rage. So, one of the things for me was finding the humanity in both of them.

Which did you find was the easier one to find that humanity in?

Jonathan Banks: Well, the easier one for me, because it's kind of a kick-a-- quality to it, and had kind of a cavalier attitude is Bud. Henry is firm dry handshake, straight ahead, by the book. I don't know, I mean, I just enjoyed both of them.

They're both so compelling to watch. What is it like when you're in a scene, and you have to imagine them both at the same moment in the room together?

Jonathan Banks: How many times do you talk to yourself during the day?

Often.

Jonathan Banks: There you go. There you go, because in reality, you're having a conversation with someone. Now, that's making it terribly simplistic, I know, but if I deal in the mirror with the motherf---er that's tearing me down, you know? [Chuckles] Whoa, by the way, that's you pal. That guy that's tearing you down, that's you, there he is. No, I think you deal with it. I think if I'm really serious about the answer, you deal with it as an absolutely other human being to another human being, you're having a conversation with them. You don't know how they're going to respond, and you will respond to what they offer you.

Well, it's an intriguing prospect to have to tackle, and you tackle it so well. Before I let you go, one of my first exposures to your work was watching Beverly Hills Cop as a kid, and I still love looking back on your role in that movie. Now that they've got a fourth one coming out, I'm curious what it's like for you looking back on that movie and seeing where the franchise has gone since?

Jonathan Banks: I've never seen 2, I've never seen Beverly Hills Cop 2, I've never seen Beverly Hills Cop 3. Marty Brest directed a really good film in Beverly Hills Cop 1. I got dead and that was it for me.

I don't blame you for skipping 3, it's pretty bad, I'll say that honestly.

Jonathan Banks: And, you know, I knew that. We could talk about all these remakes that they make, and I'm telling you, somebody needs to — I'll give you an idea, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, who brought that book out to make a film out of it, you know? Yes, it's a wonderful book, but I think there are probably a lot of gems out there that haven't been discovered, and it's easier to make Superman 32, you know?

About Constellation

Constellation stars Noomi Rapace as Jo — an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space — only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing. The action-packed space adventure is an exploration of the dark edges of human psychology, and one woman's desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and recover all that she has lost.

Constellation begins streaming on Apple TV+ on February 21.

Source: Screen Rant Plus