Yoo, in her own frame, adds, Literally, youll have to stop us.
Prime Video
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was it about the characters that drew you to the gig?
We really watch her grow up in the show.
Sarayu Blue in ‘Expats’.Prime Video
These are such real human moments for women.
To be a South Asian woman and get to play that level of complexity was really magical.
JI-YOUNG YOO:No matter [how hard Mercy] tried, she would fall short.
Ji-young Yoo in ‘Expats’.Prime Video
That hit me so hard when I first met Mercy as a character.
I was really emotionally impacted by that.
Also, the scale of what she’s going through is so big and complicated.
Jack Huston and Ji-young Yoo in ‘Expats’.Prime Video
Sarayu, you previously said you were terrified when Lulu offered you the role.
What was the fear?
I think when our dreams come true, its really scary.
My whole career Ive had this energy of, Put me in, coach!
Let me at it!
I want a shot!
I want to show ‘em what I can do!
Let me in the ring!
And then I get the shot and it’s like, oh my god, it came true.
I have to do this now.
It’s meeting the role.
It was terrifying in the best way.
Tell me a bit about how you both tapped into the mindset of these unmoored women.
We grow, we change, some [friendships] just fall apart.
It’s an interesting conversation that I don’t think we delve into a lot in storytelling.
There’s something so unmooring about both of those things happening at the same time.
[Hilarys] whole world is falling apart.
There’s an earthquake under her feet, a chasm growing.
To feel that, I think it was a combination of life experience, but also the writing.
I mean, what Ji-young said: the writing gives it to you.
How did you build your strained dynamics with each other and with Nicole?
BLUE:That was just great chemistry.
That’s what’s great about Nicole, she really wants to ensure we’re all in it together.
She’s not trying to keep that mystique alive.
What do you hope viewers take away from the story?
That is to me something that I really hope continues to move forward.
YOO:I hope people take away that life is random and unpredictable and horrible.
BLUE:I love you!
YOO:I love you, too!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
New episodes ofExpatsrelease Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.
