After catching up with her most recent work, I talked to Perrineau about the show, which offers a modern take on the classic romance myth, Eurydice and Orpheus. From episode one, Jeff Goldblum 's track-suit-wearing Zeus is tormented by an ancient prophecy predicting the end of his reign. As his world unravels, viewers are transported from Crete, to the underworld, and back.
Yeah I loved it! How does it feel to finally see audiences interacting with the show? It's been a long time coming since we wrapped, although we did add some scenes in before the strikes. We were in this strange period of waiting around. But, I think the show couldn't have resonated better with audiences — they seem to be enjoying it. I play Riddy, short for Eurydice. She starts off without much agency, but over time, she goes on a journey to find her voice and figure out who she really is.
That leads her to something much bigger than herself. You often star in fantasy settings that mirror reality. Let me tell you, I audition for a lot of different genres, but for some reason, fantasy and horror have always worked out for me. I think a lot of it has to do with being a person of color. That, and these scripts just resonate with me more. I often play very sarcastic characters, which is me for sure.
In Westworld, my character felt misunderstood and had to figure out how to stand up for herself. That really resonated with me. When you're a young woman, it's hard to stick up for yourself and say how you feel because you don't want to offend or put yourself in an uncomfortable position.
That's where you see Riddy in the show, she is so unhappy for so long, but she's let herself get there because she can't speak up for herself. Were you into Greek mythology before reading the script? I also knew Zeus and the other major gods, but nothing in-depth.
