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On most film or television sets, walking only a few paces can snap you back into reality. Beautifully detailed sets adorn fake walls and wooden frames, yet tucked around the corner are skilled craftspeople and production personnel resetting for the next shot or moving on to their next task. Inside the set of Peacock’s new espionage thriller, The Copenhagen Test, the set tour took us to fully built out sound stages that gave off an immersive, disorienting sneak peak into the high concept original series.
The spy-fi series follows intelligence analyst Alexander Hale, played by Simu Liu, whose position at a clandestine government intelligence agency called The Orphanage is compromised when he suspects his own brain has been hacked by unknown enemies. The loyalty of Hale, a first-generation American, is called into question and only further complicated when he realizes both the enemy and The Orphanage having complete view into his vision and hearing. In a deal cut with The Orphanage, Hale needs to put on a performance around the clock to uncover the threat to U.S. intelligence and save his own life in the process.
It’s inside the striking Orphanage set where Den of Geek, along with several other press outlets, is seated for a press day. We’re on a raised platform hovering above the high-tech computers meant to track Hale and other agents. Liu, who also produces the series, sits down below us in a director’s chair, and we fire questions from above, almost like an interrogation. The room is dim and completely enclosed, making it easy for lose ourselves in the world of The Copenhagen Test. Later, we were joined by Liu’s co-star, Melissa Barrera who helped us piece together more details on her tightly wrapped character, Michelle. Below are the transcripts of both interviews.
Simu Liu as Alexander in Peacock espionage thriller The Copenhagen Test. (Photo by: Amanda Matlovich/PEACOCK)
Simu Liu Interview
Where is Alexander when we enter the story? Where is he emotionally and physically?
Simu Liu: Alexander begins the story from a place of extreme competency, but also very unfulfilled about where he’s at in his career. He’s someone who’s proven himself on multiple occasions but just doesn’t seem to be put up for advancement in the same way as some of his peers. We really wanted to start things off with a bang and open with a really strong sequence that shows the audience and the viewer exactly what the character is capable of.
You’re playing Alexander Hale, but you’re playing multiple versions of him. What’s it been like to find the many faces of Alexander in this while he’s still trying to have his own agenda?
SL: It’s easy to get caught in the different layers of how Alexander would act if nobody was watching versus if he knew someone was watching. It’s an endless spiral, and that’s what makes the show so juicy. We want the first watch to be compelling and propulsive, then once you understand how everything unfolds, you’ll go back and re-watch moments that tell you different things. A lot of my conversations with [showrunners] Jennifer [Yale] and Thomas [Brandon] are about how to be the right amount of confusing and get the audience to ask the right questions at the right time.
With such a high‑concept story where perspective is key, how are you, [and showrunners] Jennifer [Yale], and Thomas [Brandon] working together to keep that perspective clear for the audience?
SL: There’s a reason Hollywood adapts so much. It’s a little easier working with existing IPs because the creatives know what they’re looking for. The Copenhagen Test is an original idea Thomas came up with, and it’s been a privilege seeing it come to fruition. It’s been a long process of figuring out the lore and tone, with many iterations along the way. Seeing the evolution since I came on board has been really eye opening. Thomas has such a treasure trove of ideas, and it’s been incredible getting to work with him and Jen to bring those ideas to life.
When you were learning the special forces-style choreography for this show, what was the biggest adjustment for you as a performer?
SL: The most exciting thing about this role was getting to work with firearms. It’s not something growing up as a Canadian we have a whole lot of exposure to, so I was fascinated by it and wanted to go head first into that training. The other part was crafting how Alexander moves as a hand-to-hand fighter, which is very different from something like a Shang-Chi. Working with [fight choreographers] Chris and James [Mark], we’d go through choreography and stop because we’d be like, “That feels like a Shang-Chi move.” We would think about what someone would have to do in special forces training. It’s a lot of elbows, very close and guarded, and all about maximum impact. There’s something very brutalist and utilitarian about the way Alexander moves.
There’s an interesting dynamic to navigate with Melissa Barrera’s character because you have to build chemistry with your co-star, but as characters, you also have to build chemistry in this world. What was that experience like?
SL: The best on-screen partnerships come very easily and effortlessly. It was something we knew we were going to have to work on from the beginning, but it just started with lunch and coffee. We talked about what motivated us and what drew us to the roles, then had conversations about life so we understood each other’s entry points as artists. Once we learned that, it became very easy. Barrera is very generous on set. She’s just the best kind of co-star.
Your character is the son of immigrants, which makes him a first-generation American. What cultural elements were important to keep in mind while playing Alexander?
SL: It’s always a balance playing a role like this. You want to balance cultural specificity. There are moments where Alexander and his parents speak Mandarin and Hakka, but we didn’t want that to become the overarching theme. It’s more about this universal feeling that you’re capable of more. We wanted Alexander to feel relatable in a very universal sense. His background is always a part of him, and it’s an element of the show I’m very proud of. We’re excited to introduce the world to their next great spy, even if that spy looks different than you might imagine.
Melissa Barrera Interview
Your character Michelle is a secret agent called in to play a fake girlfriend. What is her background, and has she done this work before?
Melissa Barrera: She’s been an agent in different organizations and is new to this one. Her background is so bad I don’t even know it. There are hints toward the bad stuff that happened to her. We know there’s a reason she’s stuck in this position and has to continue this lifestyle because she did something really bad in the past. The character is a mystery, and in every episode you learn something new about her. I was reading each episode trying to construct her out of the crumbs because she’s such a mystery.
How do you balance not knowing your character’s past completely, and also this pragmatic nature that she has?
MB: A lot of people have experienced trauma. Michelle is very good at compartmentalizing, and part of her has been desensitized, which really informs how I play her on the job. She’s almost like a robot. You don’t get to see much of the real her. It’s been fascinating playing a character like that.
What is [Michelle’s] fighting style? How does she approach a situation where she’s turning on her partner?
MB: She’s a little ruthless and highly trained, but not in the military. I worked with Chris [Mark] on the stunts to make her style different. Maybe trained in Asia, not in a military setting, and less like how a man would train. She’s an elbow girl. We developed a style where she uses her elbows to win fights against bigger opponents. Punching could hurt her hands, but elbows let her go for it.
It sounds like Michelle has a life that she’s trying to get back to. Did you create a backstory for yourself? Did that help you add a layer of sadness to your character’s motivations?
MB: I created a backstory for her, but we never know if it’ll match up. There’s a lot of pain behind her motivations, but she doesn’t allow herself to dwell. She’s very practical. You rarely see what’s going on inside her. A few moments may seem like a glimpse, but they’re not. Everything has to feel genuine, though. I have to play Alexander and the audience. You have to believe her and that she likes Alexander.
I’m wondering if there was anything that pushed you to a limit that you didn’t know you had in you?
MB: I’ve never done so much hand-to-hand combat, so that was the challenge. I wanted it to look good, like a woman who’s highly skilled. I like doing all the stunts, though my stunt double is amazing and takes the big hits. Training was a real physical challenge, as well as the emotional challenge of not knowing my character’s background.
The Copenhagen Test is now streaming on Peacock.
The post How Simu Liu and Melissa Barrera Crafted Their Spy Duo in The Copenhagen Test appeared first on Den of Geek.
