We have some exciting updates about Apple TV+’s upcoming “Neuromancer” show, based on William Gibson’s first ground-breaking novel. Series co-star Emma Laird (“Satisfaction”) teased some fun details about her character.
The 1984 novel by Gibson laid the groundwork for the cyberpunk genre. It centers around Henry Case, a top-rung super-hacker whose nervous system has been crippled by a former employer. A new employer offers him one last high-stakes mission thrusting him and his partner Molly back into the world of digital espionage. Will Case and the mirrored-eyed assassin Molly be able to complete the mission? Or will a corporate dynasty with untold secrets defeat the duo?
“Neuromancer”
When Laird was first approached about the show by Graham Roland (“Dark Winds”) and J.D. Dillard (“Devotion”), she hadn’t read the source material.
“I was sold by the showrunner, Graham, and J.D., the director, and the character,” she said. “I didn’t get the scripts until we shot in Tokyo in January. I landed in Tokyo, and I was like, ‘Guys, I only have Episode 1. Can you help me out?’ But the character’s really cool, and I read half the book, and they’ve managed to capture what is in the source material really, really well. There are a lot of characters. It’s very complex. It’s a very confusing book, but I think somehow bringing that onto the screen helps tell that story maybe a bit more clearly.”
Given the intense buzz around the show, the actress couldn’t share many specific details. But she was kind enough to give breadcrumbs. “The costume is insane. The hair and makeup is crazy. It was real character [acting], as was Danny Boyle’s film [“20 Years Later”]. What we’ve made is really grounded and a drama; these other ones are just a bit more mad and very much character acting for those two projects.”
Filming on Location
As excited as Laird clearly is about the show, it sounds like the people behind it may be an even bigger draw. “Just on the crew side, people were so welcoming and wonderful there.,” she said about shooting in Tokyo. “We had a whole ceremony to commence the shoot. The lights and the language and the food, the culture in Japan, it was one of my most memorable experiences because it is just a culture like no other. That is a huge theme and a huge part of Neuromancer in the books, as well. So, yeah, it’s a very important part of it. I don’t think it would have quite been the same if we’d done it all on a stage in London, so it’s great that Apple had the money to send everyone there.”
Despite there being no set release date for the “Neuromancer” series, Laird confirmed that she’s nearly finished filming for it. “I just wrapped on Friday. Well, wrapped for a while. I maybe have to go in for a couple more days.”
“Neuromancer” also stars Callum Turner (“Masters of the Air”), Briana Middleton (“The Inheritance”), Mark Strong (“Dune: Prophecy”), Clémence Poésy (“Harry Potter”), and Joseph Lee (“Star Trek: Picard”).
We’ll keep you posted on updates about the project as they become available.
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