In creator Scott Z. Burns’ (Contagion) Apple TV+ series, Extrapolations, we see an unflinching representation of the toll mankind has taken on Earth. In eight episodes, an ensemble cast depicts a collection of personal stories that take a hard look at the repercussions of climate change based on what co-stars Matthew Rhys and Heather Graham tell Collider’s Steve Weintraub was “exhaustive scientific research.” While discussing the show, they also share why this is the perfect medium for delivering such an important message.
Focusing on the near future, Extrapolations examines the likely effects of climate change on the planet and our way of life through episodic imagings. Spanning from 2037 to around 2070, the show touches on very real potential catastrophes that Burns posits we could be working to reverse, but as Rhys acknowledges, “...if it's not presented in a visceral kind of personal, human way, then sometimes it will never connect.” In addition to Rhys and Graham, Extrapolations, which is now streaming, features Academy Award-winners Meryl Streep, Marion Cotillard, and Forest Whitaker, as well as Daveed Diggs, Tobey Maguire, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington, and more.
During their conversation, Rhys and Graham share why they wanted to get involved with the project, what it was like behind the scenes on set, and touch on Rhys’ character arc. You can next catch Graham in On a Wing and Prayer opposite Dennis Quaid, and Rhys in Season 2 of Perry Mason, which he tells us is full of unexpected twists. You can watch the interview in the player above, or read the full transcript below.
COLLIDER: I really want to start with the most important thing, and it's an individual question for you, Matthew. Do you think it was your performance as Thornton in Cocaine Bear that has led to the box office juggernaut that it is?
MATTHEW RHYS: I've told many people this. I tell my partner on a daily basis that it was my eight seconds on Cocaine Bear that led to the juggernaut that disrobed [Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania].
HEATHER GRAHAM: I really want to see Cocaine Bear. I'm pretty excited about it.
You definitely should see Cocaine Bear. It is a blast, and see it in a very crowded theater. Jumping into why I get to talk to you guys, I watched this whole series. I was blown away, I can't recommend it enough. I'm so impressed with what Scott did. Can you talk a little bit about why you wanted to be part of something like this? And how much did you actually know about the characters, or how much was it just, “Oh, Scott Burns is making a series? Yeah, I'm gonna do that.”?
RHYS: I think, you know, a number of things you just said were definitely a reason as to why – I don’t want to speak for Heather, but yes, a number of us jumped on. We both have been fortunate to know Scott for many years, know what is close to his heart and the projects he likes to make, and really, he's a unique and rare burden that he can do these incredibly entertaining projects that have these incredible messages behind them. It is an enormous message that I certainly wanted to get on board with, and like I said, at the same time, making a fantastic piece of entertainment.
GRAHAM: Yeah, I think Scott and his work, he wants to — he's a social activist, he wants to make the world a better place. I think he's making this show so that we all care more about global warming and do something to change it before it's too late. And I think that attracted a lot of actors, including me, just to feel like you want to do something good with your art, you want to entertain people, and also, it's educational in a fun way, hopefully, and disturbing.
Yes, have you seen the whole series yet?
GRAHAM: I have only seen our episode. I want to see the whole series. I can't wait.
RHYS: [Laughs] I haven't, no, no. I probably won't be watching our episode, sadly. I’ll watch your clip.
GRAHAM: He doesn't like to watch his own work.
RHYS: I never watch it, but yes, I'll look forward to, you know, watching all the other episodes.
I'm not sure how much you know about the rest of the storyline, but the scale and scope of what he accomplishes in this is jaw-dropping in terms of the realistic portrayal of the future. Can you talk about his writing, or the teams’ writing because it wasn't just him, but what they're able to accomplish with this series?
RHYS: Yes, I think it was a shrewd piece of storytelling in that if you take a timeline of that scale and scope, you have the opportunity to present to a large audience what it is we're all looking at. Because, you know, as many scientific facts that we’re hit over the head with, if it's not presented in a visceral kind of personal, human way, then sometimes it will never connect. And I think it was incredibly clever of them to present this story of what this catastrophe is we're looking towards in a way that we get to see, in real time, what is potentially possible.
Talk a little bit about filming your specific episode for soon-to-be fans of the series. Is there anything that they would be surprised to learn about the actual making of the show?
GRAHAM: Every episode was shot in New York, even though the show takes place on all these different continents, and in the Arctic, you know, all these places. We tried really hard to be environmentally conscious, we didn't use any single-use plastic, we tried to practice what we were preaching, I think.
RHYS: Yeah, I think we were very successful. It was a great undertaking as a pioneering project for an industry that, at times, isn't the most environmentally friendly. So it was, you know– even that small step, it was an incredibly positive outcome.
Matthew, I'm curious, when did you find out your character's arc, and what was your reaction to that arc?
RHYS: When I was told what the character arc is I was buoyed by the fact that, ultimately, there's an element where nature has its revenge to a degree.
I like talking to actors about the way they like to get ready for like a big scene or the way they like to work. So I'm just curious, for both of you, if you're filming something emotional or dramatic, or something that you know is going to take a little bit out of you on, say, a Monday, how early on are you actually prepping for a scene like that? Are you doing anything special over the weekend or are you at the point in your career where you sort of have it?
GRAHAM: I mean, I like to create a whole back story and just like, “What was my childhood like? And what would I think, and how do I know this person, and what are all our little memories?” I create all these memories, which is really fun. So I probably do way too much preparation [laughs].
RHYS: I was fortunate in that my character was just incredibly angry, so with three kids in the house, I came to set prepped and ready to go.
GRAHAM: Oh my God, that's so funny.
[Laughs] I'm just thinking about that. I definitely want to know, Matt, if you don't mind, I'm also looking forward to Perry Mason, I’m a huge fan of that series. I wanted to know if you could tease anything about Season 2.
RHYS: Oh God, that's a question! No, it has more twists than a packet of Twizzlers. It certainly undid me on a number of times. And what I'm glad about is that it completely 180s from, I think, what you're expecting from the end of Season 1 as to what happens in Season 2. I think it's very unexpected, which I was very happy about.
Getting back into the show, one of the things that I think is so fascinating is how something like this hopefully will actually impact real-world discussions on the climate because sometimes I think it's so hard to talk about. In some of the future episodes, people are wearing oxygen masks and walking around with tanks, and it's something that might actually be in our future. Can you talk about how really good art like this can hopefully lead to better conversations?
GRAHAM: Well, Scott wrote Contagion, which I think a lot of us watched during the pandemic, and I think people were kind of blown away by the amount of accuracy that he predicted what would happen. I think he does exhaustive scientific research and I think he's done the same with this. So, yeah, that is kind of terrifying.
RHYS: What was certainly terrifying was a lot of those things you've referenced about, you know, people wearing masks and tanks and coming out at night because temperatures are so hot, were all based on the scientific research that was presented to him during this. And he would say, “Well, that's not something of my imagination, that's actually based on what scientists are thinking might happen.” So, food for thought.
Yeah, I think that sometimes people need to actually see it rather than be told it.
GRAHAM: It's more visceral to watch people, and care about characters or hate characters, or relate to characters, than just reading some dry scientific facts.
RHYS: Exactly Scott's point, so long may continue.
Extrapolations is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+.