An Interview with Lili Simmons and Tommy Flanagan from ‘Power Book IV: Force’

Lili Simmons and Tommy Flanagan are a pair of talented and accomplished actors. Lili for instance has appeared in such shows as True Detective and Westworld, and Tommy Flanagan is nothing short of a screen legend and they are part of the cast of Power Book IV: Force as Claudia and Walter Flynn, respectively, and we here at NTG had the chance to speak with both of them about all things Power.
 
John Betancourt: What attracted you both to your respective characters?  
 
Lili Simmons: Gosh, Claudia is such a complex, strong, powerful woman. She's quick, and she's sexy, too. She's got it all. And I think her knowing her arc of the show, and what she can do and what she's not able to do, but what she wants to do, what she needs to do… was so great. And I honestly read the role and I was like; I have to do this. I have to play her.
 
Tommy Flanagan: Walter’s a memory for me of people from my past. From way back when. So, a lot of ghosts are playing in my head when I’m playing Walter. So, it's been a real pleasure and pain. Love and hate... playing Walter… and I was just talking earlier. It really took a minute to shake him. When we left Chicago. I mean, months, months, probably still lingering somewhere around me. But yeah, I really, I really immersed myself in ol’ Walter. And it took me way back. To the way back. So, it was a journey for me.
 
John Betancourt: Now what did the both of you do to tap into the mindset of these complex characters?
 
Tommy Flanagan: I tapped into past memories of people I really love. And I carry them with me. And a dear friend of mine. I lost at the start of the show. From back in Scotland, and I carried Joe with me through the eight months of filming. And yeah, he was in my head a lot. I think just my past, was my go to for Walter.
 
John Betancourt: That is… very powerful and I’m sorry for your loss.
 
Tommy Flanagan: Thank you.
 
John Betancourt: Lili, what about you?
 
Lili Simmons: I would have to say going along with what Tommy was saying. My past and a lot of my present. Being in this industry… I mean, any woman in any industry, dealing with rejection with you know, saying “I'm sorry, sit back and smile.” You know, Claudia very much so has to deal with her father's old ways and trying to prove herself over and over and over again. She's hitting her head against the wall. And I very much have to do that anyway, in my line of work, but yeah, just stepping into my power, stepping into what I really would want to do on a daily basis. She does. So, I have to say it was thrilling to get to do that. And I love Claudia. Yeah. And I think I still have a little bit of that in me from her, which is nice.
 
John Betancourt: Now the Power Universe is a place where everyone is searching for something and has some kind of agenda. What are your characters searching for?
 
Lili Simmons: Recognition, recognition, and power. She's, she's ready. She's ready to take over. She's ready to run her family's business correctly and get them even bigger and higher than they are. And yeah, so I think she's searching for recognition, power… love from her father.
 
Tommy Flanagan: He's got a sense of immortality. And he sees that more in his daughter than in his son, I believe. But he drinks and he smokes like a motherfucker, and he's in this world of violence and death any second. But he's… he's untouchable. He's been doing this for 30 years, this guy, and he's still on top of his game. So… there's a lot going on with ol’ Walter.
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to each of you as actors, to be a part of the pop culture phenomenon that is the Power Universe?
 
Tommy Flanagan: Very cool. Fucking cool. I mean, this whole universe… it’s huge. You know. 50 Cent. Courtney Kemp. Joseph Sikora our beloved fucking leading man, producer, and other things. He's just amazing. Yeah. Exciting.
 
Lili Simmons: We're so excited! I'm so thrilled to be a part of it. As Tommy said, Just, Courtney Kemp. 50 Cent. Joseph Sikora. Our beautiful cast. The world is already amazing. We're gonna make it even better.
 
John Betancourt: What would each of you say, you’re most proud of when it comes to season one?
 
Lili Simmons: Getting through it. -laughs- Yeah, we trudged along, you know, we shot in the pandemic, and we had to shut down a couple times. We were pretty, pretty, damn safe. And it's just what it is, its the world we live in. So, you know, what I thought was interesting is; I think we live in such a dark place with scenes with such high stakes of: “Am I gonna die today or not?” And thank God, we loved each other. Thank God, the guys loved each other because I don't know what I would have done without them. We I think... we kept each other alive--
 
Tommy Flanagan: Yes, we did.
 
Lili Simmons: --with levity in between takes and just lots of lots of fun and laughter between. So yeah, I would say I would say there wasn't necessarily like a really hard part… just trudging all the way through and making sure we make a good show for everyone.
 
Tommy Flanagan: You know, we come out of 2020 locked down and right into Chicago from one bubble to another kinda. And it was tough, but it was fulfilling and magical to be a part of this exciting world. But we were so fucking contained! Sometimes you were ready to explode. You knew you were a part of something that was so exciting. You wanted to run around and scream and shout, not literally, but you know what I mean, and you couldn't. You just felt as though you're in this bubble, and you couldn't be tuned to your fellow actors. And anyway, getting through it was great. And hopefully we've delivered something spectacular with a 100% cast. Which is… yeah…
 
Lili Simmons: Rare.
 
Tommy Flanagan: Rare!
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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