An Interview with William Catlett & James D’Arcy from ‘Constellation’

James D’Arcy and William Catlett in ‘Constellation’. (Photos Courtesy of Apple.)

William Catlett and James D’Arcy are a pair of accomplished actors who currently star as Paul Lancaster and Magnus in the upcoming Apple TV+ series, Constellation, and we here at NTG had the distinct honor of sitting down with both of them to discuss this new show.
 
John Betancourt: What it was that attracted each of you to this project?
 
William Catlett: Well, for me, I always wanted to do a sci-fi, but I like to do things with heart. And I believe Peter Harness wrote an amazing project. I mean, he's a genius and to work with the top-level directors, like Michelle, and Oliver ,and Joseph. And to go into the depths of the human psychology was very intriguing. I mean, this is a show about love, loss, regret, and at the core, family, and how do you get back up again, when something has happened? And you quite don't understand where to go next.
 
James D’Arcy: I read all eight episodes in one hit. So, I feel like I had a similar experience to somebody who might binge the show. I got to the end of it, I knew I had just read something unique. It almost defies any kind of description, you know, you think it's a sci-fi, and it is, but then it may be a thriller, and it is, or maybe it's a conspiracy theory, drama. And it is, or maybe it's just a family drama, and it's that as well. But it has exactly like what Will said, it's got so much heart, you know, because at the core of it, it seems to me to be a meditation on the frailty of human nature, you know, and a study and what is reality and asking really big questions, but it's all dressed up in this huge, big, expansive show.
 
John Betancourt What did you as actors enjoy the most about being able to dig in and work with so much when it comes to your characters?
 
James D’Arcy: Look, we got to go to some great locations, which was, which was really amazing, you know, we experienced the extremities of heat, and we experienced the extremities of cold. When we were in Morocco, it was blisteringly hot. And we were in Finland, it was minus 25. And that, you know, is an extraordinary experience for somebody, nevermind that you dress it up and call it work. But of course, it adds to this sort of huge global nature of the show. But again, actually the, you know, the big, exciting, challenges, were all emotional. Because if the audience doesn't feel for the characters, then who cares that the production value is huge. We see that all the time, you know. And I think that the way that Peter Harness has written it, you know, this young girl, who to me is the heart of the show, if you're just drawn in, you can't help but lean in and want to find out more.
 
William Catlett: For myself, working on the International Space Station, you know, a replica of the space station that's in space, and working with Scott Kelly, a real astronaut and hearing his story and talking to his wife and him giving us the experience of how to move throughout the space station was so vital to the performances, and hanging in harnesses, you know, everyone wants to go to space. But if you're not really there, there's no such thing as zero gravity, you know, you're hurting and these harnesses moving around, but you still have to show up and give up performance. And that's life. You know, everything in life is not easy all the time. But you have to push through. And the show does an amazing job of highlighting the pushing through moments.
 
John Betancourt: I think we all take something away from stories that we participate in or deeply enjoy, and I’m curious what you each took way from this tale.
 
William Catlett: I will say it's not all what it seems. And it it's almost like a Déjà vu happening over and over and over again. And how much am I living in the reality that I'm in? Or how much am I in my head? And you know, you wake up in the morning, you get your Starbucks coffee, and you're on autopilot. You know. And so, what this show is showing us, is the human experience and the faults of humanity, but also the triumphs.
 
James D’Arcy: Look for me, I think that the real takeaways were probably the word surrender, which I think is probably the best way to, as an audience member, enjoy the show, just surrender, let it happen. But actually, as an actor, that was also a kind of a good instruction. Because certainly when we started shooting, there was so much that we just didn't really understand, and you just had to trust in what Peter Harness had written and I think he is a genius. I think he's written something that… I can't think… who else could write something like this? And the fact that he could hold all the disparate pieces together in his head and cohere it into an eight-part series is mind boggling to me.
 
John Betancourt: What are you most excited for audiences to see when it airs?
 
James D’Arcy: Wow, that's, I mean, I don't know if I could pick out any one part of it. I, my main hope, obviously, with any piece of art is that people connect to the human part of the story, you know, because then they'll want to come on the journey with us. And then they'll get there, the reward is you get to explore all these exciting questions. But you could just enjoy it as a big old sci-fi drama, if you wanted to. I don't know if you'll be capable of that.
 
William Catlett: I think it's going to poke at the bear, but the bear’s you, you're going to watch the show, and you're going to look at yourself. And I believe that's what Peter really desires to do. He wants to pull back the layers of your mind. And have you asked yourself those questions and looked in those places in your mind that you don't want to look at, you're going to have to go down that chamber, you have to go down that door, and you're going to have to deal with it, whether you like it or not. And most of us deal with grief when we try to shut that door. But you can't get over something if you don't deal with it.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today. What are you most proud of when it comes to work on this show?
 
William Catlett: I believe the work I did with Jonathan Banks and myself. I believe that… well not to give too much away. But that scene is worth more than any other award we receive, because it shows so much raw human emotions. And it was one of the best things that I got to shoot during the whole process, and to work with a legend who was so giving, and so understanding and willing to be in there with you and trying to find answers. And I believe that a lot of people who watch the show will take something from that and it will better them.
 
James D’Arcy:  You know, there was some, there was some very emotional sequences that I was involved with, and particularly, you know, with these extraordinary twins, Rosie and Davina Coleman, who played Alice. And I had some apprehension about that, because you know, they’re child actors, but my God, they were brilliant. And I felt like the work that we did was really honest and raw, and I'm a relatively new parent. So, I guess for me that resonated hard, you know? And, yeah, that was… that was very enjoyable for me.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
​

---