Débora Ayorinde returns to Them: the scare to play a completely new character in season 2 of the popular horror anthology series in main video following her breakout role as Livia “Lucky” Emory in Season 1.
The new season moves from Compton in 1952 to Los Angeles County in 1991 and follows Detective Dawn Reeve (Ayorinde) as she investigates the violent murder of a foster mother.
Dawn struggles to overcome the challenges posed by her personal life, her professional life, and the horrific case, as well as the community’s resistance to the Los Angeles Police Department following the assault of black activist Rodney King.
“She feels extremely alone,” Ayorinde says of her character during a Zoom call with Jugo Mobile. “She’s surrounded by a lot of people, but she feels extremely alone in her experience and she doesn’t know why.”
She adds: “Also, being a woman and being black in a space that is not dominated by people who look like her is a challenge in itself. Being a part of this community that you’re trying to save and do the right thing, but they see you as the enemy, it’s a lot for one person to deal with. “I came into this with great compassion for her and great understanding.”
Ayorinde spoke with Jugo Mobile about her unexpected return for season 2, her trust in series creator Little Marvin, her work with co-star Pam Grier, and whether she would return for a third season.
DECISION: Little Marvin told me he imagined you in the role of Detective Reeve while writing the character. What encouraged you to return for a second season?
Débora Ayorinde: Honestly, he’s a genius. I trust him in a way that I don’t trust a lot of people with my art. When you are an actor, you do the work, you give it away and leave it in the hands of the creatives or the editors. With LM, I have always trusted my art in his hands. It is a pleasure to work with him. He listens and I feel seen. He understands it. When he asked me to come back, it was a no-brainer. I didn’t expect it at all when I did the first season. I left it there. I was like, “Okay, we did something great. Leave it there. And let’s move on.” Because in my mind, I didn’t think he could come back on the show and play a completely different character. But my limited thinking was wrong and we made it work. I feel very honored, to be honest.
I was fascinated by your character in this season because he’s so different from your character in Season 1. Did you have any questions for Little Marvin when it came to taking on the role and delving into your character’s backstory?
In fact, I had those questions too. How much of Lucky do you want me to instill in Dawn? The answer was nothing. [Little Marvin] I wanted this character to be completely separate. It was a challenge, but he was definitely up for the challenge. I’ve spent my entire career playing roles from A to Z. That’s why many people don’t recognize me for more than one role at a time. It is difficult for them to recognize the same woman in harriet It’s the same woman in Girls Trip It’s the same woman in Wealthand it’s the same woman in Them. It was on purpose because I want to show that versatility on my resume. Coming back to the show was a perfect way to do it.
The season spends a lot of time with Dawn and her mother. There seems to be some tension there, but also the basis of love and respect. How did you build your on-screen chemistry with your co-star Pam Grier? Did you find that it came naturally?
It was definitely natural. Since the first day, [Pam Grier] I hug myself. Some people are quite cautious and you feel like you need to earn their warmth or love. That was never the case with Pam. I call her Aunt Pam. From day one, she just hugged me and it was shocking to me because I thought, “You’re a living legend.” She expected there to be a wall, but she was very loving, kind and loving. I felt very safe with her.
What are some of the challenges Dawn faces throughout the season?
Oh my God. Where do we start? The first thing that comes to mind is that she feels extremely alone. She is surrounded by many people, but feels extremely alone in her experience and doesn’t know why. You watch her go on a journey to discover the “why,” but she feels incredibly alone, just like Lucky felt incredibly alone. That is one of the main challenges. But also being a woman and being black in a space that isn’t dominated by people who look like her is a challenge in itself. Being part of this community that you’re trying to save and do the right thing, but they also see you as the enemy. That’s a lot for one person to deal with, so I went into it with great compassion for her and great understanding. She has become a character very near and dear to my heart.
Would you say you identify with Dawn more than Lucky in season 1?
Because I was alive during the ’90s, I think that aspect made the story and my character a little less distant in that sense. But I can’t say that I identify with any of them, neither more nor less than the other. I understood both women tremendously. They live in my heart. That’s why it was so hard to leave Lucky behind. It was strange to return to Them universe and not bring Lucky with me. I will always have that character in me and now Dawn is in me too. It’s like when you have children. You have your firstborn and she is your firstborn. And then you have the second, and you love neither one more than the other, but you have a special and different love for both children… well, I hope so. This was a different love for both children. That’s how I feel about these two characters.
So now I have to ask, what if a third child was born? Would you come back for a third season knowing the emotional attachment you have to these characters in the process?
Short answer: Absolutely. I don’t know what LM is going to do, but I’m here for whatever he comes up with.
Them Season 2 premieres on April 24, 2024 on Prime Video.
