Ecoterrorism, catastrophe scenario… last light, the new series available on Prime Video, will keep you spellbound! In this fiction signing the great return of Matthew Fox (Lost: The Disappeared), the actor plays Andy Yeats, a petrochemical scientist who sees his worst fears come true during a business trip to the Middle East. As the world’s oil reserves have been cut off, the world is falling into utter chaos and things are getting worse. Andy must find his family, scattered across Europe. In the midst of this chaos, each member of the family will sacrifice everything to try to reach the others, despite the distance and the dangers that separate them. During the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in June 2022, Télé-Loisirs spoke with Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), the interpreter of Elena, Andy’s wife, to discuss her role and the series. Interview !
Did Joanne Froggatt really shoot last light in Paris ?
Télé-Loisirs: Your character is in Paris with your son at the start of the series. Did you really film in the French capital?
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Joanne Froggatt : We shot in Prague and a few days in Paris, these two cities are amazing. It was wonderful to go back to work abroad for the first time since the pandemic because, during this period, I was only filming in England.
What attracted you to this fiction?
It’s a thriller that keeps you in suspense but whose heart remains family, love and hope. The main theme is also a very important subject because the climate crisis concerns us all. This is something we need to remember and we need to do a lot more about it. This is an issue that matters to me. Besides this theme, the scenario is also very entertaining with scenes of fights, chases and explosions. It was very funny to shoot.
You also speak a little French in the series. Did you speak our language a little before filming?
In reality, I don’t speak French at all and I had to learn the language a bit for the series. It was a real challenge but I loved it and it inspired me to learn more. It’s such a beautiful language.
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What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to deal with in last light ?
Exactly, having to speak French. (She laughs) When I learn my line, it’s then in my head and I don’t need to think about it during filming because I have the impression that the words come authentically from me, from my character. But getting to this stage in a foreign language, which I don’t speak, was a real challenge. I can’t really say how my playing or my intonation is… It’s unsettling because you can’t really judge yourself properly.
last light : Joanne Froggatt reveals what she really thinks of Matthew Fox
If the events of last light you arrive in life, what would be your first instinct?
My first instinct would be the same as Eleonor. If one channel is blocked, I would try the next one, then another, then look for another option. When those options slowly run out, I wouldn’t give up. I think human beings are more resilient than we think when we need to be. I hope I would be too.
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What was it like shooting with Matthew Fox?
Matthew is fantastic, he’s a great man and a brilliant actor. He was incredibly passionate about this project, of which he is also one of the producers. He was very collaborative, generous and caring. It was a pleasant experience from the start.
What can we expect at the end of the series?
With this series, it’s really a roller coaster but there is hope at the end. You sort of find the themes of love, family, reconnection… and it makes sense literally and emotionally.
