With the highly anticipated return of HBO’s ‘True Detective’ — this go around dubbed ‘Night Country’ — fans of the series and new viewers will be taken up North to the cold, unforgiving Alaskan country where the uninterrupted night period of the year is in full swing. The fourth season of the show helms Issa Lopez as writer-director, along with Jodie Foster taking on the role of Liz Danvers, a feisty and critical detective, along with her partner for the show’s case, Evangeline Navarro, played by professional boxer turned actress, Kali Reis.
It’s Navarro’s character that taps into the more mystical side of the story, and the Indigenous side as well, and to dive a little deeper into what to expect from ‘True Detective: Night Country’, Reis sat down to discuss more details on what’s in store.
What first interested you about this project or character?
The whole way, it kind of just jumped into my lap. Number one, it was a huge opportunity and then to top it all off, just to hear that ‘True Detective’ was coming back [was exciting.] Then I got to read the pilot and I was mind-blown. Whoever got the part, I knew this was going to be amazing. Also what pulled me to it was the obvious bad-assery of Navarro.
She was so layered and this story—where it took place, who was involved, what was going on, there were so many things that can be said about the masterpiece that Issa had created. Especially the indigenous voice being represented in the main characters with Navarro being Dominican and Iñupiat and being part of this community that we don’t really get to see being in the most remote place possible up north in Alaska. There’s 70 to 80% indigenous populated from Iñupiat people [there].
What can you tease about the upcoming season for fans and what your character goes through?
Well, for the ‘True Detective’ fan, myself being one of ’em, I think I watched the first season three or four different times just because I was a fan of both artists, Woody Harrison and Matthew McConaughey, and then just what they put together with the story. But what really drew us to that first season was that the environment was such a character in itself. It’s hot, sweaty, it’s bright and you’ve got these weird things going on…These mystical, supernatural, not logical things.
Then you have these two main characters who don’t have any part of their messy lives together and they couldn’t be more different and they hate each other, but they respect each other’s work and they need each other to solve this case. That’s something that’s really under the ‘True Detective’ umbrella and something that we bring into the fourth season. But now, we flip it on its head.
How so?
Issa did such a great job. From having it be hot, sweaty, and just a male-dominating perspective of every part of that first season that we loved to then flip it to being two female leads. We stuck to the, “they hate each other but love each other, but work together” [formula,] and you have it dark and cold, not bright and hot. Then you have this mystical, not logical, not rational part that we love so much of the first season.
Plus Issa is a horror and supernatural master, and we bring that into it. There are some connections you have to pay attention to. You may or may not see some similarities of some Easter eggs in there as well. I hope the ‘True Detective’ fans can get that same feeling that we got from the first season.
Since so much of the show focuses on your dynamic, how was it working with Jodi Foster and what was that onscreen relationship like?
Jodi is absolutely lovely, I had a fan girl moment when we first met. It was such a blessing and such a great opportunity with this being my third project, and to work under the umbrella of ‘True Detective’, HBO, and to work with an amazing director-writer with this masterpiece of a story. Then having this dance partner that is somebody I admire, and to top it off, she is so open, so kind, so intelligent, so collaborative and supportive of the story we’re trying to tell.
I think the dynamic between the two is they know each other so well. It’s like when you know somebody, they just get under your skin and they’re able to poke and poke, but also take it and give it back. And at the end of the day, if one of them needed something, they wouldn’t blink twice about it. They respect each other’s skills.
Navarro is more intuitive and spiritual, and Danvers is kind of the rational and logical one. I think it’s a mirror because Danvers tries to ignore that part for a really good reason, and Navarro’s connected to it a lot more than she knows. She’s a little scared of it when she just has to give into it in the first place and then she can kind of find her way.
What was your experience like filming in Iceland?
I didn’t realize how magical the place was, and the people of Iceland know all their history, they’re very proud of it. They know everything and they’re indigenous in their own right. They have their own creation stories, they have their own myths…It’s don’t go to that mountain, or the fairies are over there, the trolls are coming out, stay away from the elves. It was so cool to be over there.
Ultimately, what do you hope Season 4 brings for fans—both new and old?
Number one, I hope the ‘True Detective’ fans are happily pleased and we get that same feeling we got from Season 1. I’m pretty sure that Issa hit the nail on the head by bringing similar themes that are kind of like the rules of [the show] but then also taking it and throwing it out the window and doing our own thing. But at the same time, honoring those things and having the suspense, the anticipation, the, oh my God, I didn’t see that coming and the supernatural part of it.
I hope they appreciate the Indigenous and the Iñupiat and Inuit influence that it has because it’s really heavily influenced. With all the surrounding tribes of that place, it’s not that the land belongs to them, it’s that they belong to the land and they know how to take care of it. And somebody who hasn’t seen ‘True Detective’ before, just have an open mind. I love that it influences and suggests the logical and rational, but also the spiritual and the mystical and magical. So just stay open-minded, pay attention and dress warm. You’re going to feel every bit of cold and enjoy.
‘True Detective: Night Country‘ debuts Jan. 14, on HBO and will be streaming on Max.
