'The I-Land' actor Kyle Schmid says new Netflix show has dark aspects of a psychological thriller similar to 'Black Mirror'
Adventure, thrill, and suspense—the sci-fi world has a certain charm to it. As Netflix's new series 'The I-Land' opens doors to a dangerous tropical paradise, actor Kyle Schmid, who plays Moses, drops in clues about the show. The story peeks into the lives of ten people who find themselves on a treacherous island with no memory. The excitement begins when they try to recollect how they reached there and set off on a trek to get back home.
The series seems to be the American version of 'Black Mirror,' with more thrill and the nightmare of a "paradise". Reflecting on that thought, Schmid paints a vivid picture of his role in an exclusive chat with MEA World Wide (MEAWW).
"'The I-Land' has very dark aspects of a psychological thriller similar to 'Black Mirror'. However, whereas 'Black Mirror' produces "one-off" episodes, 'The I-Land' draws you in, takes you on an intense journey and spits you out at the end with that similar gut-wrenching feeling in your stomach."
Talking about how he was drawn to the show, Schmid says, "Scripts or TV shows that have the opportunity to grow in a multitude of directions are something that I’ve always been drawn to and that’s what the pilot script for The I-Land did for me. If I don’t know where my character is going, then the audience doesn’t either. I think it makes for good television."
He plays a character named Moses and says that he takes on a "mediator type role" in the beginning. "At first, he comes across perhaps a little simple, but as he begins to remember his past he grows into something more. I’m still interested to see where he can go," he tips off.
Crabs, poisonous snakes, wildfires and the deadly ocean, the trailer shows everything one would not want for him/her to happen on a vacation. Shedding light on the scenes that still send a shiver down his spine, Schmid says, "There are a string of scenes in episodes five and six that still give me goosebumps. As our characters begin to remember who they are and why they are on the island, they are forced to accept things about themselves that weren’t a part of their lives before. The true idea of nurture vs. nature is something quite profound."
Schmid pretended to be in a fantasy world on the show, but what would he do if he were in a similar situation in real life? "If I woke up to find myself on a deserted island with no memory, I would probably discover my voice first," he says, adding "Depending on how far back my memory was wiped, I may have to relearn motor-functions and how to speak. Following that, I would probably be trying to find anyone else on the island."
Along with Schmid, the series stars Kate Bosworth, Natalie Martinez, Alex Pettyfer, Gilles Geary, and others. "We were all lucky enough to hang out in paradise for three months while shooting this show. We all got along well and ate and drank together constantly. We still have a text chain that blows up my phone on a daily basis. It was a lot of fun."
Opening up about his experience of working with Kate Bosworth, he says, "Working with Bosworth was a treat, she’s my "dude". Our characters went through some of their most challenging experiences with one another and it was a pleasure to have gone on that rollercoaster with her. She’s a professional and I think everyone will love what she’s done with her character."
The 35-year-old actor has previously starred in many sci-fi series. He played the role of Henry Durham, a vampire created by Aidan during World War I, in 'Being Human' and played Robert Morehouse, the son of a wealthy Fifth Avenue industrialist, in 'Copper'. He is also known for playing Alex Caulder, a Chief Special Warfare Operator in History's 'Six'.
Ruminating about his roles, Schmid says, "I’ve done my fair share of sci-fi and am personally a fan of the genre but I haven’t done any in a long time. Both 'Copper' and 'Six' were based on real-life events and the past few movies I’ve done have expanded my comfort zones. I’m quite happy to play in many different sandboxes at this point in my life."
'The I-Land' premiers on September 12, but Kyle has two more films lined up for this Fall season. "I have a film called '10 Seconds Gone' with Micheal Chiklis and Bruce Willis and a Lifetime movie called 'Patsy and Loretta Forever' that Callie Khouri directed that we’re all very proud of," he says.
