EXCLUSIVE | 'Upload' star Allegra Edwards says afterlife concept on the show is 'daunting and scary'
Amazon Prime's 'Upload' released last week, and has been a point of discussion with many ever since. The story is set in a foreseeable future, where humanity can now choose to 'upload' their loved ones. After Nathan (Robbie Amell) dies in an accident, his girlfriend, Ingrid (Allegra Edwards), uploads him into a luxurious afterlife called Lakeview. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide, Edwards opens up about her experience of working on the show, favorite moments and her one regret.
What did you like most about playing the character of Ingrid?
I loved playing Ingrid because she is more layered than people give her credit for. And I think any character that can take you by surprise is just a joy you know. She's definitely a part of the mystery, but she's also in the middle of a love triangle and that's fun too. And then, of course, I loved all of my fabulous costumes and my incredible shoes. Just living in Ingrid apartment!
It was quite entertaining to watch the dynamics between Ingrid and Nathan. What are your favorite moments in that relationship?
You know, I really love the vogue interview where there's an interviewer that comes to Ingrid's department and is asking a bunch of very personal questions about the state of their relationship. And the reason I liked that scene is that it's obvious that Nathan and Ingrid haven't talked about how they're doing and are just trying to go through it separately without processing together how it's been. We see for the first time that they're not on the same page and that there's dissonance. And they're doing it in front of a journalist, which is really embarrassing. The other scene that I really love is, is the episode about the sex suit where Ingrid, you know, in my opinion, makes a great sacrifice and gets herself something that makes her very uncomfortable and does it for the benefit of her relationship and it doesn't go the way that anybody expects. There's an issue and, it's comedic. But it's also a little bit sad.
The show's premise centers on the idea of 'uploading' yourself into a digital version of heaven. What are your views on such a possibility?
I think one of the things that the show so brilliantly explores is the question is heaven, 'heaven', if we can design it ourselves and we meaning human, if we're, given the task of creating something utopia-esque? I think we see again and again and again that we're just gonna get it wrong somehow that either the technology is going to outpace us and we're not going to be prepared for the bumps that come along the way, or the flaws will pop up in how it's designed or what is used for how it's delivered and then there's also this question of how can one person's idea of how can one person's heaven match the next person's?
You know I might choose to have a garden full of cherry tomatoes, but my best friend might have cherry tomatoes and would never want to go anywhere near it. How can we be in the same afterlife together? So we know that it can't just be about our taste or you know, our earthly needs? So, I think it raises some really great questions.
Would you ever like to try it?
It's funny when I think about uploading myself I probably wouldn't want to, but if I had the choice I would love to upload my loved one, which is unfair. I won't take on to myself but instead, impose on someone else. I think about my grandmother, who is 96 years old. I want her to be around, as long as possible. But she tells me every time we talk on the phone. She's like, "I think god has forgotten me, I'm still here". She's not depressed, but she's ready. She knows that she's lived a full life and her time is approaching. But so I don't know if it's a fair thing to do to upload your family member. I do think that there would be a world in which, I would love to upload my pet. I have a cat and it would be cool if I can hang out with him and visit him in virtual reality, scenario.
Wouldn't the mystery be gone from afterlife?
There is something daunting and scary when we consider the concept around eternity. It's hard for us to wrap our heads around it.
Is 'Upload' a mirror reflection of the material world?
I do think it's a pretty, smart commentary on it. I think it raises questions in a form of delicately balanced satire right? Where we can shine a light on something without calling anyone out. But hopefully, it can provoke some really great conversations about socioeconomic status and what it means when certain people just have more access and other people don't and how we feel about it. You know, I think it, hopefully, we'll provoke some really great conversations in living rooms.
How was it working with Robbie Amell and Andy Allo, and the rest of the cast and crew?
My one regret is that I didn't get to see more of them. I'm jealous they get so many scenes together, and Ingrid is in LA on her own island, so to speak. She's got this support group or she is with her family. It's only a few times that she gets to go to Lakeview and hang out with Nathan virtually. So I only got to see my castmates on the weekend, and have a coffee with them.
What did you learn from this show?
This was my first experience in a series regular role. I learned a bit more about the whole process of creating a character that doesn't just show up in one episode that, shows up again and again and again and has like I said layers, and who grows. But I think the other thing that's been so wonderful with this process, is that I was invited to it a very early stage to come to the writer's room and collaborate with the writers and Greg Daniels the creator of the show. He said it so beautifully, he's like "You know you're an actor and you've been living with the character and thinking about her. We're writing for her but, but I'd love to know if you thought about her background, her personality." He was not only interested in my ideas and thoughts, but he has a reverence for actors and their homework means something. That was very empowering and enabled me to step my game up. It helped me be more open and have more conversations.