Oladejo: Mirror Universe Lesson
2 min read
Oyin Oladejo (Lt. Joann Owosekun) spoke about her character on Star Trek: Discovery during an interview promoting her other project, Hulu‘s Endlings where she plays Abiona Maina.
The two characters are “very different,” said Oladejo. “Both have a strong edge. Joann feels a little out of place sometimes, but confident in her job whereas Abiona comes into a completely different culture and doesn’t care. She does it however she wants.”
During the third season of Discovery, one of the joys of the season for Olajedo was a trip to the Mirror Universe. “It was so much fun,” she said. “We touched on [mirror universe] originally in Season One. Going back to Season Three, we all came together. Sonequa [Martin-Green] asked us, ‘What does it mean to be in this world?’ The fun part about it is in the prime universe Joann cared a lot about her people, but in the mirror universe, taking that loyalty to a complete extreme makes you a tyrant. It was fun to play them to the extreme. As an actor, it was a beautiful challenge. I love the mirror universe and I hope they bring it back.”
That trip to the Mirror Universe made Oladejo discovery that she wanted something to be added to the character of Owosekun. “I’m beyond grateful and in awe, because it’s so funny the experience in the Mirror Universe unleashed something within myself for my character,” she said. “I talked to the showrunner Michelle Paradise and I said to her ‘I’m discovering something in me within the Mirror Universe about prime Joann and she wants to use her body.’
“[Owosekun] comes from a Luddite community. I feel like she wants to use her body and thank God they found a way. I’m still new on the screen and I’m thankful they trusted me to prove myself. As an actor, it was beautiful and physically draining since I was shooting it late at night. This is how I wanted to feel at the end of the day?”
So what can viewers expect in Season Four for Owosekun? “Based on where we left off in Season Three, there’s a shift within myself. I’m recognizing in myself where Joann is always ready to fight. Season Four will test her resolve more and we’ll see her more on track.”
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