Toni Collette and John Leguizamo on feminist gaze in sci-fi genre, racism and colourism in Hollywood, and more

An interview with Toni Collette and John Leguizamo, stars of Prime Video show The Power.

After essaying the roles of eclectic women across genres like Annie Graham in Hereditary, Lynn Sear in The Sixth Sense, Joni Thrombey in Knives Out and Muriel Heslop in Muriel’s Wedding, Toni Collette  believes that she is at a point in her career where the roles she is being offered feel like the handiwork of a bigger power, “it is like they are meant for me… like I am the one being chosen”. 

In her latest outing as mayor Margot Cleary-Lopez in the science-fiction show The Power, the Academy Award-nominated actor stars alongside John Leguizamo to tell the tale of teenage girls who develop the power to electrocute people at will. Based on British author Naomi Alderman’s award-winning novel of the same name, the show features a host of characters from across the globe.

Ahead of the premiere, Toni and John sat down for an interview with The Hindu over a Zoom call to talk about the show, its feminist gaze and their characters’ contribution to it.

Toni confesses that she did not read the book. “When I was offered the part, I just had to focus on preparing for the role. I play a politician and politicians talk a lot so there was a lot of dialogue,” the actor comments and this cracks John up, “I just needed to focus on retaining the language,” she smiles. “I had been told that my character was very different in the novel and it was not going to benefit me if I did read it. The scripts we had were so well informed and beautifully written that I did not feel the need to go beyond” she adds. 

John who plays Rob in the show, while having read the book, is quick to agree, “I read the book but Rob does not really feature in the book. And as Toni said, the scripts were so well written… they kind of acted for us in a way. When the language is really good, you just have to be there, you just have to be present,” he notes. 

The duo believes that The Power has the potential to advance the feminist gaze in the science-fiction genre and Toni took the opportunity to highlight the timely nature of its themes. “Look, patriarchy is the structure we were all born into and the structure is going through some change and transition. It is incredible how this show aligns itself with the changes occurring in the real world today; changes that need to happen… that are essential,” she says, adding that she feels incredible to be part of a show that entertains the idea of potential “real” gender equality while underlining the characters’ socio-economic and geographic diversity. 

John chimes in, “I think it is a really important way of showcasing feminism without it being you know harangue and…”, “dogmatic,” Toni prompts. “The themes of female empowerment in the show are hidden in the girls’ power to generate electric shock and how my son in the show deals with his sister having a power he does not have; he gets jealous and it is similar to what happens in the real world — men having to give up power.”