Rebecca Ferguson’s movie star experience contributed to the process of filming Apple TV+‘sSiloin a fascinating way. The 41-year-old actress has appeared in supporting roles in some of the biggest movies of the past decade, including the massively successfulDune: Part Two. This has made it all the more exciting to see her as the lead in a series likeSilo, allowing her to demonstrate her talents in the spotlight of a long-form series. With season 2 ending in January,Siloseason 3is already well underway, hoping to build on the critically acclaimed saga.
During an interview withScreen Rant’sOwen Danoff,Siloseason 2cinematographer Baz Irvine shared how Rebecca Ferguson’s experience filming theMission: Impossiblefranchise contributed to the daunting episode 7 underwater sequence. Irvine explains, “You remember there was an incredible sequence in one of the Mission: Impossible films where she held her breath underwater, so she’s a veteran.” The cinematographer went on to reveal that Ferguson was confident and proactive about doing her own stunts, embracing the challenge of one of the sci-fi TV show’s most impressive sequences. Read his full quote below:
SR: What was it like to [shoot the dive scene in episode 7] in a way that is suspenseful and tells a story and works with how long Rebecca can be underwater?
Baz Irvine: So the whole idea of shooting in water and underwater on the surface of the water… how we would do that took up a massive [amount of] time in terms of testing and theorizing what would work. And it became clear that Rebecca wanted to do the stunts herself; not all of them, but [she wanted] to be very proactive. You remember there was an incredible sequence in one of theMission: Impossiblefilms where she held her breath underwater, so she’s a veteran.
We went to Pinewood [Studios] for a week where we just tested ideas. “Okay, what would it look like if somebody was pulling themselves out of the water on a rope? But actually, the pool’s not very deep, so what if we put the rope diagonally across the length of the pool and had somebody … tilt the candle around?” In other words, “How do we create the sections we [need?]”
Eventually Rebecca came and did some underwater tests, and then it became clear that she was totally up for doing anything. And also, [she’s] incredibly confident underwater in a way I would never be. You almost take it for granted, but it’s a really hard thing to do, to work in that environment.
I think the bigger thing was to work out the logic of the air pipe. I know of course it suspends disbelief a little bit, but I think we just tried to make everything have an internal logic so that even though yes, okay, it would be hard to have a pipe with the air pump that we had and [be] totally credible, [but] I think because we worked out all the mechanics of how it would work–how long it had to be, how much she would have to carry–[and] because all of that was logical. I think you believe the sequence.
What Rebecca Ferguson’s Mission: Impossible Experience Means
The Tom Cruise Effect Rubbed Off On Her - & It Pays Off
Rebecca Ferguson is far from the first actor to experience the madness of Tom Cruise’s daredevilMission: Impossiblestunts and feel a desire to contribute on that level. Cruise has been famously open about his desire to provide movie-goers with the most authentic cinematic experience possible, pushing the boundaries of what movie stars can contribute to their projects. Co-stars like Henry Cavill have shared how that desire can be contagious on set, prompting other actors to do their own complicated stunts.
Like Baz Irvine describes, an underwater sequence is incredibly difficult, andit’s enormously impressive that Rebecca Ferguson embraced the process on set. She could easily have a stunt double do this part of the job, and the majority of audiences wouldn’t notice, but the fact that it’s her there in the scene adds to the visceral experience of following her character. Rebecca Ferguson has been a champion forSilo, and the hard work is clearly paying off, as Apple already has plans to run the show for two more seasons.
Our Take On Rebecca Ferguson’s Silo Stunts
Rebecca Ferguson Is The Star Silo Deserves
Apple TV+ has become a reliable home for sci-fi television in recent years, and Rebecca Ferguson taking the reins onSilohas been a massive win for everyone involved. Aside from being a terrific actress, Ferguson’s commitment to aspects of the series, like complicated stunt work, benefitsSiloin a way most shows aren’t fortunate to have. Now, in the essence of Tom Cruise, the challenge will be one-upping the underwater sequence with something more daring in season 3.
