“ I LOVE PLAYING CHARACTERS IN EXTREME SITUATIONS. YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT A PERSON BY SEEING HOW THEY REACT UNDER PRESSURE.”

—  LISA VICARI

Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Every second counts. In Hijack Season 2, the stakes are relentless. Lives teeter on the edge. Power shifts with every decision. The pressure never lets up. Tick Tock.

Lisa Vicari’s character, Clara, sits at the heart of this storm. A junior control-room operative underestimated by everyone around her. Quietly observing. Measuring. Calculating. Each choice carries weight. Each hesitation could cost everything. Tick Tock. Clara’s strength is not spectacle. It’s composure. Attentiveness. Empathy. In moments of crisis, she moves deliberately, letting observation guide her rather than impulse. Calm control. Power under pressure emerges not from dominance, but from understanding. From presence. From being fully alive when every second matters. Tick Tock. Claustrophobia is both literal and metaphorical. Tight spaces. Unyielding schedules. High-stakes decisions pressing down from every direction. For Clara, intensity is magnified by inexperience. She is new. She is overlooked. Yet her focus and empathy reveal unexpected strength. She anchors the chaos. She controls not with force, but with awareness. Composure. Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Every heartbeat. Every choice. Suspense is human. Fear. Trust. Control. Constants we all navigate. Strength often lives in stillness. The force we feel more than hear. And when it emerges, it hits exactly when it matters most.

David Gargiulo __ Many actors describe their “screen presence” as something that evolves with time. How would you describe your presence now versus when you first started both on screen and off?

Lisa Vicari __ It’s difficult to judge your own presence, because presence is ultimately something perceived by others. That said, I do think that with age comes a certain self-confidence that is helpful both in front of and behind the camera. I’ve learned more about what I need in order to do my best work, and I can feel that the experience I’ve gathered over the years helps me navigate life on set with more ease and clarity.

DG __ If someone asked you to describe yourself in three words today, what would you say?

LV __ Very typical for an Aquarius, independence is extremely important to me. I’d also say curious and maybe a little stubborn.

DG __ Hijack is an intense, high-stakes world. How did you prepare, physically or emotionally, to step into that tension for Season 2?

LV __ Hijack was quite unique because we tell a story in real time, but we filmed it over several months. That meant we had to maintain the high stakes across many scenes without the characters ever really getting a break. That was new and challenging, because at times it can feel repetitive. We constantly had to remind ourselves how intense and adrenaline-filled each moment is for the characters and make sure to sustain that tension.

DG __ Many of your characters operate under pressure. Do you prefer roles that simmer quietly or explode dramatically? Why did this one click for you?

“ IT’S INTERESTING HOW QUICKLY POWER CAN BE BOTH GIVEN AND TAKEN AWAY… WHOEVER CAN PROVIDE SAFETY, OR WHO MOST THREATENS THAT IDEA, SUDDENLY BECOMES THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE ROOM.”

LV __ I love playing characters in extreme situations. I think you learn a lot about a person by seeing how they react under pressure, and discovering that is incredibly exciting to me. There’s so much to uncover and learn about human behavior in those moments.

DG __ Claustrophobia is both literal and metaphorical in Hijack: tight spaces, tight schedules, tight control. Do you see that reflecting the pressures people face in real life?

LV __ The modern world we live in is shaped by an overwhelming flood of information, which makes crises and pressure feel constantly present in people’s lives. Through the internet and social media, we’re exposed to so much that the world can start to feel extremely small, and that can trigger a kind of claustrophobia. That’s why it’s so important to consciously take time to disconnect, put the phone aside, and be present with yourself and your surroundings.

DG __ Power shifts constantly between captors, passengers, and authorities. Did exploring these dynamics on set make you think differently about real-world control and influence?

LV __ It’s interesting how quickly power can be both given and taken away. You can gain power through many different means, whether by having particular experience and knowledge or owning certain resources. However, it’s all contextual. It really depends on what people most value in whatever setting they are in. In Hijack, for example, safety becomes the most valuable thing for the passengers. So whoever can provide safety, or who most threatens that idea, suddenly becomes the most powerful person in the room. While, of course, that’s an extreme dramatised example for the screen, it does reflect what people are willing to do, and fight for, when it comes down to what matters most to them.

DG __ Fear, trust, and control are central to Hijack. Do you think audiences respond to these themes because they resonate with real-world anxieties?

LV __ Fear, trust, and control are essential emotions that come with being human. They’re as much a part of us as positive emotions. Films and TV series allow us to see our own emotions reflected back at us and help us understand them better. I also think Hijack works so well because it’s a fast-paced series that keeps you on the edge of your seat while offering a temporary escape from both global issues and personal worries. That’s an important role entertainment can play.

DG __ On a show this tense, humor is rare. What was it like off screen, and were you able to joke around on set to help break the pressure?

LV __ I love talking and joking around with the cast and crew on set. Even on Hijack, we had a wonderful team and great scene partners, and we shared a lot of laughs between takes. That really helps release the tension from the scenes and allows everyone to relax in between.

DG __ When audiences first meet your character, Clara, what nuance do you hope they notice? What might surprise them later as the tension unfolds?

LV __ When we first meet Clara, she’s very new to the job - it’s only her second week in the control room, and that inexperience shows in her quiet, observant nature. She’s someone people might easily underestimate. What becomes surprising is how she reacts under extreme pressure. When the situation escalates, Clara manages to stay calm and act quickly, not through expertise, but through empathy. Her humanity allows her to connect and play a key role in defusing the situation, revealing a strength no one initially expected.

DG __ Hijack dramatizes split-second decisions with enormous stakes. What lessons from embodying this kind of tension do you think will stay with you in future roles?

LV __ The experience on Hijack was special because while we were playing these high-stakes situations, I was also very limited physically. Clara, my character, has to stay at her desk and manage an extremely difficult situation from there. I had to rely heavily on facial expression and voice, since my body was mostly seated. That challenge will probably remain quite unique for me.

Photographer Lee Malone, Stylist Natalie Brewster, Interview David Gargiulo, Hair & Makeup Nohelia Reyes using Violette_FR and Oribe, Lighting Jake Milsom, Stylist Assistant Sarah Orkin, Hair & Makeup Assistant Lara Nasamu, Talent Lisa Vicari (Telescope)