Photography KEVIN SINCLAIR Styling DAVIAN LAIN

Interview CARL AYERS

With the increasing spotlight on artificial intelligence and its impact on our daily lives, Murderbot, the latest Apple TV+ series, feels especially timely.

Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power. 

Carl Ayers __ You are the lauded and applauded award-winning acting “triple threat,” the wonderful Noma Dumezweni. You are a Tony Award nominee with two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Theater World Award honoree, and an International Online Cinema Award winner. I call you a “triple threat" because you command the stage, film, and television, and I'm not even mentioning all your work in radio and audiobooks. So what's next? Opera? [laughs]

Noma Dumezweni __ No. [laughs] When I hear “triple threat,” I think of someone who can act, dance, and sing. And I haven’t got two of those. I’m jealous of anyone who can sing and dance brilliantly. 

CA __ As for acting, you are now starring in the new sci-fi series Murderbot. What is Murderbot about?

ND __ Murderbot, on Apple TV+, is a ten-part sci-fi series from creators Chris and Paul Weitz. It is a sci-fi, comedy-ish, action, drama adaptation from the books of Martha Wells called The Murderbot Diaries, which I didn't know about when I got the job. I remember reading the first episode and thinking, “Oh, this is interesting.” Then I found out Alexander Skarsgärd was playing our Murderbot. I can't say hero. Our narrator. Our eyes through the world. It's set in the future, and Murderbot is a sentient construct that’s overridden its control module. Essentially freeing itself from enslavement. I play Dr. Ayda Mensah, the first among equals, the president of the Preservation Alliance, the world we come from. Our planet is called the Freehold Planet. It's almost like a hippie planet as opposed to the majority of the other planets that are corporate planets, all owned by corporations in the future. We don't deal with enslavement; We value emotion, connection, and individual agency. We first encounter Murderbot because we're required to select a security unit. The corporation overseeing our research expedition insists on it. It's a non-negotiable condition. So we choose the lowest, cheapest version. And hence Murderbot comes into our lives and we are affected by it. And it is affected by us.

CA __ How would you describe your character Dr. Ayda Mensah?

ND __ Mensah is doing the best she can under the circumstances. This isn’t the world she knows. She and her team aren’t used to dealing with corporations or politics. We come from a place that values emotional connection and humanity. We have chosen to be on this planet for research. She's holding the team together. She's very warm, she's very open. She listens to each individual as she's running the crew. But she's not supposed to be a fighter. She's not supposed to be in danger. Yet danger arrives. So she covers her panic attacks. She covers the stress. To be a leader, you don't put your fears onto the people that you're looking after. That's what I love about Dr. Ayda, and I loved playing her because she likes people. She likes to see the essence of the person she's talking to.

CA __ Do you see any similarities between Dr. Ayda and yourself? 

ND __ I do actually. I like people. I like saying hello. I like trying to figure out how people are feeling in a space. When I was younger, it was more about being a people pleaser. But that was a part of me, which I've now said “let's not do that.” But my curiosity about people is still there and I love that. In terms of Ayda, she has a strong sense of herself, but not of the world she's suddenly in. And that's what's so beautiful about the writing: these warm, emotionally connected people are suddenly confronted with real danger. And that’s where the tension happens. They need Murderbot, beautifully played by Alexander [Skarsgärd], to look after them.

CA __ I like the writing, I like the storyline, I like the cinematography. This was filmed in Canada, correct? How was shooting in Canada? 

ND __ I never had that experience before and I loved it. Canadians are lovely people. The creative world there is set up to do good things. We had a great crew. I loved what we were doing. For me, it all comes down to leadership. Who runs the gig tells you everything about how it’s going to go. Chris and Paul [Weitz, show creators] are quirky creatures themselves. They were just great. And then you've got Alexander [Skarsgärd] leading the team, who is this beautiful nerd in a beautiful body. That's the only way I can describe him because he is a perfect balance. Like, I met this man and I was very happy to say yes to the gig. Then you've got David Dastmalchian who plays Gurathin. He is a genius actor. Our company of actors, I love all the bones of all those humans. Tattiawna [Jones], and Tamara [Podemski] who are in the Preservation Alliance. Tattiawna and Tamara are from Canada. They're well revered and respected there.  Working in Canada was lovely. Toronto was great. Going to the Big Nickel place, and seeing this giant nickel. They're very proud of it. What I loved was going to the different areas surrounding Toronto and seeing the different terrains that we got to film in, which is wonderful because you can get these very sci-fi landscapes: a brick factory, a nickel factory, a volcanic earth looking terrain. We got to travel to these amazing places. But ultimately, it's all about the people you are working with. They were just lovely.

CA __ It sounds like it was a very immersive experience for you. Some cities give tax credits for filming, but then you go to a studio to shoot. But it sounds like you were on location in Toronto a lot of the time.

ND __ We did a lot of studio work too. For example for “Sanctuary Moon,” the show within the show, which I absolutely loved. Tamara and I joked, “Oh my gosh, I think 'Sanctuary Moon' is the one that's gonna get a second season because it's so camp.” And you've got amazing guest actors like Clark Gregg, John Cho, DeWanda Wise, and Jack McBrayer in there. It's just a joyous little fun space to be in. Those scenes were on set. So it was a good balance. The artwork, the art design, led by Sue Chan was phenomenal. I'm gonna big up Carrie Grace, our costume designer, making those worlds real. Natalie Nelson, our lovely head of hair. For me, that was very important because she's a Black woman of Jamaican heritage. Liz Rowe, who did the makeup. Also a shout out to the creative crew who made us look and feel the world. These women were amazing. 

CA __ It's always good to hear that there was such good cohesion between the team, not just the cast, but the cast and the crew.

ND __ It's really important. My mentor always said, “You have to trust that the person who is putting the make up on you or moving the lights is just as important as the words you are saying for the camera.” It is the Ubuntu South African phrase, “I am because we are,” that's how I always go into a job. And that's what that company was. Because we can't be separated to make good work and enjoy the experience.

CA __ Thinking about enjoying experiences, what were some of your favorite moments creating this work?

ND __ My joy is always costume departments, fittings, makeup, and hair chats to get the look of Dr. Mensah. The biggest joy was the very first day when we all met as actors for a camera test. It was all of us meeting in costume. We had not met each other; we’d only heard of each other. And in that morning, I remember we went into our makeup chairs. It was like “Hello, hello, hello.” And they started to make us up together. And then we're all called to set; we were just testing lighting for the cinematographers. And I remember thinking, “Oh my God. Everyone is lovely. I don't feel any bad energy.” I felt I resonated with each and every one of those people. Four months later, when we wrapped, those same people were in my heart. I loved every second of working with them. Another moment I cherish was going to set on a day I wasn't filming, just to watch David [Dastmalchian] and Alex [Skarsgård] do one of their early scenes; when Gurathin invites Murderbot for a tense conversation because he doesn’t trust it. Gurathin is the cynic, and every good story needs one. We need that tension, the person who challenges everything. But it’s all rooted in love. Watching the final episodes, especially the last two, my heart is so full.

CA __ I love hearing that. You mentioned Dr. Mensah’s wardrobe. Often in TV shows, a character's wardrobe is an extension of the person. Your character spends a lot of time in her uniform, so there's not much extension there. What are your thoughts on your wardrobe for this show? 

ND __ We're going on a research trip and we have to buy everything through the Corporation Rim. This is what capitalism and corporate worlds do. We have to buy everything through them, otherwise we can't do this research trip. This is what Martha's written in the books. We have to give some percentage of what we find on this research trip back to the Corporation Rim. Even our uniforms are regulated, and we can’t get insurance without a security unit. That’s why we end up with Murderbot. But what I love about Preservation Alliance as a team is that they do craft work, they do painting on the habitation hub that they've been given. They do craft work on their clothes. They individualize them as much as they can. So mine were these kinds of weird jumpsuits with shorts and leggings underneath it. Then some days I would add on other bits of clothing. So for costumes, it was fun playing with the custom design. Then you've got the Murderbot’s suit. That was a technical marvel. I was always in awe of it. For me, I have to reiterate how important it was to have [hair stylist] Natalie Nelson, a Black woman, on set. What I loved was that in a couple of episodes, you see Mensah in flashbacks with braids, giant braids. And that was because I was able to speak to a woman who understood what our Afro hair can do. Details, like hair, especially for Black characters, are so important to me. And I know that with someone who wasn’t Black, the look and experience would’ve been different. That was the gift of working with Natalie. 

CA __ It’s amazing to have the team with the specialty to handle the needs of the cast, but also the needs of the character. And I separate that intentionally. That attention to detail is always appreciated when it comes to business. We were talking about wardrobe and I want to pivot from Murderbot and talk about our photo shoot with you, in which you looked amazing. So keeping in that same vein of clothing being an extension, tell me about you! The thespian, the mother, the woman, the person. How do you express yourself through your clothing? 

ND __ I love clothes. I love dressing up. It is creativity for me. Over time, I’ve leaned into doing it for myself. Not for what others think. When I was younger, I was doing it for outside validation. When that becomes a conversation within oneself, you actually limit yourself from your true creativity. Oh my God! The clothes for the VESTAL shoot. I am so excited to see the images. I loved wearing what DaVian picked. Working with a stylist is always fascinating because I’d rarely choose those looks myself, but that’s the beauty of collaboration. Everyone brings their own expertise. DaVian with styling, Kevin with photography, you with writing. I love recognizing other people’s brilliance and thinking, “Wow, you make me better at what I do.” Now, as an actor, I can wear this costume. I love that. In my day-to-day life, I won't leave until I feel comfortable. I'm very happy to change several times at home trying to figure out the right piece. If you haven't got an outlet of creativity during your day-to-day, the way you can do it is with clothes. I’ll ask myself, “What does my spirit need today?” And maybe the answer is a scarf, a hat, or a fun pair of shoes. That’s where the joy lives.

CA __ When you look at the show holistically, what's one lesson someone could extract from watching Murderbot? 

ND __ The main thing is that with sentient creatures, even with our pets, our hearts open, your life will be changed for the better than when we're in fear of people. That's why I love what Martha wrote. I see our world in her books and in this show. Especially in this moment in time, we have to be willing to meet “the other” as we perceive it. And in Murderbot, the other is a sentient construct, a clone grown from human flesh and metal. It’s a fighting machine, a killing machine. Murderbot doesn’t like humans, because humans are cruel. All the worst attributes it’s encountered come from its job as a security unit. But from my perspective, the joy comes in watching Murderbot meet the people from the Preservation Alliance. That experience changes how it sees humanity. And in turn, it changes how we see ourselves. In a good way.

CA __ You mentioned your mentor earlier and you referenced the phrase “I am because we are.” What lessons has your mentor instilled in you that you use to portray Dr. Mensah or any of your other characters? 

ND __ Anthony Singleton [acting coach]. I adore this man. He's now 88 years old. We met 30 years ago, and he made me trust that I didn't have to go to drama school. I'd auditioned for drama school two years in a row but didn't get in. Found a job in public relations and thought that was gonna be it. Made redundant and then reminded myself, what do I enjoy? So I started doing workshops here and there, improv workshops, script reading workshops. And then I met him during a monologue workshop and he made me curious about how you can tell a story in a character. I came in as a young actor full of angst. “You're gonna feel my pain” is a line in this brilliant monologue from George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum. The girl gives birth to eggs in her imagination. They're her babies. It’s intense. And he [Singleton] said, “Could you make me laugh?” And I was like, “What? I've just given you my heart.” So, we're gonna do it again. And we went through the script and he said “Look, if you can make me laugh here and just find the comedy, find the joy, find the lightness, you will earn my tears at the end.” That for me, is one of the biggest lessons that Tony has taught me. For all young actors out there, he always said, “Wherever you are is the center of the stage.” You are always listening, because as an audience member in a theater, if a protagonist says something, you want to see how it lands on the other characters in front of you. It's all about active listening. As a character, wherever you are is the center of the stage. Because the truth is, we are the center of our lives, and everyone is a supporting actor spiritually. I really believe that. And each and every one of us are navigating how to be the best version of ourselves. 

CA __ You are now in a rather small sorority. In American television shows, there haven't been many Black women in outer space, especially ones leading intergalactic teams. I've counted fewer than a dozen, with the most famous being Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek. So in a time where the world is focusing on STEM education [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics], with a particular emphasis on girls in STEM, what would you say to little girls who are watching your show? 

ND __ I'm not sure little girls should be watching it. [laughs] That's my mother talking. [laughs]

CA __ [laughs] Right! Young ladies!

ND __ STEM. I was never good at any of that stuff. But there's another version: STEAM, which includes the Arts. For me, that’s crucial not to overlook. I was never an academic kid. Give me the playground, the playroom, the interaction of games. That's where you learn who people are. And so, doing plays really is about playing. To tell a story is to discover who you are. What I want to offer young people, boys and girls, is listen to your body first, and your head second. Your body knows what lights you up. It knows what brings you joy. Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, “You can’t do this. That’s not for you. That’s for someone else.” I say this from experience as I used to listen to what other people were saying, instead of trusting myself fully. So, trust your body. Your body knows the truth, and it will lead you to the places of joy. When an invitation comes, does it spark you up? I say to my daughter, “The people around you are very important to how you are going to expand as a human being and as a spiritual being. People who expand you, keep their company. People who drain your energy, say thank you for the experience, and move away.” It took me a very long time to learn that. Your body and your intuition know. Sometimes you can't explain it to other people, but you know there's something you need to do.

CA __ This sounds like Noma, but it also sounds like Dr. Mensah. Because that is the crux of the Preservation Alliance. That is who they are. Lead with your heart and your head will follow.

Photographer Kevin Sinclair, Stylist DaVian Lain, Interviewer Carl Ayers, Makeup Tara Lauren (Epiphany Agency), Producer David Gargiulo, Photo Assistant Anna Istomina, Stylist Assistants Chelsea Avila, Genile Thomas, Actor Noma Dumezweni (Prosper PR), Bar/Restaurant Location: Pig n Whistle NYC.

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