‘Black Mirror’ Star Rashida Jones On Love, Dying And Technology

Rashida Jones is buying and selling laughs for tears in Black Mirror’s Season 7 opener. The awful episode follows a lower-middle-class couple, elementary college instructor Amanda (Jones), and building employee Mike (Chris O’Dowd),  whose lives come crashing down when Amanda is recognized with a mind tumor. When she falls right into a coma, Mike has to determine whether or not to let Amanda die or comply with let a subscription service, Rivermind, function her mind. Upon agreeing to the experimental process, the couple learns simply how nefarious the deal actually is. Right here, Jones talks about dystopia and love within the time of more and more unchecked expertise.

DEADLINE: There’s a lot occurring on this Black Mirror episode. From the flimsy healthcare system, infertility, low wages, relationships and euthanasia. The place would you want to start out? 

RASHIDA JONES: Actually, if I didn’t know [series creator] Charlie Brooker, I might completely see Black Mirror as full tech panic. However I don’t suppose that’s what it’s. It’s arduous to say with this episode as a result of it’s so dreadful and bleak. The couple’s state of affairs is intractable. There are only a few selections on this episode for them. I feel the concept tech is so thrilling to individuals who work and innovate in tech that generally there’s a rush. There’s an excited momentum that bypasses an ethical compass. 

DEADLINE: Chris O’Dowd, one other actor like your self identified for his or her comedic prowess, performs your husband. Nevertheless, this episode leans extra in direction of drama and tragedy than comedy. Inform me extra about working collectively to create this dynamic. 

JONES: We’ve labored collectively earlier than, so we’ve identified one another for a very long time. However Chris is a superb actor. I feel folks know him probably the most for comedy, however he’s a classically skilled, Broadway on the West Finish, real-deal actor as nicely. You’ll be able to see that on this episode. He’s so emotionally obtainable, and I feel this doesn’t work except you’ve a practical relationship. However it additionally doesn’t work when you have any person who’s too comedian as a result of there’s quite a lot of deep, darkish sh*t taking place right here and also you want any person who can do each. 

DEADLINE: Amanda’s company comes into query on this episode. She’s not the one who decides to get the process; Mike chooses for her. After which, ultimately, adverts begin operating by way of her physique once they get priced out of the highest ad-free tier. What’s your tackle her company? 

JONES: In case you’ve ever had a liked one who’s sick or goes to the ICU or leads to a coma or has a Do Not Resuscitate… to me, this isn’t genderized. Your emergency contact has quite a lot of accountability and Amanda will not be acutely aware, so he didn’t have a alternative. She was going to die, or he had to enroll in this factor. There wasn’t a 3rd alternative. Within the concern of dropping her altogether, in fact, he’s simply going to cobble collectively no matter to make that work. Ultimately, Charlie deliberately wrote it for them to make the choice to [end her life] collectively. There’s stuff that clearly occurred off-screen earlier than that second on the finish when Amanda says, “It’s time.” They’ve had that dialog and she or he’s making that call from a spot of serenity as a result of she’s on Rivermind Lux, which I feel is basically lovely as any person who believes that there ought to be dignity round how we die. That’s your final energetic company on this one treasured life. 

And my interpretation is that he does, and does his personal factor [to end his life] as a result of he can’t dwell with out her afterward. There’s one thing barely romantic in that they’re on this collectively. They did every thing they may for one another to dwell a significant life, and so they simply not have that choice. 

DEADLINE: You and Tracee Ellis Ross have labored collectively earlier than too. What was it like working together with her on this capability? 

JONES: She’s a superbly dressed, humane villain. It was so nice often because we’ve identified one another for a extremely very long time and we now have a deep friendship and connection. And Black-ish was simply so enjoyable as a result of what a ridiculous character I received to play on that present. However this was good as a result of it’s nearly like our friendship. I belief her. So, to enter this relationship trusting any person who’s upselling me in a reasonably malevolent approach, on the finish of the day, it actually works. As a result of I may really feel my very own disappointment as she stored upselling us. 

DEADLINE: What would you want folks to take from this episode? 

JONES: I don’t know if it’s blind acceptance or give up to the truth that we dwell within the tech period. Within the smallest methods, we may in all probability be extra tech-literate about how we transfer by way of the world. I’m responsible of this, however for instance, you comply with the person agreements if you get a brand new replace from an app. You’re not even these. I don’t suppose we essentially take these freedoms with no consideration, however we predict that programs are arrange for us in a approach that’s actually contemplating our greatest curiosity, and the reality is that they’re not. There’s quite a lot of proof to assist the concept we should always perhaps be extra suspicious and barely extra discerning on the subject of how we use tech in our lives and the way we invite tech into our properties. 

DEADLINE: What app are you mind-numbingly obsessive about proper now? 

JONES: I actually like TikTok. It’s simply so good. It jogs my memory of watching TV within the ‘80s as a result of I simply scroll by way of, and I get to see folks from all around the world doing nice dances, being humorous, telling me about intestine well being, and displaying me their lovely flats. I do often take breaks from it; I’ll take it off my cellphone loads. 

DEADLINE: What did you do throughout the Nice TikTok shutdown of 2025? 

JONES: Oh god, what a few days. I used to be unhappy, however then I used to be like, “That is in all probability higher for me. I don’t really want this.” You realize what I imply? If it did find yourself being everlasting, it could have been OK. Although I do suppose it’s a fantastic place to get information. There’s some actually nice world content material on there. I watch this man who makes these lovely meals for his son within the mountains of Nepal. I might have missed him. 

DEADLINE: Between Black Mirror, Sunny and the upcoming sci-fi Within the Blink of an Eye, are you in your dystopian period proper now? 

JONES: It appears that evidently approach, proper? I didn’t design it that approach in any respect. I feel seeing me in Black Mirror and fascinated by me being on a beloved comedy like Parks and Rec or The Workplace, there’s one thing acquainted about me that makes folks really feel cozy. So, I feel folks in all probability wish to see that character on this bleak circumstance. There’s one thing about that mixture that looks like they will enter by way of the lens of any person they belief or one thing. However I adore it. I’m obsessive about dystopia; it’s been that approach since I used to be youthful. I really like Ray Bradbury and The Twilight Zone. So, I assume my soul has come house to this. 

DEADLINE: Your subsequent undertaking, The Invite, for which you co-wrote the screenplay, is being directed by Olivia Wilde. It additionally stars Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. What are you able to inform us about that? 

JONES: It’s a fantastic solid. It’s going extremely nicely. I’m so enthusiastic about it. It’s very a lot within the vein of the films that I grew up loving and the films that [co-writer] Will McCormack and I’ve written prior to now. We began with Celeste and Jesse Ceaselessly, however we like to put in writing motion pictures concerning the nuance of relationships, and this can be a film that’s the interrogation of what it’s prefer to be in a wedding and a long-term marriage. Inside that lengthy dedication, what components of you die, what are the components of you that you simply neglect, what are the components of you that you simply miss, and easy methods to come again to that.