amna: The fourth and final
season of Netflix's
wildly-popular series "Never
have I ever" is leading the
platform's streaming charts
across the world.
I recently spoke with one of the
series lead actors, poorna
jagannathan, about the show's
success and how it's paving the
way for more diversity in
Hollywood as part of our arts
and culture series, canvas.
Welcome back to the newshour.
It is good to see you again.
Poorna: Such a pleasure.
I remember we did the release of
season one.
It is a pleasure coming back.
Amna: We are talking four
seasons later now.
The world is now watching the
final episodes of what has
become a multicultural
phenomenon on television.
How are you feeling about it
coming to an end?
Poorna: As you're talking, it is
occurring to me it has gone from
extraordinary season one to
season four.
The diversity was so unheard of.
Now, we are seeing so much more
representation on streaming
platforms and scripts I am
getting.
The beauty of it going from --
much more ordinary is the
journey we wanted.
Amna: Did the reaction over the
last four seasons surprise you?
The show creator shared recently
this screen grab that seemed to
show all the number one shows
across Netflix around the world.
"Never have I ever" was number
one across country after
country.
Did that surprise you?
Poorna: It really was really
surprising to see something like
that.
We didn't know what we were
making, we just knew we were
having fun.
Unbelievably intimate experience
while making it.
We didn't know who would watch
it, why people would watch it.
It felt so radically diverse.
We took such a big risk.
Even when it was number one, we
didn't expect that at all.
Amna: When we first spoke, you
talked about the connection you
felt to this role.
You play an emigrant mom.
You -- immigrant mom.
Do yourself are an emigrant mom.
Does that make it harder to say
goodbye to this role because of
that connection?
Poorna: The funny thing is as
the seasons progressed, it
became closer and closer to who
I am.
When I got this role, she was
really funny, parents a
different way that I parent.
Super strict.
I'm not.
You know, for example, the
remarriage.
Or getting ready for college,
that happened this year.
All of us, the show has taken on
our lives, and very meta.
I do believe this is the role of
a lifetime for me.
Amna: There are so many detailed
culturally specific moments
throughout the show, whether it
comes to traditions or
celebrations or even the terms
of endearment you used to refer
to other people.
I wonder did you and the writers
say we have to explain this in
some way to her audience, or did
you just think we are going to
do it and they will catch up?
Poorna: What I love about this
show is there are no footnotes.
No translations.
There is an element of cultural
specificity that is never
explained, and that is what
makes it so beautiful and so
authentic.
For example, the wedding jewelry
that I wear is literally what I
wear in my real life.
I'm south Indian.
Or there was a scene where we
said goodbye to the mom.
We hug her.
Our parents and grandparents, we
do the bow.
Ok, we have a dinner scene, what
do you want to eat?
We would discussss food.
One of the only sets I have been
on where there is so much
specificity, authenticity.
Amna: We have seen a number of
both television shows but also
movies, animated film in which
Asian American characters and
stories are not on the fringes,
they are the centerpiece.
They are the focus.
We saw that with "Everything,
everywhere all at once."
Even with animated films, why do
you think we are seeing that
now?
Poorna: I think it started from
"Never have I ever."
I actually believe what we are
seeing now is because of shows
Mindy has created.
Where people of color are the
center of those stories.
And they are doing so well.
Netflix uses it as a lighthouse
example of what a show can do in
terms of story, in terms of
diversity of storylines and
casting.
Once something has been green
lit and does well, the
floodgates open.
I believe we were there because
of "Crazy rich Asians.."
I think it is a domino effect.
It is so high-risk when you do
something like this.
There is an audience.
I think audiences are demanding
to be seen, to be reflected.
Streaming services like Netflix
are trying to meet them.
Amna: You have more work coming
up where you have very different
characters.
You will play a bad guy in your
upcoming Netflix film.
The scope of your career has
been interesting to watch
because you have played
different characters, in an
industry where women of color
are not necessarily granted all
kinds of agency to make
decisions about the roles they
play.
You are not necessarily given
that many roles.
A 50-year-old brown woman
setting new peaks.
How do you do that?
Poorna: It is the industry.
I'm not a creator, I am a
performer.
I come to scripts, I don't
create them.
There are women before me who
are doing the part.
Men are dying to write is out.
Women are like, that is not
going to happen.
The narrative continues.
I'm walking in the shadows of
these women who I truly know the
trajectory I have is because of
them.
Just opening doors with all
their might.
And I am going through those.
Amna: One of the stars of "Never
have I ever" which is ending
after four seasons.
Congratulations.
We will be watching what you do
next.
Poorna: Thank you for always
supporting me and the show.
It is a pleasure to be back.
♪♪