- Hi, I'm Jessie Mei Li, and I play Alina Starkov
and today we are going to be talking about
that moment between Alina and the Darkling.
(pop music)
♪ You get me high ♪
♪ Electric flow ♪
So at this point in the series,
it's been a bit of a turning point for Alina.
She decides that she isn't going to wait around
for Mal anymore,
and that she's going to go on her own
and only depend on herself.
It's the day of the winter fete,
it's going to be Alina's big moment
where she shows off her light
to all the dignitaries that have come
from all over the world.
And this is prior to her getting ready
and she decides that she's going to go
and see what Alexander is up to.
(beep)
So Alina is just sneaking in to Kirigan's ballroom,
she's having to look around, where is he?
He's just having to look in the mirror.
- Ivan,
my kefta.
- They've almost had a slightly intimate moment
where Alina wasn't really sure about what was going on.
So knowing that and having that moment
at the end of episode four,
intrigues her and she kind of wants to go
and spend time with him and, you know,
see what's going on really.
(beep)
- You're not Ivan.
- Sorry to disappoint.
- Do I sense a little disdain for my heart render?
You know once you get to know him he's actually quite funny.
- I bet you find Volkra hilarious.
- They have a little sweet, slightly awkward joke.
- May I?
- Thank you.
- Alina and Kirigan have gone from being complete strangers,
where she is just essentially no one
and he is the leader of the second army,
to them becoming friends,
to then almost becoming something more.
And I think from the moment she meets him
feels incredibly drawn to him.
You know, it felt like they really did,
that something could really happen between the two of them
and they really do care for each other.
(whirring)
(beep)
- Talking to Genya,
I've realized what this demonstration represents.
I've always felt like an outsider,
especially when I first got here.
But, now I finally feel like I belong.
And not that I just belong here, but to something greater.
That we can offer Grisha and Ravkans hope for the future.
- This is a moment for her
just to express how she's feeling.
But I think the fact that we chose
for Alina to deliver it, not to him,
it was to...
Herself really.
I really liked that because it meant
that it was a very like personal moment for Alina
but also it meant that then we as the audience
can then see Kirigan reacting to it.
(beep)
- That means a lot to me, Alina.
You mean a lot...
To everyone.
- You know, when you sort of say like you someone,
and then you don't think they're responding.
So, you know, he's like essentially saying,
I like you as a friend, you know,
and because she's looking down.
And when I think it's a really sweet little moment
from Kirigan that shows real like vulnerability,
even though we don't necessarily see him say it,
he is sensing that she has the power in this situation
and I really liked that.
(dramatic music)
- Not many people surprise me, Miss Starkov.
(whirring)
(beep)
- This first care scene we actually filmed second.
So, the second kiss was the first kiss that we filmed.
So, you know this scene felt very, very easy,
very comfortable.
And Ben and I would often come up with blocking, you know,
our idea of what we wanted the blocking to be beforehand.
I liked the fact that he's relaxed and sitting back
and, you know, it's more inviting
than if he was standing up and being imposing
As a quite an impulsive person myself,
my instinct was that Alina was going to kiss Kirigan
and then immediately be like,
you know, a bit concerned, a bit like,
"Oh wait, have I overstepped the line?"
And our director, Mairzee, was like, "Nah-ah, no."
This whole episode is such a turning point
and it's really important that we see
that she sticks to this decision.
I think it was nice to have the first kiss happen
earlier in the episode because then,
during the winter fete,
all of the interactions between Alina and Kirigan
feel very like that first crush, you know, kind of thing.
And meant that she felt really excited and accepted.
'Cause she feels like she doesn't belong,
that's what she says an awful lot.
And finally, she's standing up on the stage
in front of everyone and she does feel like she's belong
and she's been accepted by the person
who essentially means the most in this situation,
which is the Darkling, Kirigan.
So it was really nice
to have that dynamic between the two of them,
like during the winter fete
where they can be a little bit sort of
gooey-eyed over each other.
So then later on when things do get a bit more intimate
and a bit more heated,
we already have established that she wants this,
you know, and she's ready and she's not blushing,
and you know, innocent.
- Are you sure?
(breathing heavily)
- I think it was nice to have a scene where, you know,
that the consent is explicit, you know,
he says, "Are you sure?"
And she says, you know, she nods and she says yes.
Because consent is a really, really important thing
and that came from the writers,
and I think it's a really, really good decision.
(upbeat music)
So thank you for going through that moment with me,
Shadow and Bone is now streaming on Netflix.