Dark Matter Star Jimmi Simpson Talks The Multiverse & Exploring Different Variations Of His Character

Summary

• Dark Matter
  explores alternate realities with a focus on quantum mechanics and human choices, asking, “What if I made a different choice?”
• Jimmi Simpson praises the series for its deep exploration of humanity and differentiation in the multiverse genre, based in quantum physics.
• Simpson discusses his character’s journey in
  Dark Matter
  and the strong cast and crew that elevate the storytelling in this sci-fi drama-thriller.

Dark Matter follows Jason Dessen, a college professor in Chicago, who is abducted and dropped into an alternate version of his life. While trying to figure out what happened, Dessen begins a quest to find a way home in order to save his family from an alternate version of himself. While embarking on this journey across time and space, the most dangerous foe he will face is himself.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Blake Crouch, who also serves as showrunner, Dark Matter explores the concept of the multiverse and alternate realities. While this has become a popular concept in movies and television series, especially within the superhero genre, Crouch’s novel debuted in 2016 and focused on the science of the multiverse with quantum mechanics and quantum theory at the forefront. Dark Matter is, at its core, a human story centered around the question of, “What if I made a different choice? How would that have changed my course in life?”

Screen Rant interviewed Jimmi Simpson about his new series Dark Matter. He explained what drew him to the story and praised Edgerton’s performance. Simpson also broke down how Dark Matter is different from other multiverse projects and discussed possibilities for Psych 4.

Jimmi Simpson Shares His Love For The Story Of Dark Matter & His Character Arcs

Simpson was so impressed by the pilot for Dark Matter that he immediately read Crouch’s novel, which impressed him even more. His excitement about this project and the way in which it explores humanity is palpable. He explained why having Crouch helm the series helped to make it even better, staying true to what made the book so great.

Jimmi Simpson: I read the pilot, and I was like, Ah! This is so well written and I’m pretty comfortable playing a best friend because I love, I’m a caretaker myself. So that’s like an articulation of me. And then I read that, and then I was like, This is so good. But this man is posing. He’s talking about that universal human daydream slash fear of, Oh my God, what if I had made the other choice? What would it be like? Would it be better? Would it be worse? That was a tall order. And so I was like, Well, can you follow through? So I read his book and I was so satisfied. I was blown away by how clear he was, and I was just like, Oh, this man has a huge heart.

He understands what it’s like to be a human being in a deep, deep way. I love when a brilliant person also has that capacity. So I started speaking to Blake and it was the case, and I immediately said, I’d love to be a part [of it]. And then, as the scripts developed, because normally when you have such a beautiful piece of IP and then you have a big network that wants to make a story out of it, they hire someone else who’s like, This is how TV goes.

They got Blake not just to be the screenwriter of this IP, but also to be the showrunner. He’s literally there the whole time. So the television show wasn’t like a fluffing of IP, it was a deeper articulation of what was already there. And so he could show us all the stuff visually that you can’t really do in a book. You’re giving it in here [points to his head].

Simpson also broke down his character, Ryan’s journey, including how he diverged in the different realities. While they are the same at their core, each made a decision that changed the path their life took. He also praised how the project came together with such a strong cast and crew.

Ryan developed as kind of the barometer, I guess, for the audience to see what we’re talking about here. The soul is the same. We’re talking about the same soul, which is generally established by six, eight, whatever. These three men were the same at least until 18, and then again until 24. So the first guy, he just wins and wins and he’s got the confidence to show it and the ease.

The second guy has the same drive but didn’t win. And so he wants it, but he didn’t quite get it. So there’s some bitterness there, but he’s still a caretaker. And then the third guy, again, such a sweetheart, but he’s never even developed his own drive because he was broken at an early age. So being able to show the same soul and how different the realities could be, but share that same inner self, but having to adjust for their own realities, that was more than I’d even bargained for.

I was hopping on because I love this project and I’ve already loved Blake and some of the producers, and it just turned out to be more than I could have ever even hoped for. And then, to put it all together with Joel and Jennifer and Elise, Alice and Apple, and Chris Parnell and David, and Man Pearl and Matt Tolmach, you don’t know. You just know everybody’s great. Everybody’s really great people, and that’s not always the best thing for the end result. And then to see the show, I just was blown away. I couldn’t believe that all of the working parts that are bigger than the sum were even bigger when put together. Yeah. I was blown away. I still am. I’m like, I can’t believe I get to be a part of this.

Jimmi Simpson Explains How Dark Matter Stands Out From Other Multiverse Projects: “It’s Based In Quantum Physics”

The multiverse has become a hugely popular subgenre with countless superhero movies exploring the concept, including an entire multiverse saga in the MCU, as well as projects like Everything Everywhere All At Once. Simpson broke down how Dark Matter stands out with part of that differentiation being the science as well as the humanity Crouch explored in the original novel.

Jimmi Simpson: Well, first of all, it has become so popular. So with that, they have to change a little bit. No, this is our multiverse. This is our multiverse. Blake Crouch wrote this book, not before anyone talked about multiverse, but before this current stage that we’re dealing with. So his is completely his own, but it’s also based in quantum physics, quantum mechanics, and quantum quantum theory. So we’re taking superposition an abject truth of quantum physics.

And unlike Schrodinger, who was kind of uptight with his cat example, because superposition does exist. Whether it’s two particles taking up space at the same time, it’s a particle and it’s a wave. It’s in two different locations. It’s real. Almost like Schrodinger was kind of tamping down quantum theory by saying, but that doesn’t mean this because then you’re saying this and Blake is saying, No, you’ve oversimplified it. So I’ll call it Crouch’s Cat. Blake is actually articulating superposition in a possible way, unlike Schrodinger.

This cast is just fantastic from top to bottom. Is there a specific moment you remember where a scene partner really knocked it out of the park and helped elevate your performance?

Jimmi Simpson: You can’t be on film with Joel Edgerton, most of my scene work is with Joel. If anything, it’s just like, Oh gosh, why am I with this brilliant actor? So he just naturally will raise anybody in the room. I think he’s so talented, and he’s such a big heart. That was the reality. It’s like I’m such a fan of his work so nuanced. It seems like it would be coming from a really precious actor, because it’s so fricking good.

Then it’s like he has no idea he’s a movie star. It’s a shared value in a lot of Australians I’ve met. It’s just like it’s not about that, which is so refreshing. I come from rural New Jersey. I didn’t come to LA for any kind of fame or anything. And so to see someone who’s so successful and still able to articulate that reality of, No, I’m Joel, and he’s such a hard worker. I think he played 25. I dunno how many versions. And then he’d be like, Hey man. Just so fun to talk to and to be a peer with. Joel blew me away.

And then watching Jennifer, I’d see her popping into scenes looking slightly different, and then her realities are so heartbreaking in some ways, so charming. I think they both, and Alice, all three of them are really elevating television acting for me. It’s film acting, television acting, reality. It’s beautiful. I think they’re all going to win awards. I’ll vote for them.

Jimmi Simpson Has A Disappointing Update About A Return In Psych The Movie 4, But Promises “Mary Will Never Die”

Simpson also discussed the possibility of reprising his role as Mary Lightly in the fourth Psych movie. Although Mary died during the television series’ fourth season, he has returned a number of times. Simpson reprised Mary Lightly in a dream sequence in both Psych: The Movie and Psych 2: Lassie Comes Home. Simpson also explained why he has returned to Psych so many times, even after his death.

Jimmi Simpson: Yeah, I don’t think so. But here’s the thing. James Roday is my ride or die. James Rodriguez is my ride or die. Half the times early on, the reason why Mary kept coming back is, I don’t know, early on I needed health insurance. James was like, Well, I’ll come up with a reason why Mary’s back, and so I’ll always be a part of Psych that will not be the last one. He’s always throwing ideas at me of, What about this? What about this? And I’m always like, yes, yes, yes. Mary will never die. Don’t worry.

About Dark Matter

Based on Blake Crouch’s international bestseller. Jason Dessen is abducted into an alternate version of his life. To get back to his true family, he embarks on a harrowing journey to save them from the most terrifying foe imaginable: himself.

Check back for our other Dark Matter interviews:

• Blake Crouch & Matt Tolmach
• Joel Edgerton & Alice Braga
• Jennifer Connelly

Dark Matter

debuts on Apple TV+ on May 8.

Source: Screen Rant Plus