DSCENE Interview with Extraordinary Actress MÁIRÉAD TYERS

Irish actress Máiréad Tyers has captured audiences with her portrayal of Jen in the Disney+ series ‘Extraordinary,’ a British superhero comedy crafted by Emma Moran. The series, which made its debut on the Disney+ Star platform internationally on January 25, 2023, has been met with positive reviews from critics. Following its success, the second season, which began streaming on March 6, 2024, continues to draw audiences with its engaging mix of humor and heartfelt storytelling.

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In a revealing interview by DSCENE Magazine‘s Contributing Editor Nikola Bajovic, Máiréad Tyers reflects on her earliest experiences in acting, her impactful role in ‘Extraordinary,’ and the profound journey of self-discovery and empowerment her character Jen undertakes. Máiréad talks about the evolution of Jen in the series’ second season, emphasizing the blend of comedic and dramatic elements that distinguish ‘Extraordinary.’ She shares the personal inspirations behind her performance, her future aspirations, and the joys and challenges of embodying Jen, providing insights into the thematic depth of the series and its relevance to contemporary discussions on personal growth and the quest for happiness. The interview unveils Máiréad’s thoughts on her acting career and the influences that have shaped her, and also hints at the memorable moments audiences can expect in the new season of ‘Extraordinary.’

The nominations for the upcoming BAFTA TV Awards have been unveiled today, and Máiréad Tyers, along with her colleague from Extraordinary, Sofia Oxenham, have both received nominations for best female performance in a comedy. The series itself is also nominated, for Best Scripted Comedy. The winners of this year’s BAFTA TV Awards will be revealed during a ceremony hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett on May 12, 2024.

Hello, Máiréad, and welcome to DSCENE! To begin, I would like to ask if you remember any of your first acting experiences and how your passion for acting arose?

Thank you! One of my first memories of acting is taking part in a drama competition called the Feis Maitiu – anyone who is an actor from Cork is bound to have entered it at one point or another. I mean, the whole idea of ‘competing’ in drama feels a bit ridiculous, but I’m positive it was the origins of many great Cork actors. I used to enter the mime competitions, and I genuinely loved doing them. The themes were always very simple, like ‘Snow Day’ or something like that, and I vividly remember the first time I experienced making the audience laugh with what I was doing and it felt amazing to feel an audience were entirely engaged with me and following along with the story. I think from then I just wanted to be onstage or performing at every possible opportunity.

For those unfamiliar with ‘Extraordinary,’ could you share an overview of the series and describe your character?

It’s a comedy set in East London about my character Jen, who is living in a world where everyone gets a superpower at eighteen years-old, and for some reason, Jen at twenty-five still doesn’t have her power yet. This makes her feel hugely inadequate, and the first series follows her journey to find her power with help from her friends Carrie, Kash and their new companion, Jizzlord. She works in a party shop where her boss is a middle-aged woman trapped in a nine year-old’s body, she speaks to her dead Dad through her best friend Carrie who can channel the dead, and her relationship with her living family is dysfunctional to say the least. She’s trying to navigate life in her twenties, as well as living in a world where everyone’s got something she hasn’t.

Jen is striving for self-improvement but faces challenges due to her penchant for self-sabotage. How does her character evolve, and what can viewers expect from Jen’s personal journey this season?

Jen starts the second season believing her life is about to change. She’s got a new boyfriend who she is mad about, she’s going to a clinic that will be able to draw out her power – it feels like it’s all looking up. Until she finds out that Jizzlord had a wife and kid in his past life. She tries her best to put her insecurities and jealousies aside in order to ‘co-parent’ with his intimidatingly gorgeous ex-wife. In past relationships I think she would have run a mile if something like this had happened, but she wants to put her fears aside for Jizzlord’s sake. She goes on a journey of real growth this season, encouraged by her new therapist at the power clinic, George, and she tries her best to push back, but finally allows herself to evolve and address some complicated aspects of her life she’s always denied.

In what ways does Season 2 continue to explore the theme of adulthood, and how do the characters navigate the challenges of transitioning into more responsible roles in their lives?

I think Kash and Carrie’s story in season two is a real exploration into how complex a break up can be, especially when you both live together and there’s a tight-knit friend group involved. I love Carrie’s journey of discovering herself and her independence post-breakup. I think it’s a really important storyline and Sofia [Oxenham] acts all the nuances of it beautifully. Your mid-twenties can feel like such a messy and confusing time, it’s like a second puberty and I’d hope people would feel less alone in that chaos by watching the show.

What aspects of the show’s message do you find most compelling or relevant in today’s context, especially considering the characters’ pursuit of personal growth and independence?

I think Jen’s burning desire to find her power and her belief that once she gets it, everything will be fine and she will become the person she wants to be, is something that feels particularly relevant in today’s context. I think we live in a world where comparison is encouraged, social media being one of the main perpetrators. It’s easy to look at others and think they have the perfect life, but that usually isn’t the reality. We can think “once I get that job, or have this amount of money, or live in this house, then I’ll be happy,” but I don’t think that’s helpful. It’s putting all your worth in something outside of yourself. Jen slowly begins to realise that her power isn’t the most important thing, and maybe if she focused on bettering the aspects of her life that she can control, she could find happiness.

Did you have someone you looked up to in the field of film when you were a child, and is there someone you would really like to collaborate with?

I always loved Robin Williams films growing up. My sister and I would rewatch ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ endless times, and whenever ‘Flubber’ came on the TV I’d always watch it. I loved watching him when I was young, before I didn’t know I wanted to be an actor or did drama classes or anything, but I really feel that he has had a huge influence on me. I watched ‘Landscapers’ recently after finishing ‘Flowers’, and I think Will Sharpe is so talented – I’d love to be directed by him.

How has your experience portraying Jen in Season 2 differed from Season 1, and what aspects of the character did you find particularly intriguing to explore this time around?

It did feel different – it was like a whirlwind when we started filming because season one had just come out the week before we started shooting. I found it challenging to step into the character again after seeing the trailer played on TV and the posters around London all the time, so close to the time we began filming. You suddenly become aware that what you’re making is going to be consumed by an audience eventually, which I was helpfully forgetful of when filming the first season. But I was able to feel grounded again by listening to character playlists I made and trying my best to block out the noise online, even when it was positive! It’s not helpful to think about how it might be received while filming, it’s necessary to block that out and just focus on the task at hand. In this season, I really enjoyed exploring Jen’s more vulnerable side – she tries to avoid being vulnerable as much as possible, but this season she is really forced to go deep, in a really emotional way.

Can you tease any memorable or unexpected moments from Season 2 that viewers should look forward to, without giving away too many spoilers?

Yes… There is an episode with some musical numbers in it, and a Halloween themed episode!

As an actress, how do you approach the comedic and dramatic elements of ‘Extraordinary,’ and what do you believe sets this show apart in terms of its storytelling and character development?

Often when we get the scripts, they are so funny that it feels like most of the work is already done. All of the one liners are so good that it’s almost like no matter how you say them they’re going to land. But I think the cast is so comedically strong, that we’re desperate to find ways to make it even funnier, sometimes just to make each other laugh. And again, the dramatic moments in the script are so well written from Emma [Moran] that they feel easy to access a lot of the time, especially with us knowing our characters so well at this stage. Yet sometimes with those scenes, I feel it’s better to read them a few times and be aware at what point in the shoot we’re filming them, and just let them fester in my subconscious – I don’t like overworking or rehearsing those scenes because I feel you begin to predict your response, rather than let it be instinctual and surprising.

Looking ahead, what do you hope viewers take away from Jen’s character arc in Season 2, and how does it contribute to the larger narrative of ‘Extraordinary’?

I hope people can be encouraged by Jen’s self-growth in this season, and know that we are capable of doing things we don’t expect of ourselves. Jen’s actions up to this point have allowed her to stay in a comfortable place, avoiding difficult conversations and vulnerability. This season, I think she realises both her and the people around her deserve more than that, and opening herself up to her friends, boyfriend and family, might bring about conflict but their relationships can grow stronger from that. And in the larger narrative of the show, I think this contributes to her becoming a genuinely better person, as they all are. I think Kash and Carrie are finding their feet now that they’re out of a long-term relationship and Jizzlord is discovering who he is as a father and more generally, a human. They’re all growing up a bit.

What expectations do you have for the second season, and what are your aspirations for your future plans?

I just hope people really love it and that it offers some joy to audiences. It feels like season two is really anticipated by fans of the show so I’m just excited for them to see it! In terms of the future, fingers crossed we get a season three, I’d love to do another series of the show. I’ve got a drama-comedy coming out on Amazon called ‘My Lady Jane’ which I filmed last year and had a ball on, so I’m looking forward to that being released also.

Do you have any advice for young people who want to start acting?

Try and get involved in any way you can – if there’s a local youth theatre near you, sign up, even if it’s more film and TV you want to do, it’s still a great place to start. And watch as much as you possibly can, feel no shame in watching hours of TV – that’s what I did, even though my mom hated it!

Follow Máiréad on Instagram – @maireadtyers

Interview by Nikola Bajović – @nikolabajovic
Photographer Shane O’Connor – @byshaneoc
Stills Courtesy of DISNEY – @disneyplus