SPOILER ALERT: This story incorporates spoilers from all 5 episodes of “Sirens,” now streaming on Netflix.
Hey hey! Starch your pastels and delete all of your incriminating texts — Molly Smith Metzler‘s new black comedy series “Sirens” is now streaming on Netflix. Adapted from Metzler’s 2011 play “Elemeno Pea,” the sequence follows Devon (Meghann Fahy) a prickly, blue-collar New Yorker who visits her sister Simone (Milly Alcock) on the ritzy Nantucket-ish property owned by Simone’s glamorous boss, Michaela (Julianne Moore).
Though Devon visits Michaela’s island intent on chewing Simone out for leaving her alone to take of their ageing father Bruce (Bill Camp), Devon is rapidly suspicious of the unusual, cult-like habits at her sister’s new job.
While ducking the prying eyes of Michaela’s all-seeing home supervisor Jose (Felix Solis), Devon works to uncover the reality about what’s happening at Cliff House and why Simone (who will get the particular privilege of calling Michaela by the nickname “Kiki”) is so hooked up to her mysterious boss.
Over the course of 1 candy-colored weekend, Devon discovers a sordid affair buried in Michaela and her husband Peter (Kevin Bacon)’s mysterious previous and races to free her sister from their clutches earlier than she’s brainwashed into the coastal elite for good.
Ahead of the sequence’ Netflix debut, Variety spoke to “Sirens” creator Metzler concerning the murky traces between hero and villain, the double that means within the present’s title, and why uber-rich New Englanders are so obsessive about Lilly Pulitzer.
At the top of the sequence, Simone has changed Michaela on the prime of the meals chain, in a cycle paying homage to how Michaela ended up with Peter within the first place. How did you arrive at that ending?
I like that you just really feel that method, that it’s cyclical. Part of it’s intentional — that is an adaptation impressed by the sirens of Greek mythology, which is a story as previous as time. We open the present with the shot of Julie on the cliff, and we shut it with Simone. They’re standing in the identical place on the cliff, form of just like the island’s at all times going to be there, and this story goes to proceed to go on and on.
There’s one thing about that that felt very entire and full, as a result of that’s the shock of it. That’s the treachery of this world, that’s the lure. I used to be additionally actually eager to flip the attitude. We’re usually listening to concerning the sirens from the sailor’s perspective, and this sequence is about what it means to be solid within the position of a siren. I don’t suppose any of those ladies would voluntarily name themselves sirens, however they’re all solid on this position.
Peter is such an integral piece of the “Sirens” puzzle. How did Kevin Bacon get entangled with the sequence?
Casting Kevin was really easy. We had been like “You know who would be amazing as Peter? Kevin. Do you think he’d do it?” And Kevin stated sure. Peter isn’t within the play, so I used to be creating this position for the primary time with Kevin Bacon. It was actually, actually enjoyable.
He’s the proper Peter, as a result of regardless that he’s Kevin Bacon and he’s “Footloose,” in individual he’s so heat and humble, form of has a working-class vibe. I beloved that for Peter, as a result of Peter’s energy is so enormous, it’s nearly onerous to dramatize. I needed him to really feel like he was preventing in opposition to that on a regular basis; he’s making an attempt to disarm folks and provides his energy away. I actually needed the viewers to neglect how a lot energy he has; I needed the viewers to really feel like Devon did, “This guy’s cool.”
I additionally don’t know that I might name him the villain — I don’t know that Kevin would name him the villain, both. At the top, when he’s saying “I want love and family and goodness and I want my life to matter,” he actually means these issues. He feels that he’s been wronged by a monster.
Kiki and Devon agree on the ferry that Simone isn’t a monster, however the ultimate shot of her on the cliffside appears to indicate in any other case. Do you consider Simone as a monster?
That’s the query I’m concerned about: How are they heroes and villains of their very own tales? I’m excited to listen to folks’s interpretations of the ending. We checked out so many various takes of Simone on that cliff, and we went with the one we went with as a result of it has a little bit of a Mona Lisa high quality.
She’s a little bit bit smiling, a little bit bit not, and it’s onerous to know precisely what she feels in that second. I’ve my reply, however I like that we give the viewers that query. Is it honest, the folks we solid within the roles of “monster” in our lives? Are we villains? Are they? What is a monster, actually?
“Sirens” is predicated in your play “Elemeno Pea.” What was it like bringing this story from the stage to the display screen?
The play is a five-character, 90-minute play that occurs in a single room — the visitor home. The 5 characters are Michaela, Simone, Devon, Ethan and Jose. I wrote the play a bazillion years in the past, however they’ve been with me this entire time, they’re the core solid on this present too. From there, actually all the things else modified. It’s a five-hour mini-series, we’re by no means simply in a single room. The vibrancy of this world: the cliff, the island, all these visible components, it was extraordinary to have the ability to carry them to life.
Then there are the characters we hear about however don’t meet within the play: Bringing in Peter was enormous. Devon and Simone’s father we hear about within the play, however to have him come on and be Bill Camp? There are so many issues we hear about onstage however don’t get to see, like how many individuals worship Michaela. It’s one factor to listen to about that on stage, however we don’t get to see it in individual. Everything acquired wider, deeper, extra layered, extra lush, extra pastel, extra cult.
What’s with all of the Lilly Pulitzer?
Quite merely, I spent a summer season in Martha’s Vineyard and I’ve since spent some summers in Nantucket. My greatest good friend has a home there, and it’s for actual. Lilly Pulitzer is for actual. They all have it on in Nantucket. Then there’s the Nantucket reds, the salmon colour pants. The first time you see it, you’re like, “Where am I?” It’s so brilliant. It’s kind of like, should you’ve been there, you’re in on the joke, you realize the pants to purchase. It additionally takes a sure standing to placed on a gown just like the one Simone has one once we meet her.
It’s ridiculous. I like Lilly, I’ve some Lilly, however it’s a little bit ridiculous. There’s one thing so saturated and brilliant about it. We’re so lucky Carolyn Duncan, our costume designer, took that and simply ran with it – a lot of the stuff on the present that appears like Lilly Pulitzer is definitely customized.
Talk about casting Simone. What had been an important traits you knew she wanted to have?
Simone’s a really troublesome position. Milly is such a improbable actor — it was solely her, ever. What was necessary about Simone is that we [the audience] can’t get forward of her. We must surprise, we’ve to be making an attempt to determine her out. She can’t inform us all the things. She has to interrupt our hearts a little bit.
To have this skill to comprise secrets and techniques however to withhold them and have this facade with Michaela that’s completely completely different than the connection together with her sister, to maintain all these plates spinning, that’s a tall order. She’s so exact in when she turns sure playing cards over in her efficiency.
A big a part of Devon’s story revolves across the pressure of taking good care of her father. What impressed that storyline?
Adapting this story for 2025, there’s a category hole in our nation and the wage hole is simply getting larger and larger. Lots of people are ready like Devon: You have ageing dad and mom, and now it’s instantly your new job, however you don’t have any cash for it. It’s a method for me to speak about my favourite topic, class and socioeconomics.
There’s additionally an expectation that you just’re not going to undergo that alone — you’re going to have your siblings. What occurred to Simone as a baby is horrible, and in her mind, she is subsequently absolved of getting something to do together with her father. Is that honest? I don’t know, however I believe that’s an important query between them, an important battle. What do you owe the individuals who raised you? Can you alter the place you’re from? Can you truly go forth and absolve your self of your dad and mom and by no means return?
Explain the double that means behind the sequence’ title, “Sirens.”
These sisters have a code phrase — within the play, it’s “Elemeno Pea,” which is the identify of the play and there’s an entire story behind why that’s the code phrase. In the present, “Sirens” being their code phrase, it’s the last word “911, drop everything, I need you.”
When I used to be writing the Greek mythology aspect and naming the present “Sirens,” within the script, I had them textual content one another the sirens emoji. It got here from a unconscious place — perhaps as a substitute of the emoji, it’s the phrase “sirens,” after which we get to have this stunning double-meaning. That by no means occurs as a author, however it simply coalesced and landed in my lap.
What’s the origin of “Hey hey”?
In my summers in Martha’s Vineyard, after I labored on the Yacht Club, I had observed that they picked up one another’s method of claiming issues. One lady would are available in with a brand new bracelet that simply dropped on the town, after which they’d all have it.
They did it with language, too, they’d their very own method of talking and there was a contagion to it. In my thoughts, Michaela simply kind of stated it sooner or later, after which Simone stated it again, and it turned one thing the 2 of them say. I simply made it up.
Why does Jose name Michaela “Mi Amor”?
That’s within the play. There are only a few issues which can be verbatim within the play that make it to the sequence, however Jose calling Michaela “Mi Amor,” after which later transferring that to another person, that’s at all times been in there. I like Jose.
I needed to maintain it as a result of it’s an excellent reminder that Jose has lots of energy on this home. He sees and is aware of all the things, and says nothing. He is aware of the place all of the our bodies are buried. He’s larger up on the meals chain than Michaela, regardless that it doesn’t seem to be that whenever you meet them. There’s a tinge of condescension to “Mi Amor” as effectively.
Explain the lockets all of the “sirens” put on. Are they utilizing them to control folks? Are they full of medicine?
So, the locket — no, there’s no medicine, however the lockets are an actual factor in Nantucket Island. It’s one thing you may solely purchase in Nantucket, they’re known as basket necklaces, they usually often have ivory from Wales in them. But they’re very costly, they’re handmade, and everybody in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard is sporting them.
It’s a standing image. You’re not within the membership should you don’t have one. Carolyn Duncan made that occur, made all of them occur. It’s an important image of getting arrived. You have the important thing, you could have the necklace, however it’s a little bit culty. It’s a little bit like sporting a cross, like a faith. You know one thing that everybody else doesn’t.
Throughout “Sirens,” Michaela has a fascination with birds — she’s accountable for theFolger Wildlife Preservation Society. Why are birds so necessary to her, and the sequence?
When Homer first describes sirens, he describes them as half-bird, half-woman. Eventually, over time, they turned the sexualized mermaid factor, however their unique portrayal was half-monster, half-woman. They’re terrible, they’re ugly — it’s actually fascinating the way it modified over time. So that’s a part of it, it’s a nod to the unique Greek mythology. The different half is, Michaela has crammed her life with one thing to mom, one thing to care about. And I believe she may contemplate herself a uncommon chicken.
But they’re additionally predators. They look very stunning, however they’ll rip your face out and break your coronary heart and are available again and smash your window. They’re not candy. Sirens will not be candy. They’re half predator.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
