Based on the classic PlayStation game series, the new live-action tv series, Twisted Metal, comes to Peacock starting today. The action comedy stars Anthony Mackie as John Doe, who is given the task of driving a package across the post-apocalyptic wasteland in exchange for the chance at a better life. Along the way he meets Quiet, played by Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Encanto), when she tries to steal his car, and they must work together when they encounter other dangers on the road, including a psycho clown killer who drives an ice cream truck (Joe Seanoa). 

Recently, star Beatriz spoke with SciFi Vision about working on the series, including her familiarity with the game, Quiet’s antagonistic relationship with Doe, working with Mackie on the series, the difficulties in not using her voice for many of the scenes, and more.

Watch the interview or read the transcript below and be sure to check out the series, now streaming on Peacock.

***This interview took place prior the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike***



SCIFI VISION:   Were you at all familiar with the game when you first got the part? Had you heard of it at all? 

STEPHANIE BEATRIZ:  Yeah, yeah, I had heard of Twisted Metal. I grew up when this game was very, very popular. I had multiple friends who I mentioned the title to, and they were like, “What?! They're turning that into a TV show?” So, yeah, I was familiar with the game. And before my audition, I did a lot of research and sort of tried to look around to see like, what would the world be that I was entering? 

Tell me a bit about your character and her storyline and where she's headed this season for people who don’t know. 

Yeah, so, I would say Quiet is what her name says she is. She definitely is a woman a few words, especially in the beginning of a series, but she's also kind of a badass. She works on impulse and instinct and isn't afraid of danger and isn't afraid of putting herself in harm's way to get what she needs to do done. Without sort of giving too much of that away, she forms this very antagonistic bond with our hero, John Doe, played by Anthony Mackie, and it's a bond that is born out of necessity. But it's really, I think, going to be fun for audiences to watch that develop and how they bump heads is really funny and fun. 

That was my next question. Can you tell us a bit more about their sort of relationship, what's going on there? 

I mean, I think they really rub each other the wrong way. Quiet starts out trying to steal John's car, and cars in this world are necessary. This world is just, if you don't have a car, then you're, you know, shit out of luck. I mean, that's kind of the whole thing. Twisted Metal is you’ve got to get in your car and make it happen. Whatever you're trying to make happen, you’ve got to make happen, you’ve got to do it inside your car. And if you don't have a car, you're trying to get a car. So, in the beginning of this series, we see Quiet try to take John's car, his precious, precious car, and they have to kind of unite against a very, very terrifying - I don't know what you would call him, like rage filled clown killer. You know, if you're around another person and a rage filled clown killer comes your way, you're probably going to want to team up, and that's what Quiet and John Doe do. 

I know, obviously, you've done voice work without [acting with your body], but then in this one, since you don't get to talk so much, how is that? Is that hard to not get to use your voice? Or does it really not make a difference as an actress one way or another, that you can't talk a lot? 

That’s such a good question. You know, I really enjoyed the episode, or I really enjoyed not using my voice. I really enjoyed it, because, essentially, you're still doing the same thing. You're just being really, really present and reacting to what's happening around you. You just don't have the expression of language to do so. But it was really fun, and I think a lot of comedy can kind of come out when you're not speaking, which I thought was a really interesting discovery for me. 

Can you talk a bit about working with Anthony? 

Loved it. He's amazing to work with. He's absolutely incredibly driven and dedicated. He's the hardest working guy ever. He's an incredibly talented actor. So, it was really easy to learn from him and work with him. I had a really great time building the stuff that we built on screen. 

Do you have a favorite scene that doesn't spoil too much that you can tease? 

I really enjoy it personally when Anthony Mackie has to deal with things he doesn't like on screen. I think it's really funny. There's quite a bit of that in this series.