“Lucky” creator Jonathan Tropper praised the efforts of Anya Taylor-Joy, who serves as first-time executive producer on the new Apple TV thriller.
The actress, who also stars as a con artist in the miniseries, was “very active” behind the scenes, Tropper exclusively told Page Six.
Creators praised the actress for focusing specifically on emphasizing the “loneliness” and “isolation” of her character, Lucky of the title.
The limited series, currently streaming on Apple TV, is produced by Reese Witherspoon, created by Tropper (“Your Friends and Neighbors”), and based on the novel of the same name.
The story follows Lucky (Taylor-Joy), a con artist who is on the run from a mob boss (Annette Bening) and an FBI agent (Aunjanu Ellis Taylor) after a robbery gone wrong.
“Lucky” was a natural fit for Tropper, who has produced several shows about thieves and con artists, including “Your Friends and Neighbors” and “Banshee.”
“The first discussion was with Anya,” he explained. Because she was passionate about this project even before he joined.
Taylor-Joy, 30, focused on the characters, and Tropper brought the “grit” and “propulsive” nature of the plot, he said.
Lucky will be Taylor-Joy’s first time as an executive producer, but she has a wide range of work as an actress, including the Netflix hit The Queen’s Gambit, Furiosa, hit horror films such as The Witch and The Menu, and an upcoming role in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
In the show, Lucky grew up under the tutelage of her criminal father (Timothy Olyphant), but she never had a normal childhood because they were constantly on the move.
Even as an adult, she still feels abandoned by her husband, Cary (Drew Starkey).
That’s why Taylor-Joy wanted to emphasize her “solitude,” Tropper said.
He added that Lucky’s relationship with mafia boss Priscilla is similar to that between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the 1995 film Heat.
“On the surface, you could think of Annette’s character, Priscilla, as the villain,” he said.
However, he wanted an Oscar-nominated actress because “she brings humanity to a very important character.”
“We didn’t want a show with a villain,” he explained. Whether it’s Priscilla or Lucky’s father. He noted that the show is about “people who were victims of their own circumstances.”
The lucky ones are those who have the fortitude to actually make a difference.
The opening credits set the tone with Fiona Apple’s moody new song “Horns of the Bull.”
Of note, it’s been six years since her last album, so this is a rare contribution from the iconic singer.
Tropper’s co-showrunner Kathy Pappas is married to Apple drummer Amy Eileen Wood, so there was an insider connection to the show.
“We spent a lot of time[on the opening credits sequence],” Tropper said, explaining that it’s difficult to create an opening that doesn’t cause people to fast forward. “I always think deeply about this work, because I want it to be a work that people shouldn’t skip over.”
He added that it was a “huge success” that Apple made the song for them.
“The whole thing seemed to come together organically. It worked really well.”
“Lucky” is currently streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes released on Wednesdays.
