'Succession' star Justine Lupe believes Willa's relationship with Connor
doesn't get the credit it deserves
Justine Lupe, who portrays
escort-turned-fiancée Willa Ferreyra, on Succession says viewers have got
her relationship all wrong.
Willa’s relationship with the Roy family’s oldest son Connor (Alan
Ruck) is a fan favorite. When she made her debut in Season 1, Episode 2 ,
Justine Lupe says she approached the role trying to be “the best date
ever.”
“I just tried to take what was given to me on the page,
both with the dynamic with Connor and the dynamic with the family and what
little I knew about her artistic ambitions, and create a person out of those
kinds of little puzzle pieces,” she said.
Despite the overt uncertainty surrounding her persona, Lupe
said her character’s relationship with Connor doesn’t get the credit it
deserves.
“I think that’s a fun one to track,” Lupe said. “Willa
started out in a kind of transactional relationship with him and it’s
evolved into something that has a lot more depth. There’s a lot of empathy
for each other. She kind of sees who he is and where he’s come from, and the
family environment that he’s come from. She’s stepped into a position where
she’s more protective of him and he’s always been quite protective of her.
They’ve become endeared to each other. She sees how ludicrous his thinking
is and… it’s not perfect, but I do think there’s a lot of affection
there.”
“It’s funny,” Lupe said.
“Because the writers plant
really fun clues as like a roadmap that she was on that night. She started
out outside of an aquarium store, and then she goes to the Williamsburg
Bridge where she’s in the river. ‘No, she’s not in the river. She’s on the
bridge! Oh, she’s in Williamsburg.’ I imagine she’s on a bit of an
existential journey because of the state in which she left the party.
There’s a little bit of catharsis that she’s seeking. I like that people can
create their own kind of narrative of what exactly that looks like.”
