Since its arrival on Netflix, ‘The Strays’ has had the masses in deep dialogue.
Led by Ashley Madekwe, the layered psychological thriller spotlights the life of an upper-middle-class woman named Neve whose meticulously crafted reality unravels with the arrival of two mysterious figures in her town. When help fails to materialize, she’s left with more questions than answers and wonders whether she’s coming undone.
Helmed by Nathaniel Martello-White, the film also stars BAFTA winner Bukky Bakray – who delivers a stunning performance as Abigail.
That Grape Juice‘s Maya Egbo sat down with Bakray, who opened up about the compelling film, “that” ending, and much more.
Join us below…
That Grape Juice (Maya): Bukky, I’m so excited to talk to you. You’re an exceptional talent. How are you? How’s everything?
Bukky Bakray: I’m good, thank you. How are you, Maya?
That Grape Juice (Maya): I’m well, thanks. Especially now that ‘The Strays’ is now out on Netflix. How have you found the reception so far?
Bukky Bakray: I think it’s been really cool. I was very anxious about everything, but everyone’s really taken it well. And I just feel really grateful, even like what you just said now, thank you. It was really nice.
That Grape Juice (Maya): I think it was absolutely amazing. What about the role/the script when you read through it made you feel like, “Yes, I’m going to be part of this. I love this. I want to work on this film!”
Bukky Bakray: I think I really empathize with the character. And I think what Nathaniel was exploring, I’d never really seen it before. It was frightening and I’m really interested in that.
I think there’s an idea, and I think this idea would have been typically explored in a different way. The fact that he chose this route, he chose a route that I wouldn’t have imagined, it just showed me he’s innovative in his thinking.
I really empathize with Abigail/ Dione. I think that Arrested Development would have been– it felt like an interesting challenge for me to play. It’s not an experience I have within myself so trying to explore it in another human, it really interested me.
It’s really sad that that happens, but it happens to us all the time. That’s why we have people who are just so manic in our society. It’s because of stunted growth.
That Grape Juice (Maya): Yes, exactly. And you mentioned that it was an interesting challenge. How do you tap into a character that in some ways you empathize with but you can’t necessarily relate to because it’s not necessarily you? How do you tap into that?
Bukky Bakray: I don’t relate to her. But I think you can find a deep-rooted connection in anyone in every experience. Experience is both large and countless and unspeakable. But we’re all kind of experiencing the same thing but in different shapes and forms.
Finding my similarities to Dione, it wasn’t difficult. And I think it’s coming to terms with it not being difficult and just letting the character find itself within you. I think everyone wants to shapeshift and everyone wants to be different to what they’re playing to show their range.
But I think when you just be honest and if that honesty has relation to the self, then I think there’s honor in that because you’re constantly evolving. I might have been Abigail yesterday, but in like two weeks I’ll be someone else because I’m like forever changing.
I think that’s the nice thing about this work is being able to evolve constantly because when you get into characters, you are asked character questions. What do you think of their mind? What do you think of their body? What do you think of their soul?
You’re constantly in realms of that introspection. Bukky is actually growing as she grows into these characters, she’s understanding different sides of humanity each time and evolving into this being that has a great level of empathy.
Abigail taught me empathy. She taught me empathy within rage, within anger. I’ve always tried to reject anger and see it as a negative thing, but she taught me that anger always stems from something that was not your fault.
It will always stem from the things that are not fair about the world, like the injustice. The injustice within your growth, within your humanity. And I think she’s dope, she’s amazing.
That Grape Juice (Maya): That’s so interesting how you say it, constantly evolving. I feel like that’s what makes you such a great actress is that you are constantly evolving. So that’s really amazing.
And everyone is gagged about the ending. They are shocked. They are surprised. They don’t know how to feel. How did you feel when you first read it in the script?
Bukky Bakray: The ending changed.
That Grape Juice (Maya): Okay, interesting.
Bukky Bakray: I don’t know if I can say that. Can I say that?
That Grape Juice (Maya): Yeah, you can say that.
Bukky Bakray: Yeah, I can say that. The ending changed. Lots of things changed in the film. Nathaniel was on his own helium balloon. He’s floating and he’s doing his own thing.
Obviously, during the editing process, he decided– a lot of people have a lot to say about the ending. But I think there’s the fear of like within the ambiguity everyone wants to know.
That Grape Juice (Maya): They want to have a concrete answer.
Bukky Bakray: Yeah. And I think it ends how it started, that’s a cyclical thing. Nathaniel as a playwright, he’s got respectful antiquity, and traditional storytelling. And I think that cyclical nature was his intention.
A trip was his intention to kind of communicate how we are in this loop. It ends as it starts, always. It begins how it ends. And we see that within this family dysfunction.
That Grape Juice (Maya): That’s so interesting. I love the way you speak as well. You’re really giving me insights right now, which is great.
Tell me a little bit more about your character, Dione, you did mention some things earlier, but at first, I did think that she was all fine and dandy. And then as the film went on, I was like, “Okay, maybe not so much.”
What would you say about your character?
Bukky Bakray: When I first got the briefing, the thing that stuck out for me was that she was slightly on this spectrum and like, because it was so vague, she’s on this spectrum and it’s like, what does that mean for Abigail?
Because everyone’s placing in this spectrum is very different. It’s like, what happened for her historically that set her in that particular part of this spectrum.
For me, it was just understanding her like her traumas and her wants and how people like Abigail, their wants drive them. What they hear, they don’t necessarily hear what you’ve said. They hear their interpretation of what you’re saying. Someone can say, “I really like you,” but it can be translated to her as, “I love you unconditionally. I will do everything for you.”
Some people live on either end of the extreme, and I think Abigail is one of those people really passionate, really big, really sensitive, really like, you know how women get in their menstrual– people describe women on their menstrual cycle as overly sensitive.
But I think there’s power in that state because you feel everything. Things get to you like the way they shouldn’t. But the society that we live in is we live where everyone’s really fixed and straitjacketed because there’s stuff to do. Money to make, there’s stuff to build.
But this is just about reshaping levels of sensitivity and what sensitivity means. And there’s still love and joy in sensitivity, but we don’t have to ignore people who feel things a lot. And I think Abigail is one of those people. People will just end up on different lengths and wavelengths in the world because of the way their brain works.
It was interesting having to be able to play someone who didn’t have the social etiquette that everyone else was on and how she translated things.
Kind of like children, I always played with the notion that the same thing your brain uses to cry it uses the same thing to laugh. And we kind of see that with Abigail. The wiring of her brain is really delicate.
That Grape Juice (Maya): it’s very true what you were saying earlier about sensitivity and a lot of people who feel so much it’s because they love so much as well. It’s like playing on that.
I know that representation for you is a huge deal. Is this a reason also why the film was so intriguing to you? Because obviously, it delves into racial politics. It delves into a lot about race.
Bukky Bakray: I think representation used to be a really big deal to me, but it’s not anymore. Because, my friend Theresa Ikoko, the lady who wrote ‘Rocks.’ She said, “I don’t need representation. I want it.” That’s how it was for me. That’s how it feels like for me anyway.
I think people are going to make what they want to make. Same way I’m going to make what I want to make. I’m going to be in what I can be. And getting this role it was just about working on this story.
And that’s what my journey is, is me taking back my decision-making that solely sits within me doing what I was divinely meant to do. Not without any idea created as armour against the industry that may not have been as open.
And there are so many people who are making decisions solely based on their divine wants and needs. And I also want to live like that. I also want to know. I have to think about certain things.
And that’s how it was for ‘The Strays.’ That’s why that opportunity was so dope, because it was like, yeah, it was just another opportunity. But you realize that it is like getting representation in Black British horror, psych-thriller that’s not regular.
But it is what it is. And I think me, I want to normalize this. It will become normal. The representation thing is cool, wanted but not needed because I don’t need anything from anyone.
That Grape Juice (Maya): Well said.
Rounding up, let’s do a few quick fires. Yeah. One answer if you can. Just finish the sentence. My favorite scene in ‘The Strays’ was?
Bukky Bakray: The last scene.
That Grape Juice (Maya): The most challenging part was?
Bukky Bakray: The scenes with the actor who played Maria, the intimate scenes.
That Grape Juice (Maya): Being me right now feels?
Bukky Bakray: It feels like a blessing.
That Grape Juice (Maya): My favorite thing to do in Hackney is?
Bukky Bakray: Go to the gym and run, or get something to eat.
That Grape Juice (Maya): A song I can’t stop playing at the moment is?
Bukky Bakray: It’s a song called ‘Bandulu’ by Kash Promise.
That Grape Juice (Maya): Nice. I’m going to listen to that one after. My actor inspirations are?
Bukky Bakray: My friends who are actors. I’ve got lots of friends who are actors who are my inspirations, but I really love Brian Terry and I think he’s amazing.
That Grape Juice (Maya): People might be surprised to know that I?
Bukky Bakray: I have never watched ‘Game of Thrones.’
That Grape Juice (Maya): Snap. Me neither. Thank you so much for speaking to me, Bukky. What is next for you, by the way? Because I know you’ve got a play coming, ‘Sleepover’?
Bukky Bakray: Yes, I’m doing a play right now, which is, like crazy experience. I’m enjoying it. I’m learning, I’m failing, I’m being embarrassed. But that’s all about it, right?
That Grape Juice (Maya): Yeah. And that’s theatre, it’s very, very different from film. But are you enjoying the process as well as film?
Bukky Bakray: I am. I’m really enjoying it. It’s changing me as a performer by the day, which I’m excited to evolve again. I’m grateful I keep getting in things that I’m evolving. Also, like the fuchsia pink really suits your complexion.
That Grape Juice (Maya): Congratulations on everything. It’s just been amazing seeing you and all the different films that you’re in.
Bukky Bakray: Thank you so much. It’s so lovely to meet you, Maya.
**********
