Anya Banerjee – The Blacklist

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) Please tease what will be new on Season 10 of the hit series “The Blacklist.”

A) With the introduction of Siya Malik, fans can experience the world of “The Blacklist” through fresh eyes as the Reddington Task Force faces threats both old and new. Red (James Spader), Harold (Harry Lennix), Dembe (Hisham Tawfiq) and Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) will grapple with the history of their work as Siya brings back the memory of Meera Malik, who was violently killed on a Task Force mission in Season 1. Secrets about Siya’s past will be revealed and her skills as an agent will be put to the test in an action-packed season. We’ll confront hard truths and make earth-shattering discoveries as the ten-year odyssey comes full circle.

Q) How was your character Siya Malik originally described to you?

A) The first thing that leapt out to me was that this was a young South Asian MI6 officer. You don’t see a lot of roles like that on television, so I was immediately thrilled that we’d be seeing her on screen. When I read that Siya is the daughter of Meera Malik from Season 1, I thought: here’s an opportunity for me to do some deep acting work and create an emotional history for a character with roots all the way back to the origins of this show. The writers described Siya as “a sharp and enterprising spy, with a talent for reading what motivates people” and I could see, even from the audition script, that she would be an exciting new addition to the cast.

Q) Did you end up going back to watch episodes with Meera Malik to create a connection as you play her daughter, or did you pick up the helm unfamiliar?

A) Watching Parminder Nagra’s performance as Meera was essential for creating my character. I needed to build a sense of Meera’s presence throughout my childhood in order to comprehend what it would feel like to lose her. I paid special attention to the way she spoke, what she said about herself and what others said about her. I felt like Siya must have felt when collecting all the pieces of her mother in order to follow in her footsteps. I also took the opportunity to nerd out about the history of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, reading into the lives of people like John Le Carré and channeling my inner James Bond.

Q) Was it her mother’s work and/or death that inspired her to become an MI6 agent? 

A) Absolutely. Siya coped with her mother’s death by believing she died for an extremely worthy cause. Naturally, she feels a burning desire to complete the important work her mother started. To Siya that meant working hard to the become the best spy she could be. Since losing her mum as a young teen, she’s overcome countless obstacles and the underestimation of people around her in order to fight the good fight.

Q) Does Siya hold any animosity towards Reddington or is she mostly focused on what he can share about the work he did with her mother Meera?

A) Siya’s privy to the UK’s most guarded secrets and has done her own detective work into Reddington’s infamous career. So, she’s weary of how dangerous and enigmatic he is. But when she learns that her mother worked with Red, she wants to know exactly how and why. Personal feelings aside, she’s willing to work alongside him and will stop at nothing to learn the truth.

Q) What were some of your most challenging episodes or even memorable moments you had from working on “The Blacklist?”

A) Stunt and weapons work on the show has been some of the most challenging and rewarding for me. You look at the work of real-life marine Hisham Tawfiq and the action-pro Diego Klattenhoff and it’s a lot to measure up to. Luckily, our NYC Executive Producer Laura Benson arranged for me to get some firearms training as soon as I arrived. Our armorer Joel Tarantino and NYPD tech specialist Jimmy Bodnar got me feeling comfortable and confident. The first episode was directed by the lovely Cort Hessler who is also an Emmy-award-winning stunt co-coordinator and the brilliant Nitasha Bhambree served as my stunt double in some of the trickier sequences early on, so I was in the best of hands. I’ll never forget shooting my first scene with Harry Lennix — his kindness, dignity and grace is something I try to emulate on-set and off. And, of course, acting across from James Spader has mind-blowing and tremendously educational.

Q) The series will reach its milestone 200th episode, airing on Sunday, March 19. What does it mean to you to be a part of such a special and not often reached moment in a show’s run?

A) I think it was my fourth episode on the show and my casting had just been announced when the 200th episode celebrations took place on set. John Eisendrath flew in to speak and as we all gathered in the War Room for a toast, it hit me that I was part of something massively epic. It’s extraordinary that I as a newcomer have been given the opportunity to join the main cast on a show that’s been so successful for so long. It’s momentous and historic and oh my goodness I was there!!

Q) What did you personally take away or professionally take away from your time working on “The Blacklist?”

A) I’ve learned a lot about the dedication and stamina it takes to work on a network show of this scale. I’m in awe of the blood, sweat and tears shed by the hundreds of people working to bring this crime thriller to our screens. We’re currently shooting number seventeen of twenty-two episodes and I still jump out of bed each morning excited to be working with these amazing actors, meeting new directors and bringing the work of myriad writers to life. NYC has such a rich pool of talented artists and I’m grateful to be part of the community. As an actor, you keep defining and redefining why it is you do what you do. “The Blacklist” has inspired me to keep going and keep discovering what acting means to me.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do on our screens?

A) I hope Season 10 of “The Blacklist” will be the final chapter fans deserve. It means so much to me to be welcomed into “The Blacklist” family and that extends beyond the cast, crew and creatives to all those who love the show. Thank you for embracing me in this role and supporting my television debut!

The 200^th episode of “The Blacklist” will air Sunday, March 19