The Wilds Stars Discuss Their Favorite Season 2 Friendships And Their Characters' Challenges [Interview]
Without a doubt, the best part of Prime Video's teen survival drama "The Wilds" is the relationships between its personality-forward ensemble cast. The series brings together a group of teenage girls from different backgrounds, each carrying their own baggage of complex trauma but forced to shove it aside for the sake of staying alive. What was advertised as a women's empowerment retreat turns out to be a social experiment when a staged plane crash finds them stranded on a remote island. But as far as they know, it's a freak accident and rescue is on the way. Season 1 traced their first 23 days on the island, with the girls coming to the realization that help may not be imminent and surviving is their burden to bear. The show plays out like a dystopian slumber party: Trapped together and trying not to panic, drama arises along the way, personalities clash, and friendships are formed. But ultimately, having only each other brings the girls together when it really counts.
/Film sat down to chat with the lead performers behind Fatin (Sophia Ali), Martha (Jenna Clause), and Dot (Shannon Berry), who let us in on the struggles their characters will endure in their second outing. They also revealed their favorite friendships that blossom in season 2.
'She's learning that she can lean on other people and she doesn't always have to go through things alone'
I know last season left us with all these big discoveries and even a tragedy to deal with. So for each of your characters, what's the biggest challenge that you think they're facing?
Ali: For Fatin, I think she's trying to figure out her priorities the most. And it's probably weird, I'm guessing, to be someone who struggles to want people to like her and struggles to want to care for people and stuff. I don't know, that almost feels like an innate quality, especially in today's society with social media and whatnot, our need to prove X, Y, Z, and stuff like that. But Fatin's not really like that. The challenges that she faces is like, be more insecure, be more unsure of yourself — or be sure of yourself, set yourself aside, and then learn how to take care of people beyond you.
Clause: I think for Martha, her biggest challenge is navigating these newfound emotions that she's developing. She's learning that it's stemming from something, and if it keeps progressing and I don't face what's perpetuating her to act so defiant and more of the backbone, if you will. With all these emotions coming out, it's almost overwhelming to her, to the point where she's actually confused about who she is. And there's a point in the show, you'll see, where her ultimate downfall is with that. But obviously, her story isn't over in those moments, it's just a progression of what she's going through with dealing with everything.
Berry: And Dot's learning how to accept help and accept support from the people around her. She's learning that she can lean on other people and she doesn't always have to go through things alone. And there's definitely some turmoil to do with that. This frustration and this hopelessness that comes with injury on the island and comes with the challenges of the people around her. Sometimes she can't handle that, and learning that the people around her will still support her through that is really special.
In that same vein, what's been your favorite relationship dynamics or friendships to watch develop in the second season? Whether it's with your character or with two other characters?
Ali: I love the Dot and Fatin relationship and I feel like that goes without saying, but I really love the Martha and Fatin relationship. I think it's really, really sweet.
Clause: It is beautiful.
Ali: We kind of discovered in the last interview that we are both so opposite and dealing with the exact opposite challenges. To see us come together in that dynamic and stuff, and Fatin sort of like tainting her in a healthy, cute, way. Everyone's got to be tainted a little bit. (Laughs)
Berry: Dot gets to have some beautiful moments with Rachel this season and with Toni this season, which is super exciting. I feel like there were definitely moments in season 1, but it was nice to expand this season and to have a real moment of Dot and Toni kind of working through their problems together and understanding more of each other. And I feel like Rachel and Toni, they definitely got a lot closer to Dot and they really know each other now. And we get to see that.
Season 2 of "The Wilds" is now streaming on Prime Video.