'Extrapolations' Interview: Daveed Diggs Talks Apple TV+ Series

Moviefone speaks with Daveed Diggs about 'Extrapolations.' "We want something that's entertaining enough that it sticks with you and it starts to seep in."

Premiering March 17th on Apple TV+ is the new series ‘'Extrapolations,' which was created by Scott Z. Burns (‘Contagion’).

What is the plot of 'Extrapolations?’

'Extrapolations' is an anthology series that depicts the effects of climate change on the planet through various different points of view through interconnected stories.

Who is in the cast of 'Extrapolations?’

'Extrapolations' stars an all-star cast that includes Oscar winners Meryl Streep ('The Devil Wears Prada'), Marion Cotillard ('The Dark Knight Rises'), and Forest Whitaker ('Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'), as well as Edward Norton ('Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'), Sienna Miller ('Foxcatcher'), Kit Harrington ('Eternals'), Diane Lane ('Man of Steel'), Daveed Diggs ('Hamilton'), Matthew Rhys ('Cocaine Bear'), Gemma Chan ('Crazy Rich Asians'), David Schwimmer ('Apt Pupil'), Keri Russell ('Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'), Eliza Gonzalez ('Ambulance'), Heather Graham ('Boogie Nights'), Cherry Jones ('Motherless Brooklyn'), Judd Hirsch ('The Fabelmans'), Indira Varma (‘Basic Instinct 2’), Tahar Rahim (‘Mary Magdalene’), Michael Gandolfini ('The Many Saints of Newark'), and Tobey Maguire ('Babylon').

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Daveed Diggs about his work on ‘'Extrapolations',’ his character, the story and working with Scott Z. Burns.

Daveed Diggs stars in 'Extrapolations,' premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch out interviews with Diggs, Indira Varma, Tahar Rahim, Scott Z. Burns and executive producers Michael Ellenberg and Dorthey Fortenberry.

Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction when you read Scott Z. Burns’ script for this series?

Daveed Diggs: I mean, I was really invested in the character. I got sent the scripts, and I just thought he was awesome. Then understanding the totality of the series, the same thing. It does be making me Google things and I think that's really an important aspect of it. I think we want something that's entertaining enough that it sticks with you and then as it sticks with you, it starts to seep in. You can be like, what don't I know about this that I should probably know? I think Marshall being part of the first third of this, there is that little hopeful element of we could actually not do this. We could not end up there. We just have to all decide. Actually, all of us have to decide that we don't want to be there, which is a tricky ask.

Meryl Streep in 'Extrapolations,' premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.

MF: Can you talk about how the events of the series change your character’s plans for the future?

DD: He's already 20 years down the road, but I think Marshall is hopeful. Ultimately, it's about people. So the big question of it is, how could God do this to us? How could God allow this to happen? Those are the questions that this little girl is asking. He doesn't have an answer to it until he comes to the realization that he already knew when he was younger, when he was an activist, which was like, actually we have to do it and God's been saying that. He said that to Moses.

Daveed Diggs in 'Extrapolations,' premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.

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MF: How would you describe your character, Marshall?

DD: Marshall's a rabbi, so he's a faith leader. When we meet him, he is working in Israel and is a big activist on climate and a whole bunch of other things. Then we flash forward a bunch of years and we meet him again. He's moved back to Miami and he is running the congregation there, and he's become a little more apathetic despite still being a leader of faith and really passionate about his community. But in terms of his activism, he's sort of fallen off. Then a little girl about to have her Bat Mitzvah comes in and starts challenging all of his apathy. It's a good way to raise the stakes of a crisis of faith, to be actually met with the flood. It’s just good writing. It really, and that's why I was attracted to it.

(L to R) Edward Norton and Mia Maestro in 'Extrapolations,' premiering March 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.

MF: Finally, how would you describe the series, in your own words?

DD: I mean, it is sci-fi, I guess, that's the closest thing, or climate fiction. That that's a whole sub-genre, cli-fi is a whole thing. But I think speculative fiction is looking forward to a future that we are not yet in, but it is grounded in a lot of practical, as Scott's work tends to be grounded in a lot of practical, real world contemporary science and the most current version of all of these things. So, that's what makes it scary is that we know that this is a real possibility.