Halle Berry got very strict with her Extant partner Jeffrey Dean Morgan that she did not want him to be paired up with other actresses. They both co-starred for the first time ever in the short-lived science fiction series, and Berry admitted she got attracted to the role for several reasons.
It was mostly the aspect of relatability to the character that made her agree to the project, but she was all the more excited about it when she learned that the veteran director Steven Spielberg joined on board.
Halle Berry Reveals Her Reasons For Working On Extant
Speaking with Collider, actress Halle Berry recalled what made her Extant character very appealing to her. The actress admitted that being a mother had something to do with why she signed up for the job.
“There were so many elements that drew me to it, but probably the first one was being a mother. This was a character, when I first read it, that was so relatable to me. I felt like it was just in my DNA. I had a knowingness about this character and a fundamental understanding.”
She claimed that even though her profession in the show is far from what she truly knows in real life, she had an in-depth knowledge of the general personality of the role she’s portraying.
“While I’m not an astronaut or scientist – far, far from it – I still had an understanding about the human quality of this woman and her struggle to not only find time for herself, which is what she loves to do, but also to be a good mother.”
In her interview with Entertainment Weekly, she confessed feeling a bit possessive of her co-star Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
“I don’t even know how I feel about sharing him with The Good Wife. I’m ambivalent. I’m not sure I’m happy about this yet. He’s my man. ‘What do you mean, going on The Good Wife?’ ”
Berry even joked that she would be “highly upset” if Morgan gets to be partner with Julianna Margulies’ Alicia on the CBS show.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Badly Wanted To Work With Halle Berry And Steven Spielberg
On the other hand, Morgan was game and ready to join Extant because of the director and his co-star’s presence. He told Collider:
“I still don’t understand how. I’m scratching my head. It happened because of Steven Spielberg and Halle Berry. They wouldn’t take no for an answer, so here I am.”
The actor pretty much liked the story, but he emphasized that getting to work with two of the most notable figures in the industry was what drew him in.
“I liked the character, but that being said, it was really the two of them. I didn’t want to do a TV series, and I didn’t want to do a network TV series. But when you’re dealing with the likes of Spielberg and Halle, it’s hard to say no.”
It seemed that Morgan was really adamant about working with Steven Spielberg and Berry enough to do a project he was not initially excited about.
Extant is streaming on Paramount+.
