Exclusive Interview: Lisa Gilroy and Sullivan Jones Talk ‘Interior Chinatown,’ Defying Expectations, and More

Lisa Gilroy and Sullivan Jones bring their undeniable chemistry and talent to Interior Chinatown, the highly anticipated adaptation of Charles Yu’s award-winning novel. The series redefines the boundaries of traditional storytelling, blending humor, drama, and poignant commentary on identity and representation.

Based on Yu’s acclaimed book of the same name, the show centers on Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black & White. Relegated to the periphery, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables and dreaming of a world beyond Chinatown, all while aspiring to become the lead in his own story.

Lisa and Sullivan shine as the lead detectives on Black & White, bringing a yin-yang dynamic to their roles. Their contrasting approaches and electrifying interplay add depth and complexity to the procedural backdrop, amplifying the show’s layered exploration of identity and belonging. When Willis inadvertently witnesses a crime, he begins unraveling a criminal web in Chinatown, unearthing his family’s buried history and discovering what it truly means to step into the spotlight.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Lisa and Sullivan about Interior Chinatown.

PC: Television is such a powerful medium to shine a light on different walks of life and perspectives. Each of your characters plays an important role in exemplifying that. What was it about your respective roles that resonated with you? And what do you hope audiences take away from your portrayals? Lisa, would you like to kick us off?
Lisa: When I first read the script and saw that Sarah Green was a confident, ass-kicking woman, I didn’t resonate with that at all because everything scares me, and I get so nervous. [laughs] But the more I learned about the character, I realized she’s desperate to fit in. She’s desperate for her partner to like her. All of these things are very Lisa G. if you think about it.

Sullivan: For me, it was actually the opposite of Lisa’s experience. [laughs]

Lisa: Yes, because you’re super confident.

Sullivan: With Lisa’s character, she was invited to step into a certain role. For me, I’ve often been asked to play the role of an authoritative and confident Black man. And I’m like, “Okay, that’s cool.” But what if sometimes I feel nerdy, vulnerable, or uncertain? There’s not a lot of space to explore that in some of these roles. So I wanted to step away from that mold or see if I could bring those elements into the role and still make it compelling.

PC: You both accomplished that beautifully. Lisa, the show’s use of humor is so brilliant and nuanced. You’re so well-versed in that space and genre. It’s rare to have a showrunner who is also the author of the source material. How did the trust that Charles Yu instilled in you allow you to find moments of levity that felt authentic? And how much of it is scripted versus improvised?
Lisa: This role is the most serious thing I’ve ever done in my life. Trusting Charles Yu, our showrunner and the author, was so helpful because he knew it would be funny, even when I wasn’t sure. It’s so hard for me not to want to slip on a banana peel or make a fart joke to get everyone laughing.

Sullivan: Although, she did do that.

Lisa: I did—after every lunch break. The crowd and cast would gather around, and I’d do my big trick for them. But seriously, it’s hard to play it straight. I think it still comes across as funny because of the contrast between the two genres being smashed together. It was definitely a challenge, but also so much fun.

Sullivan: To shout out Lisa, the role required the audience to believe both—the humor and the seriousness. She pulled that off, which is no small feat.

PC: There’s a groundedness that you brought to your character, Lisa. Sullivan, you’ve shared in the past that you have a strong desire to write. As you brought this character from one medium to another, how did your interpretation of the text empower you to make creative decisions that not only pay homage to the source material but also put your own unique stamp on it?
Sullivan: Awesome question, by the way. What Charlie wrote in the novel gave me a lot of space—there was so much latitude for me to bring in weirdness and whatever I had to offer. Then, when I talked with him about it, he was like, “Oh, yeah. I want him to be weird. I want him to subvert what you’d expect from the stereotypical lead cop or detective.” That gave me the freedom to really explore and play with the role.

PC: Your two characters complement each other so well. What’s a scene of your co-star’s that you’re most excited for audiences to see?
Sullivan: Wow, wow. That’s another great question.

Lisa: Mine is a spoiler, so I can’t really say. But early on, you slam dunk someone onto the hood of a car and rough them up. That was kind of fun. We shot it out in public, so you could really hear that big slam dunk. It was intense and a lot of fun to watch.

Sullivan: A lot of Lisa’s great moments happen in the latter half of the series.

Lisa: This feels very, “I have a boyfriend who goes to a different school. We do cool stuff, but you’ll never meet him.”

Sullivan: Early on, it’s more procedural. You expect a cop show vibe, and then there’s this scene involving a very large reptile. Lisa gets to kick down a door to apprehend some bad guys. For someone who says she doesn’t feel confident or badass, she booted that door like a pro.

Lisa: The truth is, they made a door out of Q-tips so I’d look strong, and I still couldn’t kick through it. They had to keep swapping it out for something flimsier and flimsier.

Sullivan: Then, later in post-production, they added sound effects so it seemed like she was smashing through real wood. It turned out great!

Make sure to follow Lisa (X/Instagram) and Sullivan (Instagram). Season 1 of Interior Chinatown is available on Hulu today.

Photo Credit: Mike Taing/Hulu