Exclusive Interview: Fatima Adoum Talks Apple TV+’s Hijack, the Immersive Filming Experience, and More

Fatima Adoum is one of the stars of Apple TV+’s action-packed drama, Hijack. Told in real time, Hijack is a tense, edge-of-your-seat thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and as authorities on the ground scramble for answers. Fatima shines as Rashida, a woman who will do anything to protect her and her husband. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Fatima about Hijack, the immersive filming experience. and more.

Please Note: This interview was filmed prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike. We stand in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, and will not be conducting further interviews until a fair deal is reached.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Fatima: I saw Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West, and I knew immediately that I wanted to act. He was my role model. When I was a child, I was also fascinated by my mother’s tales; I always waited impatiently for the sequel. It was a kind of series before their time. Later, I started to write stories with her, then on my own.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Fatima: I was born in France and things changed for me when I started working internationally. I love to work all around the world with different people, cultures, and stories. I think that speaking different languages with my characters helped me to get more opportunities, too.

PC: You’ve had so much success throughout your career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Fatima: When I shot The Team Season 2, I had to speak Syrian for the first time in my life. I was very afraid of not being credible, so I worked very hard. This series changed a lot of things for me, my way of seeing things. I had this great opportunity to be someone totally different from myself (language, culture, and age). I understood that I shouldn’t be afraid to embrace challenges and open up even more internationally.

PC: You’re one of the stars of Apple TV+’s Hijack, and the series has been incredibly well received. How did this project come across your desk?
Fatima: I’m so glad the series has been incredibly well received. I was a fan of Jim Field Smith and George Kay’s work, so when my agent told me about this project asking if I wanted to do a short self-tape I immediately said yes. When I found out that Idris Elba would be the star of the show, I was really very grateful to share such an adventure with this amazing team. I’m also a huge fan of Neil Maskell, so working with people you admire…what a lovely and unexpected journey.

PC: What was it about Rashida and this script that resonated with you?
Fatima: Rashida is very different from me, physically, socially (she travels in first class [laughs]), and in character. But I still have a lot of empathy for my characters, so I always find in them what touches me the most, our greatest connection. I can’t talk about the story, but I can tell you that like Rashida, I will do everything to protect the people who matter to me. Maybe not in the same way, but definitely the same motives.

PC: This is such an immersive viewing experience where audiences feel like they’re on the plane with these characters. It was important to the creative team that this felt as authentic as possible, from the set design to the state-of-the-art technology that was utilized to simulate this flight. For you as an actress, how helpful was that as you immersed yourself in this world?
Fatima: We spent six months together on a plane in the middle of summer. It’s not the most comfortable place, but I was lucky to be in first class, so I was as warm as the rest of the team, but I had more room for my legs. It was an immersive visual experience for me as an actor as well. The advanced technology used to simulate this flight was so impressive and helpful in immersing myself in this world. It was a real studio plane, and we could even see the sky through the windows.

PC: The passengers on the hijacked flight are constrained to their seats. As an actress, how challenging was that limitation? How did you have to adjust your performance to that?
Fatima: Even though I knew what was going on because I had read the scripts, I only saw what was going on in first class and not the rest of the plane, but I could hear everything, and it was really very impressive and helpful to feel the tension and react to it.

PC: Not only are you starring alongside Idris Elba, but he also executively produced the series. What was it like getting to collaborate with him in those different capacities?
Fatima: Working with Idris Elba is really super exciting. This guy is so charismatic that as soon as the director says action, something very strong happens on screen. When he was on the plane it was to act, so he was above all the actors—Idris Elba, a great acting partner. As a producer, I know that representing diversity is important to him, and it’s an honor to collaborate with people who are making things happen for the better.

PC: This series is a fascinating exploration of what we’re willing to do and not do in a moment of crisis. What do you hope audiences take away after they see this?
Fatima: I already hope that the public will take much pleasure in seeing this series. I also hope that the public will think that by being united, we are always stronger.

To keep up with Fatima, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch new episodes of Hijack every Tuesday on Apple TV+.

Photo Credit: Mathieu Wauthier