Exclusive Interview: Sinclair Daniel on ‘The Copenhagen Test’ Season 2 Possibilities, Parker’s Purpose, and Moral Ambiguity

With its razor-sharp premise and layered storytelling, The Copenhagen Test has quickly become one of the best new shows. Centered on Alexander Hale (Simu Liu), an intelligence analyst at a secretive agency known as The Orphanage, the series explores what happens when information becomes power—and your own mind becomes the ultimate security breach, hacked in a way that exposes everything you see and hear. The show unfolds like a puzzle where you’re only given one side at a time, revealing new pieces at just the right moment and constantly reframing what you think you know. And at the center of that intricate design is Sinclair Daniel, whose portrayal of Parker is essential to the series: she’s tasked with building the world inside Alexander’s mind, anticipating what he’ll do and think before he does, and carrying the emotional weight of the story as the truth takes shape.

But what makes Parker’s journey so gripping is how quickly her work shifts from analytical to deeply personal. As she builds the world inside Alexander’s mind—anticipating his thoughts, instincts, and next move—she’s forced to confront the moral ambiguity beneath what she’s being asked to do, and what it could ultimately cost. The Copenhagen Test thrives in that gray area, where choices aren’t black and white, motives are layered, and the stakes feel bigger than any one person.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Sinclair Daniel about bringing Parker to life, the discoveries that surprised her as the season unfolded, and how she approached portraying so much of Parker’s internal journey behind closed doors. In our conversation, Daniel also reflects on Parker’s evolving dynamic with Michelle, the rewarding—and haunting—final scene between Parker and Alexander in Episode 8, and what she hopes audiences might get to explore next if The Copenhagen Test returns for a Season 2.

PC: I’m so excited to chat with you because Parker, in many ways, is the heartbeat of this show—she’s a storyteller and world-builder tasked with getting inside Alexander’s mind, which feels like such a parallel to what you have to do as an actor. And because television is such an evolving medium, you’re able to discover new layers of Parker with each episode—meeting her where she is as the season unfolds. Were there any discoveries that surprised you along the way?
Sinclair: I was caught off guard when Parker makes the shift into understanding what she’s being asked to do—the pitfalls of that, the moral ambiguity surrounding it—and decides she’s going to keep going, even if she’s on rickety legs. It was surprising and exciting at the same time. You don’t want a character who goes, “Nope, I’m good. Bye. I’m not going to try that at all.” You know you’re in for the journey, and you’re probably going to stumble. That’s always interesting to watch.

PC: One of her early assignments is to put what motivates Alexander into a seven-word phrase. If you had to do the same for Parker, what would those seven words be?
Sinclair: In the show, Parker’s seven words for herself are: “To build a place where she belongs.” I think that’s true. If I had to choose another seven-word phrase, maybe: “Be shaken into purpose by the universe.”

PC: These characters are forced to face impossible choices, and we see the toll those decisions take on them. Through your performance, we really feel that weight. How did you create the space for yourself to explore that both externally and internally—especially since so many of Parker’s moments of self-reflection happen behind closed doors?
Sinclair: It was interesting. There were a lot of scenes where I was by myself, staring at an iPad that didn’t actually have anything on it. Then they’d call, “Action,” and you’d have to cue yourself into that realization, so taking my time was really helpful.

The directors were really gracious about that, because there were times when they’d call “Action,” and it would be thirty seconds before I did anything—I was walking through the steps in my head. A lot of that ended up staying, because it’s engaging to watch someone think. Even though they’re not speaking, you’re with them when they have that eureka moment. Even if you don’t always know what got them there, you feel like you were in on it.

PC: There’s such a vulnerability and introspectiveness that you bring to Parker that makes her feel so real—you root for her to find the answers, and you feel for her when she falls short. And there’s something really beautiful about her journey: she begins the season feeling lost, but by the end, she becomes a reminder that sometimes the things we’re searching for are already within us. What do you hope audiences ultimately take away from Parker, and how do you hope her journey resonates with them?
Sinclair: It’s about realizing you already have all the right tools—maybe you’re just working on the wrong canvas. There’s always going to be somewhere you fit in, even if it doesn’t look the way you thought it would. I hope that when people watch Parker, they’re reminded to keep an open heart and an open mind, and to operate with grace within themselves. Don’t block your blessings—try things. Take risks, even if it leads to failure. In most cases, you’ll be allowed to try again.

That was something I was constantly thinking about as an actor in film and TV. Usually, you’re allowed another take. And a lot of the time, that’s not even the one that ends up making the cut—because they liked something you did that you weren’t even thinking about.

PC: What I appreciate so much about this show is that everything feels earned. It’s very cerebral—it truly is like a puzzle where you’re only seeing one side at a time. And that’s reflected in the dynamics too, particularly between Parker and Michelle, and how they build that trust over the course of the season. Can you talk a bit about that collaboration between the two of you, and how you approached building that dynamic?
Sinclair: When we first started the show, we only had a couple of scripts. So what we see of Michelle and Parker is that they’re, at best, distant coworkers. They both look like they’re being held against their will whenever they have to speak to each other. As we went on, our showrunners and writers saw how Melissa and I interacted. They became this odd-couple pairing—two women who would never, under any circumstances, find themselves confiding in each other, and now may be the only two people they can trust. It’s enemies to lovers.

PC: There’s something so rewarding—and haunting—about that final scene in Episode 8 between Alexander and Parker, where he’s able to thank her but also has to keep her safe by not knowing her identity. And you’ve shared in the past that so much of what you do as a creative is feeding off what your scene partner is giving you—but up to that point, the majority of that dynamic has been one-sided. What was that build-up like for you as the season unfolded, especially once Parker and Alexander finally start sharing space in a different way? Did you and Simu collaborate differently from Episode 1 versus Episode 8?
Sinclair: Absolutely. I can’t speak for Simu, but for Episodes 1 through 7, it was a pretty one-sided collaboration for Parker. I spent a lot of time watching scenes he had already shot. So it shifted from being this observer to suddenly being confronted with the fact that this is a real person in Episode 8. Now they have an awareness of me—even though they don’t know who I am, and maybe they never will. But it felt very tender and overwhelming. It was almost like meeting a celebrity and they say bye, walk away, and it’s over—and you’re like, “They might not remember this, but I’m going to be thinking about it for the rest of my life.”

PC: And what this show reminds us is that our understanding is constantly shifting as more information gets revealed. Have there been early conversations about what Parker’s journey could potentially look like moving forward—and what are your own hopes for her if there’s a Season 2?
Sinclair: There have been conversations. I know Thomas [Brandon] and Jennifer [Yale] have at least three or four different versions of every idea, so it could go in a lot of different directions. I’m excited to see whatever they choose. I’ve let it be known that I’d like to do some combat. I don’t know how that would work for Parker, but I also think it’d be fun to have a girl team-up episode. The men approach things very immediately and tactically, while the women take a step back and really think about it.

To keep up with Sinclair, follow her on Instagram. Season 1 of The Copenhagen Test is on Peacock today.

Photo Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/PEACOCK