‘Supacell’ Star Tosin Cole on Leading the Charge in Netflix UK Sci-Fi

Tosin Cole has already been part of two of the most famous science fiction franchises out there.

Sure, the American-born British actor admits that his turn as starfighter pilot Lt. Bastian in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” may have been a bit “blink and you’ll miss it” (although it could have been a lot more – he went through to the final few auditions for John Boyega’s role of Finn, but “it just didn’t work” and JJ Abrams offered him the role instead). But in the cult BBC series ‘Doctor Who’ he played the main character of Ryan Sinclair, the companion of Jodie Whittaker’s Time Lord, in seasons 11 and 12. It all gives him solid bragging rights.

“You know, I can tell my grandkids, ‘Your grandpa was on this show!’” he exclaims.

But now there’s another piece of science fiction that he hopes can also become something to tell the grandchildren about in the years to come.

“Supacell,” which hits Netflix on June 27, is the brainchild of Rapman, the British rapper turned filmmaker who rose to fame thanks to his three-part cult YouTube series “Shiro’s Story” and his 2019 directorial debut “Blue Story.”

At its core, it’s a classic superhero drama, following a group of ordinary individuals as they suddenly develop special powers that they try to use to overcome obstacles in their own lives and ultimately face a looming threat on the horizon. lurks. But what makes “Supacell” stand out is its south London setting – away from the shiny high-rises and wealthy city center suburbs usually depicted on screen – and an all-black cast that reflects the economic and cultural diversity of those neighborhoods.

“It’s about time,” says Cole of “Supacell,” which brings London’s Black experience to the world of science fiction. “We should have had something like that already, but there is no more perfect moment than now. So I’m excited to be part of something of this magnitude that hasn’t been done before, especially in London.”

And Cole is not only part of ‘Supacell’, but leads the cast as Michael, a delivery man who is in love with his girlfriend Dionne (Adelayo Adedayo) and discovers he can teleport through space and time. It’s up to Michael to bring the diverse group of super-powered individuals together to prevent a future tragedy.

Cole knew Rapman long before the role came his way. The two had first met at a screening and subsequently bumped into each other regularly in South London. He says they often talked about doing something together, and Cole was initially going to appear in “Blue Story,” but the timing clashed. “We had crossed paths and almost worked together, but didn’t work together,” he says. “Sometimes it just doesn’t work out, but here we are with ‘Supacell’.”

When he first heard about the show, Cole said it sounded “epic,” but he was mostly drawn to the setting he knew so well. “My patriotic side came out,” he says. When he read the script, his first reaction was that he recognized the characters, whether they were the people from his school or his sisters. “They were so real and authentic. So just seeing a real authentic representation of South London – barring the powers that be! – was something I was dealing with, and I was like, ‘Yes, I can see myself looking at this and it’s something I want to be a part of.’

While “Supacell” can now join the growing list of science fiction stories on Cole’s resume, recent years have seen him spread his dramatic wings in plenty of other directions.

After cutting his teeth on British television (like many British stars, the teen soap “Hollyoaks” served as his breakout role), he has recently appeared in both Joanna Hogg’s two-part film “The Souvenir” and the critically acclaimed biopic “ Till” by Chinonye Chukwa. and last year’s reboot of “House Party.” Earlier this year, he played legendary keyboardist Tyrone Downie of the Wailers in Paramount’s hugely successful music biopic “Bob Marley: One Love,” while he next plays a shepherd in Amazon MGM’s live-action comedy “Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie.” alongside Hugh Jackson and Emma Thompson. Back on the small screen, he played a major role in the first season of AMC’s 2022 legal drama ’61^st Street,” in which he plays a high school athlete who is mistaken by police for a Chicago gang member.

Then there’s the stage, where Cole is currently starring alongside Heather Agyepong in Benedict Lombe’s romance ‘Shifters’, which moves to the West End soon.

But ‘Supacell’ gives Cole his biggest opportunity yet to shine among the widest audiences: a leading role in a glossy, buzzy, big-budget series that hits screens around the world. It’s a show where he laughs, cries, loves, fights and – according to the nature of the story – magically teleports through space and time.

“For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a leading man,” says Cole, mimicking the famous opening line of “Goodfellas.”

“But certainly, doing something of this magnitude is definitely new territory and I’m grateful for the opportunity. And I think it’s about showing that you can lead stories and show a range of emotions that keep people interested and engaged. And hopefully more leadership opportunities will come from it.”