After stepping away from Hollywood for several years, actor Karolina Wydra landed the role of a lifetime in Vince Gilligan‘s new Apple TV+ series, Pluribus. Her casting story involves no manager, a chance search by casting directors, and a moment so surreal she thought she was being tricked. Wydra now plays Zosia, the calm and mysterious envoy of a global hive mind sent to care for the last immune human, Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn.
A Hiatus and an Unexpected Audition Request
Wydra made a personal choice to step away from her acting career to focus on her family. After the birth of her children, she took a break that lasted about five years. During this time, her professional representation decided to part ways with her, leaving her without an agent or manager when she felt ready to return to work.
The opportunity for Pluribus arrived unexpectedly. The show’s casting directors, Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have worked with Gilligan for years, were searching globally for the right actor to play Zosia. They remembered Wydra from her role in the 2016 film Incarnate and tracked her down through an old contact at a commercial agency where she was still listed. An audition request was sent, even though she was no longer actively represented there.
Wydra’s first reaction to the opportunity was not excitement, but hesitation. As a huge fan of Gilligan’s work on Breaking Bad, she had long dreamed of working with him but had let go of that hope. The chance felt too big to risk.
Karolina Wydra said: “I had this moment where you finally get the thing that you want and you go, ‘If I put myself on tape and don’t get it, the dream’s done.’ But if I don’t, then I can continue fantasizing that maybe it could happen one day.”
Despite her fears, she submitted a self-tape audition. She later learned the role was for the number two position on the show’s call sheet, co-starring directly opposite Rhea Seehorn.
“Am I Getting Punked?”: The Surreal Path to Getting Cast
The casting process felt like a fantasy to Wydra. After her initial test, she had a Zoom conversation with Vince Gilligan himself to discuss the character and the process. During that call, Gilligan revealed he had personally sought a reference for her.
Karolina Wydra recalled: “At one point, he said, ‘I just spoke to Bryan Cranston about you.’ I was like, ‘What is happening? Where are the hidden cameras? Is this a joke?’”
Wydra had previously worked with Bryan Cranston on the series Sneaky Pete, and his positive feedback to Gilligan was a pivotal moment. The entire experience felt so unlikely that Wydra repeatedly questioned if it was real, famously asking, “Am I getting punked?”.
She finally got the life-changing call while at the movies with her husband. A manager assisting her told her to “bust out the champagne”. Wydra describes it as one of the most magical moments of her life.
Embodying Zosia: A Character of Peace and Purpose
In Pluribus, an extraterrestrial event has merged almost all of humanity into a single, blissful consciousness called “the Joined” or “the Others”. Zosia is the collective’s emissary to Carol, one of the few immune survivors who rejects this new world.
Playing Zosia required Wydra to portray a being of pure serenity and unconditional love, devoid of human tension or fear. The character knows everything the collective knows and can perform any skill perfectly, from flying a military plane to mixing a martini. To achieve Zosia’s unique state, Wydra used specific acting techniques.
- Meditation and Body Work: She focused on meditation and physical relaxation to eliminate all personal nervous energy from her performance.
- Dreamwork and Active Imagination: She worked with a coach to use Jungian methods, tapping into her subconscious to find a “Zen-like state” of unconditional love.
- A Mother’s Perspective: Wydra believes becoming a mother herself was essential to accessing the depth of care and understanding Zosia embodies.
A key challenge was acting opposite Rhea Seehorn’s emotionally intense performance without matching that energy. Gilligan would remind Wydra, “You can’t go on that journey with her,” which she found difficult. Her goal was to find a “sweet spot” where Zosia was peaceful and loving, but not robotic.
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Navigating a Complex Relationship and a Shocking Finale
The relationship between Zosia and Carol is the emotional core of the show. It evolves from a caretaker dynamic into a deep romantic connection. This relationship culminates in a controversial and pivotal scene where the hive mind reveals it has used Carol’s frozen eggs without her explicit consent, a moment Wydra says was filmed in many different emotional tones.
The first season ends with a major turn. After growing close to Zosia, Carol ultimately chooses to fight the hive. In the finale, she requests an atom bomb from the collective, which Zosia is obligated to provide. Their final parting is marked by a sorrowful look that Wydra interprets as Zosia’s last glimmer of hope.
Karolina Wydra explained: “I think the look is also like, ‘Are you sure? Is this what you really want?’ That moment that you have between people [where] you go: ‘Is this it? Is there still a chance?’”
Despite the dramatic ending, Wydra does not see Zosia or the Joined as villains. She views them as beings acting on a pure biological imperative to share what they believe is ultimate happiness.
Pluribus has become a major success for Apple TV+, reportedly becoming the platform’s most-watched show. Vince Gilligan is already preparing for a second season. While the future for Zosia is unknown, Wydra is eager to return, telling Gilligan, “Can you write a little faster?”. Her journey from a break without representation to a starring role in a hit series stands as a remarkable Hollywood comeback story.
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