"I did fangirl for about 30 seconds" - True Detective: Night Country star Kali Reis on working with Jodie Foster (Exclusive)

True Detective: Night Country is the fourth installment in the iconic franchise. This time around, two detectives - Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) and Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) battle the elements as much as they battle the demons in their personal lives.

Even though Reis is a World Champion boxer, she's admittedly new to the world of acting. This is why sharing screen time with a legend like Jodie Foster in True Detective: Night Country was a big deal for her.

Speaking to SK POP in an exclusive interview, she did admit to being a fangirl for about 30 seconds before collecting herself:

"I cannot even put into words enough how blessed I was to be, number 1, so early on in my career get this opportunity.…I’m a fan, a huge fan of Jodie’s work. And Silence of the Lambs, was, is one of my all-time favorite movies, on top of the list. So, I did fangirl for about 30 seconds but I had to hold it together."

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Despite the heavy emotional scenes of True Detective: Night Country, there was always levity on set

Reis mentioned how much she and Foster, star of legendary movies such as Silence of the Lambs and Taxi Driver would laugh on set, in stark contrast to the darkness of True Detective: Night Country:

"When something is so dramatic or so contrast…me personally, I respond to being against the ropes and it’s kinda sink or swim. And I’ve been swimming pretty good."

The light atmosphere on the set of True Detective: Night Country helped Reis tackle the emotionally draining scenes which were so very integral to the plot:

"So, it actually was much better to have that contrast. We’re laughing and laughing and laughing and in another minute I’m in a predicament that’s not that funny. But it was important to have that light layer because it was so heavy."

This contrast of light and shade helped the True Detective: Night Country star work to the best of her ability, and also separate herself from the troubled character she was portraying:

"It helped me separate myself from Evangeline Navarro when I needed to. It also made it comfortable for me to dive into those emotional, very heavy, very dark times where you know sometimes it gets a little mixed up. A bit. So, it was actually very important."

Reis believes that working with Foster was not just a huge step up for her professionally but also a significant milestone personally:

"I’ve gained so much experience. I’ve gained kind of a bump up in my career so fast as far as being on such a prestigious show like this one. Also, I gained a friend too. So, win win win."

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What happens when eight researchers go missing in Ennis, Alaska?

Join detectives Navarro and Danvers as they team up to unearth secrets in the night country. The HBO original will stream on Max come January 14, 2024.