***The following contains spoilers for episode six***

Dark Matter, which is based on the bestselling novel by Blake Crouch, follows Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) who is kidnapped on his way home by a man who looks exactly like him and sent into an alternate dimension. Jason, with the help of Amanda Lucas (Alice Braga), travels to different dimensions trying to get back to his own universe and family. Today, the sixth episode of the series premiered on Apple TV+. In the episode, entitled “Superposition,” the character of Jason’s friend, Ryan (Jimmi Simpson), accuses the alternate Jason of stealing his research. Although he is able to convince Ryan that he didn’t steal the drug he was developing, he takes him into the Box to an alternate Chicago, stranding him there. 

When Simpson recently spoke with SciFi Vision, he revealed that if he was stranded in another universe like his character, he thinks he would be able to adapt, because in the past he’s gone with the flow. “I went to school to be a English teacher, and then I took a [theater] class, just because I thought I could skip it,” the actor explained. “…My teacher saw me do a scene and said, ‘Oh, you should add this to your major.’ Then, from that point on, I've really just gone with whatever's happening, and it feels natural to me.” 

With the series, the actor was interested in the idea of seeing different versions of the way things could have gone. “What drew me to the show was Blake Crouch’s articulation of this kind of human existential wondering, ‘What if I'd done the other thing?’” Simpson told the site. “I'd wondered that. I think most people have. Then, what followed, once he posed that kind of question was just this gorgeous telling of all the different ways things could have gone. I found it really satisfying to my daydream of what if…So, as I just read [the script], I was like, ‘I need to be a part of this.’” 

The actor added that he loves science fiction, especially when it’s honest. “[W]hen someone's able to talk about realistic science fiction, in such a gorgeous and entertaining way, it takes things to another level, because it's just so human and relatable,” said Simpson. 

For more from the actor, including what parts of the character he found easy and difficult to relate to and which one he’s most like, the difficulties in playing multiple versions of the same character, and more, watch the full interview or read the transcript below, and be sure to check out the series, now streaming on Apple TV+. 



SCIFI VISION:   What was it about either [the character] or the script that made you want to do it? 

JIMMI SIMPSON:   …Well, what drew me to the show was Blake Crouch’s articulation of this kind of human existential wondering, “What if I'd done the other thing?” I'd wondered that. I think most people have. Then, what followed, once he posed that kind of question was just this gorgeous telling of all the different ways things could have gone. I found it really satisfying to my daydream of what if. He's like, “Well, this is what would happen there, and then this is what would happen there. And imagine if this happened there.” It was almost like, what your brain wanted to see. So, as I just read this, I was like, “I need to be a part of this.” It's so human, so universal, and obviously, I love sci-fi, and especially when it's honest too. I mean, I love all the versions of sci-fi, but when someone's able to talk about realistic science fiction, in such a gorgeous and entertaining way, it takes things to another level, because it's just so human and relatable. 

What part of the character did you find the easiest and what did you find the hardest to connect with? 

I think character-wise, I found it easiest to relate to Ryan One. There [were] a lot of similarities. But Ryan Two I found it really comfortable in his skin, because it's almost like there was less of a fight to put up with just a man who's kind of, “This is what is, and I'm gonna let what is just affect me in the way it does.” He's a passive guy, which I am not, but I think I kind of daydream about being more passive, and maybe it'd be easier. Then, Ryan Three was probably the most difficult, because he was so unlike me in that he completely submitted to his situation, and I don't really know that feeling. So, yeah, it was the most foreign but also the most kind of interesting for me to try. Because he was actually most affected by Chicago, so he's a bit more Chicago, and just he's the most different. Even though the first two might be very physically different, he is the most different; he's had the most soul change. 

That's what is going to ask next. I know that some of them are physically different but was it hard to make them seem different as you portrayed them?…Doing [them] all in one project, did that make it more difficult kind of having to always think about this is this version? 

You would probably think, because it's like, oh, there’s more on your plate. But, as actors, we just love to be tested and love to be made to think. So, for me, I love more work. It keeps me more focused. Downtime I am not sure what to do with. So, to like, differentiate these three guys all in the same chunk of time was really actually kind of satisfying, and sometimes bouncing back and forth just to, you know, accommodate a schedule. No, it was a great exercise. I come from theater. I love to be kept on my toes. I like to be asked a lot of. I mean, listen, the work I did is not even a fraction compared to Joel and Jennifer [Connelly] who bring it to another level. They bring television acting to a whole other level, and Alice backing them up. Just those three really are the faces of this show and just slayed it. They’re so fun to watch. 

…I was thinking about it, because Ryan doesn't necessarily let's say go for the same reasons [as Jason]. If it was you and somebody decided you would go someplace else, would you be able to kind of adapt to a new different reality, if you didn't have a choice? 

I mean, I guess my own immodest take is, yeah, I would. I would adapt, but I say that based on my kind of experiential life of, I went to school to be a English teacher, and then, I took a class, just because I thought I could skip it…My teacher saw me do a scene and said, “Oh, you should add this to your major,” Then, from that point on, I've really just gone with whatever's happening, and it feels natural to me. Whereas there's a lot of folks I know that are resistant to change and really, really prefer it. I think we all prefer something that's stable, but I am just used to that not being the case. I think a lot of people in this industry might be a little bit more used to, “Well, I'm not sure. Let's just see,” and then you make it work.