In Paper Girls, the new Prime Video sci-fi series, four 12-year-old paper girls accidentally get caught in the middle of a time travel war when they are transported to the future on Hell Day 1988, the day after Halloween. The opposing sides of the time-travel war? The Standard Time Fighters (STF) versus the Old Watch.
The Old Watch believes that time is not to be meddled with, whereas their rivals of the STF believe otherwise.
Adina Porter (Outer Banks, The 100, American Horror Story) plays Prioress, one of the leading members of the Old Watch. During a roundtable interview at San Diego Comic-Con that Fangirlish participated in, Porter explained her character and her motivations.
Porter described Prioress as “a bit of a zealot” — at least initially. The character follows orders and is set on keeping up with the Old Watch’s belief that time must remain unchanged.
“Prioress has been a warrior for a long, long time,” Porter said. “Maybe even a little bit of brainwashing. When you’re young and don’t have the guts to think outside the box, she’s kind of drank the Kool-Aid. And it’s only with age and having seen things over time that she begins to question.”
Set up as antagonists in Paper Girls, Porter also detailed whether the audience will find any validity in the Old Watch’s ways and feel compelled to root for them. Interestingly enough, she used an analogy of a mixtape that undergoes re-recording, a comparison that is used in the show.
In regards to portraying Prioress, Portis noted she doesn’t have to find common ground with the character she’s playing. It’s not about her own comfort.
“Whatever the challenge happens to be, embody what was created, what was written,” Porter said. “So I never say ‘The character wouldn’t say that.’ I figure out a way for what they want the character to say to come out of my mouth effortlessly.”
Watch the full Paper Girls interview here:
Paper Girls season one is available on Prime Video.
