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Freya Allen Talks About Leaving The Witcher And Joining Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes
Freya Allan, fresh off her stint in the magical realm of The Witcher, found herself unexpectedly immersed in another world: the post-apocalyptic landscape of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
After three seasons steeped in the dangerous world of The Witcher, Freya Allan was ready for a more grounded role. Her next project took her into an even more astounding world, though. Speaking from EW's video studio at Comic-Con 2024, Allan discussed leaving Netflix's mysterious series for the dystopian landscape of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Freya Allan recounted the period after leaving The Witcher, explaining how expectations for her next move were high. "I actually left The Witcher, and everyone was like, 'What do you want to do next?' and she said, “I wanted something really normal, you know, just people around a table having a chat.'"
Instead, fate led her to Australia, where she encountered a chaotic environment. Allan described arriving in what felt like a dungeon with people acting unusually. She was welcomed by an overly enthusiastic actor named Owen Teague. Initially hoping for a conventional role, she found herself in a situation where her desire for normalcy was replaced by a scenario where humans behaved like chimpanzees. Reflecting on her initial desires, she remarked that she had hoped for something normal but ended up in a project where humans acted like chimpanzees.
In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth installment of the rebooted Apes series that began in 2011, Freya Allan plays Mae, the main human character. Mae joins the simian protagonists Noa (Owen Teague) and Raka (Peter Macon) in their mission to reclaim their tribe from Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). Unlike her co-stars, who donned motion-capture suits to portray apes, Allan is one of the few actors appearing as humans.
Initially, Allan was relieved to play a human character, finding the ape roles ludicrously absurd. She recalled thinking, “I’m glad I’m a human; they look ridiculous!” However, her curiosity grew, and she expressed a desire to experience being an ape firsthand. “I would have liked to be an extra ape one day,” she added.
Allan is excited about the potential for Mae's character to evolve, particularly if she appears in a sequel. Mae starts with strong anti-ape sentiments but undergoes significant changes throughout her journey with Noa. Allan is eager to see how Mae confronts her past and the people she has known her entire life, having gone through such an intense and transformative experience.
She anticipates intriguing future conflicts as Mae faces her community with a new perspective. “I’m very intrigued to see how that then transpires when she has to talk to her people about it. Because I don’t think they’re going to love this slightly new perspective she has,” Allan mused.
Freya Allan's ability to transition from the fantastical realms of The Witcher to the post-apocalyptic landscapes of The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes highlights her versatility as an actress. Although she initially sought a more ordinary role, destiny presented her with another compelling challenge, demonstrating her readiness to embrace diverse characters and narratives with passion.
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