Kat Harlton
Photos: Provided via artist
Poster: Copyright of MGM+
Actor Jane Luk is currently appearing in the new, highly anticipated Stephen King adaptation The Institute, on MGM+.
Jane is part of an incredible cast including Ben Barnes and Mary-Louise Parker, portraying Maureen Alvorson, a former army officer dishonourably discharged after an incident in Afghanistan. Now employed at the mysterious Institute, Maureen finds herself torn between survival and morality: the job is the only one she can get, but it forces her to turn a blind eye to the disturbing tests inflicted on the children under the facility’s care.
The series follows teen prodigy Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman), who wakes up in a strange institution filled with other gifted children, and Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes), a haunted ex-cop whose path is fated to cross with Luke’s. With Mary-Louise Parker as the enigmatic Ms. Sigsby, The Institute is a chilling blend of psychological thriller and supernatural mystery, everything fans expect from a Stephen King story.
I had the opportunity to chat with Jane about her role, what fans can expect and more.
Kat: Maureen is a deeply layered character with a complex past and moral conflicts. How did you prepare to portray someone who is both complicit in and haunted by the events at The Institute?
Jane: We are never only one dimension in life. We don’t live in absolutes. We’re not always perfectly good even if we strive to be. I thought about times when I was in a situation where I had to question between continuing on the path I was on or changing that path when I acquired new knowledge. I would ask what would I lose if I go? What would I gain? Could I live with myself with my decision to stay in a bad situation? No matter what you choose, your heart either wins out or it doesn’t. Thankfully for Maureen she follows her heart.
Kat: Maureen’s background as a dishonorably discharged veteran adds a powerful emotional undercurrent to her role. Did you do any specific research or draw on any personal experiences to connect with her military past and trauma?
Jane: Yes, I did! I remembered an incident where photos emerged showing American soldiers abusing and humiliating prisoners. I was surprised to see a female soldier obviously involved even though I knew women of course, were in the military. I started to think about what drives humans to do these things. I thought about Maureen being in a world where men dominate the culture. The military culture that is testosterone-driven, would be a difficult one to navigate unless you do what you need to fit in. You are reminded that you are a unit, a team. You do things as a unit, a team. In combat and in social situations. Sometimes you do things that are slightly over the line. Combine that with being in a position of power and then the thrill of needing to do more becomes appealing. I thought of Maureen struggling with her choices to continue to go along with the men’s activities or risk being harassed by them. I thought once she started, she got carried away and then unfortunately caught and disciplined.
Kat: Stephen King stories often explore the darker sides of human nature and institutions. What do you think The Institute is trying to say about power, control, and morality through Maureen’s journey?
Jane: We find Maureen in a place where she is to live out her days after a dark chapter in her past. She had to take a really hard look at her life choices, as well as her guilt over the death of her son to finally face the fact that she is complicit with the Institute’s house of horrors. I created a backstory for her son Jacob where her actions caused his death. He was bullied a lot at school once everyone found out his mother was one of the soldiers in the photos. While she was being brought up on charges, he took his own life.
Kat: The series blends sci-fi with psychological horror. How did that genre mix influence your performance, especially in scenes involving the children and their powers?
Jane: I wanted Maureen’s distance from the children when she first meets them as self- preservation and a reflection of part of her training as a soldier. Almost like taking a “prisoner” to their cell, she has been trained to “guardi” her thoughts for kids with TP.
Kat: You share the screen with powerhouse actors like Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Barnes. What was it like collaborating with them, and did their performances shape yours in any unexpected ways?
Jane: I loved collaborating with Mary-Louise. I remember we were both in the makeup and hair trailer when she asked if I wanted to run lines. I was so happy she asked because I’ve encountered many lead actors who usually run lines with their assistants. I’ve been an improviser as well as an actor throughout most of my career. I always bring a number of improv fundamentals to my acting work. Trust my partner, be in the moment and listen. Mary-Louise was the same though I didn’t ask if she improvised but every moment in the scene, reaction, and response was driven from the moment before. We read through the scene and talked about the moments before we went to camera. That was the guideline. What happened on camera was the art. Unfortunately I never had a scene with Ben as he was in the other story line. Though one night a group of us decided to have dinner together and Ben came along. It was wonderful to have a few of the Institute cast with some of the Denison cast. Like a big old dark matter family! Lol!
Kat: Did director Jack Bender (or the show’s creative team) give you any specific direction or backstory for Maureen that helped unlock who she is for you?
Jane: The main notes I got from Jack were that Maureen had a very hard life fighting in Afghanistan, was discharged and lost her son. He told me this at my recall audition when I thought I was being recalled for another role. At the recall, I hadn’t read the book. Jack gave me some redirects and I seemed to know exactly what he wanted. I made some different choices and did a complete 180 and booked the gig. Jack was very generous to give me that opportunity to do it again.
Kat: Maureen clearly feels trapped in a system she knows is wrong, yet depends on it for survival. How do you think she reconciles or fails to reconcile her empathy for the children with her role in their captivity?
Jane: I may have touched on this before but after her dishonorable discharge there were very few places she could find work. The shame and guilt brought upon a depression that left her lacking empathy for others or the strength to think she deserved anything better. I think her need to survive outweighed her conscience. She doesn’t know exactly what goes on behind closed doors, but she sees the aftermath and knows it’s painful for the kids. She knows the testing is bad so she turns a blind eye. But she feels absolved by making them feel better when she escorts them back to their rooms or giving them tokens. She gains their trust. Then she uses that trust to report information back to Sigsby – for her own gain.
Kat: There’s a quiet but powerful emotional arc for Maureen tied to the loss of her son. How did that shape your portrayal of her interactions with the children at The Institute?
Jane: In the beginning Maureen takes on the job at the Institute to survive. She has few options. It’s here or somewhere worse – and here is pretty bad. She is glad they don’t ask her to go into the testing rooms with the children. What she doesn’t know won’t affect her. Ignorance is bliss. Playing Maureen with this in mind helped me to be distant from Luke at the beginning. He’s just another new test subject. Sigsby even tells them they’re not kids. They’re part of something that will save the world. Maureen takes on this perspective to survive in the Institute. When Luke gets through to her, she wakes up. This interaction lets her realize that Luke sees her as a person – not just another cog in the big machine. She finally realizes that Sigsby is wrong. They are children. They do matter and they are suffering at the hands of the Institute. She can no longer be complicit. She has to do the right thing. She couldn’t save Jacob but she can try to save Luke.
Kat: After living in Maureen’s skin, what stayed with you most after filming wrapped whether emotionally, psychologically, or artistically?
Jane: What was interesting to me is how much it took for Maureen to help Luke escape. She had to be the saddest person I’ve ever played. Living in an all-time low in darkest despair and hanging on by a thread. The best she could do was to serve the Institute and live without hopes, aspirations, love or empathy. She literally put her life on the line to help Luke and regain some of her humanity. She overcame the darkest time in her life by helping someone else. I thought that took an immense amount of courage. I also admired her foresight to find a way to let the world know about the Institute on top of helping Luke.
Kat: What do you hope audiences take away from Maureen’s story in particular, and how do you think her role challenges viewers to think about complicity in systemic abuse?
Jane: Maureen is the only person working at the Institute who makes the decision to stop being complicit with the Institute. She breaks free when she acknowledges that what they’re doing, and what she is a part of, is inherently wrong. She is able to do that when she is no longer thinking solely of herself but of the children. Though she may be the lowest rung of the ladder, she was able to rise up quietly to change her path as well as the path of the future.
Connect With Jane On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janelukpicard