November 28, 2023 @ 6:51 PM
“Lessons in Chemistry” star Aja Naomi King still finds hope in the devastating end to her character Harriet’s arc in the Apple TV+ drama series.
Based on real historical events, the show’s finale finds politicians passing an act that enabled the Santa Monica freeway construction devastating the Sugar Hill neighborhood in which Harriet and Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) live. Harriet advocated for the dismissal of building a freeway through her and Calvin’s neighborhood, fighting against becoming homeless.
“The thing that I want people to take away is that it’s always worth it to fight. No matter what happens,” King said. “It’s the fight that matters. To know that you didn’t sit idly by and just let it happen. You stood up. You showed up and you fought against it.”
Episode 6 of the Apple adaptation of Bonnie Garmus’ best-selling novel contained a sobering and serious protest scene led by Harriet and joined by Elizabeth. A group of peaceful protesters conducted a sit-in at a freeway site to stop cars and raise awareness in the form of civil disobedience.
“There’s just a gravity that falls over everyone because it means so much to get it right. It’s funny, I think someone had said we don’t have a lot of time, but no one was stressing that. No one was making us feel like ‘Hurry up, hurry up.’ It was like, we’re gonna take our time and do this right. That’s how we honor the people that went through this experience,” King said.
King centered Harriet’s arc around stories from her mother and grandmother about living in the period depicted by the show — the late 50s and early 60s. She also incorporated family photos of her grandmother and mother into the set dressing of Harriet’s home.