Nemesis pits two unstoppable forces against each other in Matthew Law‘s LAPD Officer Isaiah Stiles and Y’lan Noel’s accomplished criminal Coltrane Wilder. Both stars command every moment they have on screen, leaving the viewer without a shadow of a doubt that there is no actor who could be a better fit for either of these roles in Netflix‘s thrilling new heist drama.
Series co-creators Courtney A. Kemp and Tani Marole told DECIDER during a recent chat that Law was one of the only actors who also “could hold the screen” when faced with Noel’s “strong” presence. That much is clear when viewers see their characters finally come face to face at the charity gala in Episode 3, in what Law and Noel revealed to be the very first scene they filmed together.
“We just wanted to set the precedent for the show,” Noel told DECIDER during a joint interview with his co-star. “But also, as actors, we got to meet each other for the first time in this space as Nemesis, so it was kind of meta in that way.”
Law joked they weren’t quite “grabbing brunch” in the lead-up to filming their first scene together. “This was not only the first time the characters are interacting, but really the first time that we are, and [Noel] really set the tone in such a beautiful way where it protected the fragility of that moment and the tension of it. You could feel everybody on set was kind of like, ‘Oh, what’s about to happen?’ Because it was probably three weeks in, at least,” Law said.
Isaiah and Coltrane are kept apart for most of the show as Isaiah endeavors to prove Coltrane, who is a respected local businessman, is the ringleader of the criminal gang pulling off multi-million dollar heists across Los Angeles. But these separate moments with their wives, families and loved ones highlights just how alike these enemies actually are, making for an interesting dynamic that will leave viewers rooting for either side of this cat-and-mouse chase.
These are “two men that are very alike in many ways,” Noel pointed out, adding that he believes “they kind of like it.”
“I don’t feel like they want the dance to end, in a way. They see each other,” he said of their characters.
Keep reading to learn more about what the stars of the Nemesis television series have to say about this thrilling new drama.
Fans may know you guys from your more comedic projects like Abbott Elementary and Insecure. How did it feel to tackle dramatic roles like these?
MATTHEW LAW: Well, I mean, Y’lan is an accomplished dramatic actor.
Y’LAN NOEL: “Dramatic,” yeah.
ML: I think we do share that in our tutelage or in our craft, that I think is all rooted from the same place. So I think it was just so exciting to be able to show and exhibit these other facets of [us], but that it all comes from the same well, you know, it’s all truth.
YN: For me, I’m always the serious, sort of grounded element of the comedy show. So this is just cool to be in a space where I could do that over a longer period of time, being that we have more episodes and more time to let the characters breathe a little bit.
ML: Yeah, the philosophy of Coltrane and Wilder, I feel we both were able to really explore the elements of these characters.
YN: We’ve got more scope here.
You guys have such amazing chemistry with Gabrielle Dennis and Cleopatra Coleman. Can you talk a little bit about how it was working with them?
YN: Cleopatra Coleman is really a blessing. You’re only as good as the person opposite you. And I’ve been able to work with Cleo one time prior to this one, so we just got back to it and yeah, it’s a blessing. She is very funny too. Don’t let the dramatic tension of this all fool you. She’s a very multifaceted actor as well.
ML: And Gabrielle Dennis is a genius. And actually when we tested together, we were just improv-ing throughout. So she has such a comedy background, to your point, but what richness she brings to anything that’s dramatic in the sense that she just has top of intelligence always and brings such life to every moment. I felt very lucky to be able to work with her for sure.
What was your approach to filming that first interaction between Isaiah and Coltrane? Was that the first scene you guys filmed together? How did that go?
YN: Yeah, that was the first scene. I mean, that’s one of those scenes when you read, you’re just anticipating the entire time. And for me, we just wanted to set the precedent for the show. But also, as actors, we got to meet each other for the first time in this space as Nemesis. So it was kind of meta in that way.
ML: Yeah. Because I mean, Y’lan has talked about this a bit, but we didn’t interact beforehand, we weren’t grabbing brunch. So, this was not only the first time the characters are interacting, but really the first time that we are, and he really set the tone in such a beautiful way where it protected the fragility of that moment and the tension of it. You could feel everybody on set was kind of like, ‘Oh, what’s about to happen?’ Because it was probably three weeks in, at least.
YN: At least. Probably more than that.
What was it like filming that final scene between Noah, Isaiah and Coltrane? I mean, it’s really intense.
YN: Yeah, that’s an interesting scene for me, at least from filming. I haven’t seen it, but I just remember that’s the culmination of what the show is really about. Two men that are very alike in many ways, and in that moment you get to see them sort of realize that about each other. There’s this moment of, ‘Oh, am I going to give an olive branch? Or am I going to make him my immortal nemesis enemy forever?’ Because they kind of like it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like they want the dance to end, in a way. They see each other.
ML: There’s a dog chasing the car element to it. I think that that power dynamic at the end, especially for somebody like Coltrane. On my side, for Isaiah Stiles’ side, I think it was beyond his worst nightmare, this moment that’s happening. How is this happening again? It felt like to your point, though, like these two things that I can’t negotiate with, whether it’s keeping my son alive or letting go of my eternal nemesis. And I think he loses both. I’m waiting to find out.
YN: But the thing that’s just pulling both of them is you, with your son and your family and with Coltrane with Ebony.
ML: Yeah, because you said, “I’m getting out of here. I’m going to see my wife.”
YN: The family being the thing that’s pulling them, right, them realizing that they are just kind of one and the same.
ML: Everything reaches its peak in that moment. Everything from the whole series. So, definitely tense, to your point. I also don’t know, I have to watch it.
What are you hoping to see for your characters in Season 2?
YN: Man, just more dangerousness. I was just trying to always up the danger. Nah, I’m joking. More family oriented smiles. Life, you know, light heartedness, I don’t know. I want him to be dangerous. More guns.
ML: No I’ve been watching so many action films. This series really starts at a red line. It’s like we’re in fifth gear and, somehow, there’s so much room to go. And I think that’s why, even to your point, how it ends, there’s so many questions left unanswered. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. But also, yeah, I mean, if he gets an evening to kick back [with] his wife.
YN: We don’t know. Hopefully, Courtney and Tani have all the answers for us and figure that out.
ML:That question has put me – I’m gonna make some phone calls.
This conversation was edited for length and clarity.