Jurnee Smollett stars as Michelle Calderone in Smoke. The first two episodes of the drama will premiere Friday, June 27, on Apple TV+, followed by a new episode weekly through August 15.

Inspired by true events, “Smoke” follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.

“I always lean into characters that are deeply flawed. Those are the exciting ones to play. The ones who don’t have contradictions are flat, boring, inactive, and a lie because, as you say, we all are flawed. One of the things Dennis Lehane, our creator, said to me early on, he said, ‘Jurnee, we all say we want to be happy, and yet, why are we drawn to the very things that want to destroy us?’ And that, to me, was such an essence, a kernel for Michelle,” she shared. “When you first meet her, she’s destroying her house, literally, in order to rebuild it. And so, she’s in this pattern of destruction, creation, destruction, creation, so many of us find ourselves in, and is really enticed and drawn to the very things that are dangerous and that could destroy her.”

I spoke with the actress about the excitement of playing flawed characters, how her perspective on the crime genre has changed after projects like this one, and more.

Watch my interview below: