Swarm star Dominique Fishback was deeply affected by certain “disturbing” scenes in the Prime Video series.
Fishback plays the show’s main character, Dre – a super-fan of a Beyoncé-esque pop megastar called Ni’Jah, who ends up going on a murderous rampage over her favourite musician.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fishback explained that she insisted on having a therapist on set, “Not just for me, but for the other actors who could potentially be triggered, as well as for the crew.”
The Judas and the Black Messiah actor was asked if there were any scenes, which were particularly triggering to film.
*Warning – spoilers ahead for Swarm*
“Episode seven was very disturbing for me,” she answered. “And specifically, the scene where Dre kills her girlfriend, Rashida [portrayed by Kiersey Clemons]. Why? Well, for one, Dre loved her. Dre didn’t love those other people she killed.
“And the killing was more intimate,” she continued, “she literally killed her with her bare hands. With other killings, there was an object between them, but not with Rashida. And her killing was the only one you see Dre having remorse or emotion about.”
After shooting the scene, Fishback said she “could not stay awake” because she was “so emotionally and mentally drained”.
“The therapist was on set on that day. I definitely cried after that scene, and I took some time to talk to her.”
Swarm is co-created by Donald Gover (also known as Childish Gambino) and has received a lot of buzz for its cast, which includes Paris Jackson and Billie Eilish in her first acting role.
Rory Culkin, brother of Macauley and Kieran, also makes a NSFW cameo.
Swarm is currently streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video.
