Aaron Paul and I almost miss each other. He’s in New Zealand, shooting a “brutal” new sci-fi horror, while I’m in London, blissfully asleep, my alarm accidentally on silent. By some miracle I wake up just in time. He logs on 20 minutes later, profusely apologetic. “Let me start by saying, I am so sorry,” he says, his trademark easy LA-ish drawl reverberating through the laptop speakers. “I didn’t realise there was a link that I was supposed to click … ”
Turns out Paul isn’t particularly in tune with technology – ironic, or perhaps apt, considering what we’re here to discuss: his starring role in Beyond the Sea, a new Black Mirror episode from season six, released earlier this week. Over the past decade, the splashy hit show has become notorious for its profound, satirical commentary on the frightening repercussions of imaginary (though often startlingly prophetic) technological advances. “Watching Black Mirror has really encouraged me to put my phone down,” Paul says, before apologising again. “I haven’t owned a computer in over 12 years. I never look at my email. I honestly just assumed that my phone was going to ring at 7pm my time.”
