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Netflix's "The OA" brought his characters to new literal dimensions with the "Second Part" of the breathtaking series. One of these people, Buck Vu, is played by Ian Alexander, 17 years old.
This season, Alexander has been commissioned to portray Buck Vu (a teenager transgender teen) as well as Michelle Vu (a version of Buck in another dimension that he sees as a pre-transition). Similar to Buck, Alexander identifies as transmasculin and uses pronouns.
Alexander played a creative role in making his role in the series, including drawing his own custom illustrations for a T-shirt that Buck wears for most of his "Second Part" scenes. The drawing of the woods represents "Buck Vu" – a detail that even the co-creator of the show, Zal Batmanglij, did not pick up.
"I created it, so I do not see anything else when I look at it," Alexander said in an interview with INSIDER. "But even the director and even the people who watch him two or three times have not noticed it until I point it out."
Alexander told us how he watched (and revisited) the new episodes just at midnight when Netflix had released them, and helps explain exactly what's going on in the final minutes of the "Second Part" finale.
Renfro: What was your initial reaction to the "Second Part", especially with Buck's trip this season?
Alexander: I knew a little in advance because Zal [Batmanglij], the manager, called me in advance to ask me if I was comfortable with playing two different roles in the second part. But I did not know exactly what would be the implication of the two characters, so it was really exciting to read it the first time and see how they related the two different dimensions and how I was involved in both roles. and Michelle.
At first I was a little worried just because in the first part, Buck and the boys and BBA are involved in each episode. So I thought, "Oh no, where's Buck, where's our story?" But when I got to the third episode, I thought, "Oh, okay, I see, it's all worth it, all of this leads to this moment."
I was really excited to have two episodes dedicated to us and our story. It really gives us time to breathe and grow and to allow audience members to empathize with our characters, rather than just having a glimpse of us. So, yes, I was very careful at first, but I was very excited once I saw how it all went.
Renfro: Have you watched every episode now that it's on Netflix?
Alexander: Yes, I have seen everything twice now, and I will probably watch it for the third time this weekend if I have the time. I was looking forward to it, I stayed awake until midnight [on Thursday] so I watched it when it was released.
Renfro: As you watched, did you notice things you had not noticed before about the story while shooting?
Alexander: Absolutely yes. Especially since I was shooting in the second dimension of the series, my character is absent and / or in a coma, so that I am not really involved in this scenario. So it was really exciting to see how it went with OA, Karim and the others because I had not seen anything like it. I just read it in the script.
And on the second watch, I was able to put aside my own criticisms of my performance and everything else. Because that's the reason I watched it for the first time, all alone, so I could spread it. Then the second time, I was able to enjoy and focus on the background and the details, among others.
I think I absolutely want to watch it once or twice more because there are so many little Easter eggs and little hints and clues that you do not really understand the first few times.
Renfro: When the photos of "Part Two" are released for the first time, you tweeted about the shirt that Buck wears in any of them and how there is a detail in it was missing people. Can you explain a little more for those who missed it?
Alexander: I went to make a wardrobe last year […] and Zal said, "I really want you to design a shirt that Buck will wear throughout the second part, and this will become an iconic look for the character."
I sat that night and I drew a lot of things. I wanted it to be related to Buck's name, so I played with some male deer ideas. I mentioned the idea of wanting to put deer antlers on a shirt, and [one of the wardrobe designers] said, "What if you spell something with the letters?" And then, I thought, "Oh, I could spell Buck's name in the woods."
I sent the initial sketch to Zal and he loved it. I thought that he had seen that I had spotted Buck Vu, but in reality he had not noticed it before to have created the shirt and I had worn it for that I shoot the first day as Buck. I made some sort of comment saying, "Oh yes, I'm so glad you like my Buck Vu design." He just looked at me and was a little confused.
I said, "What? It spells Buck Seen," and he said, "Oh my god, not at all!"
He called people to look at the shirt. Some of them said, "Yeah, it's obvious," but others said, "Oh my god, I had no idea!"
It was funny to me since I created it, so I do not see anything else when I look at it. But even the director and even the people watching him two or three times did not notice it before I pointed it out to him. It's a really cool little easter egg for hard-hitting observers.
Renfro: In reviewing both parts, I noticed a lot of links between Buck and Rachel. In the first part, there is the episode that starts: Buck sings in front of his mirror, then his bike pbades in front of a red backpack and what looks like a result of a car accident, reminiscent of what Rachel described in another scene. They both sing and then Rachel arrives at Buck's place through his mirror.
Alexander: Yes, absolutely. I was talking about it in another interview where they asked me why Rachel's address to Buck. And that's partly because he's leaving the door open. He still believes in OA, while others doubt it or have lost hope. But Buck still has firm hope and the belief that she is still there and that they still have to help her.
But also, I thought it was because of their voices and their links. In dimension two, Rachel is dumb and it is difficult for her to communicate, but she travels in Buck's mirror as they both sing – it's something they have in common and they do not. is so that she is able to communicate.
So yes, I really notice the parallels between them since the first part, but they plunge completely into that in the second part and recognize the fact that they establish a link between Buck and Rachael.
Renfro: My interpretation of this is that OA is surrounded by a different tribe, it's like the word I suppose to use, for lack of a better term, but it's as if every person in this tribe had a link with another second dimension.
Alexander: Yes, absolutely.
Renfro: I would also like to talk to you about the final scene because it's such a complex, complex and surprising way that this season ends.
Alexander: It's very meta.
Renfro: Yes, it's meta, but once I sat down and watched it, it's not like we're breaking the fourth wall completely because there's always these changes in relation to our reality. Can you guide me in your understanding of what's going on in this scene?
Alexander: So, basically, Michelle managed to jump out the Rose window into the third dimension. Which is very similar to our reality outside the series. But it's different, because Brit Marling and Jason Isaacs are not married in real life. But it's a dimension in which they create the series called "The OA".
They even referenced it [when an earlier character told OA]: "Everyone will call you OA but you will not do it." They evaded the fact that they create this series titled "The OA" and then, when Karim has an overview, he sees the whole thing and how it exactly matches what's going on. he was living.
So, Michelle jumped into the body of "Ian Alexander", she is stuck there and does not know how to get back to dimension two. But when Karim calls Michelle, she is able to realize, "Oh, I have to go back to the rosette."
This is not really confirmed though – once Michelle is back in Dimension Two and wakes up from coma – if the consciousness of "Ian Alexander" is no longer repressed and comes back. You're not really sure what happens to "Ian Alexander" but it's something that will definitely have to be seen in the third part if it's taken up again.
I really think it will be very interesting to see how Steve jumps into the body of "Paddy Gibson" and then sues OA at the end. Again, this looks like what happened at the end of the first part. But instead, this time, instead of the ambulance escapes him, as well as the body and consciousness of OA, he is able to confront and also confront Hap. So yes, it's definitely something I can not explain 100% because I do not have all the answers.
Then Hap jumped into the body of "Jason Isaac", OA jumped into the body of "Brit Marling", Karim still remains Karim because he did not jump completely, he was just able to see him. And then Michelle jumps from the body of "Ian Alexander" in Michelle's body.
Renfro: Right.
Alexander: [Laughing ] Yeah. It's very complicated and confusing, but it's the best I can do.
Renfro: Have you ever had headaches on the set while trying to understand: "I'm Ian but" Ian "for this scene?"
Alexander: The first day we shot this scene on the sound stage, there was actually a little confusion about what I should wear as a wardrobe. At first, they dressed me in Michelle because they thought I was supposed to play Michelle that day.
But before putting on the wig, I thought to myself, "No, actually, I'm supposed to be Ian Alexander today, so I need to have my hair natural." We had to get out of the make-up and hairstyle trailer, get on stage and consult Zal [Batmanglij] like, "What am I supposed to wear in this scene?"
So yes, this certainly caused a lot of confusion because I would hear the team members say, "Wait, what dimension are we in? Are we three? Are we two? Is happening here? " But I think everyone is doing well and everything has gone really well.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
"The OA" is currently streamed on Netflix. You can read here all the coverage of the series by INSIDER.
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