The Pluribus Stunt You Had No Idea Zosia Actor Karolina Wydra Actually Did
by Debopriyaa Dutta · /FilmThis post contains spoilers for "Pluribus."
Rhea Seehorn's Carol Sturka might be an unconventional protagonist in "Pluribus," but hivemind mouthpiece Zosia (Karolina Wydra) emerges as the perfect foil. While the hive doesn't believe in hierarchy, Zosia is chosen to make Carol feel at ease, as she resembles the pirate heroine in her fantasy novel's first draft. This strategy works to an extent, as Carol's abrasive nature is somewhat softened around Zosia, even though she represents a collective and is unable to claim personhood.
At one point, Zosia helps Carol bury her lover, Helen (Miriam Shor), by efficiently using an excavator. In an interview with Collider, Wydra revealed that she operated the excavator herself and explained how the stunt was a bit tricky to pull off, considering that the hive is perfect at pulling off anything they undertake:
"It was so much fun. By the way, I love excavators [...] I did a lot of rehearsals for everything [...] These people [the hive] have muscle memory of being the best of the best at it, so when you get on an excavator, when you get on the moped, or whatever it is, you don't look for things like the button. You just go in, and you do it effortlessly without looking. It's just a feeling that you've done this millions of times, so it lives in you."
To prepare for this scene, Wydra spoke to professionals who operate excavators and observed "how they would behave, how they would buckle themselves in." This served as the foundation for the countless rehearsals that the actor used to hone her skills, which are on full display during the scene in question. But the excavator isn't the only machine Wydra operated, as she also piloted the C-130 plane (!) at the start of episode 2.
Karolina Wydra's introductory stunt in Pluribus is an impressive feat
When Zosia is introduced, we don't quite understand why she is such a focal point as we follow her piloting (and landing) a C-130. For context, a C-130 is a versatile four-engine military transport aircraft, used in search/rescue and airborne assault (it even acts as a medevac). Wydra worked closely with pilots to get a hang of the basics, and practiced until the place sequence appeared seamless:
"When I get on the C-130, you see me get in, sit down, put on the safety belt, do the buttons, starting the plane, and it was just effortless. It was just like a dance [...] I love saying this — I got to taxi the C-130, for real [...] The pilots, at first, were not sure. They were a little nervous for me to do it [...] And after a day of rehearsal, they explained to me how the airplane worked, the buttons, the engines, everything. They had enough trust in me that they said, 'Alright, do it.' It's just really incredible. I'll never get to do that again, you know?"
Piloting a massive military aircraft for a character's introductory sequence does sound like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Wydra knocked it out of the park. The actor also does an incredible job of inhabiting a character that is endearing and mysterious at once, where her importance in the narrative is directly connected to how Carol chooses to perceive her. As the hive is a shared consciousness — possibly of alien origin — their sense of morality cannot be understood through human standards. As a result, Zosia is sweet and cruel at once, constantly cycling through a range of behaviors including tenderness, hypocrisy, bravery, and deceptive benevolence.
"Pluribus" is available to stream on Apple TV.