Hanna star Mireille Enos: My daughter is not allowed to watch the show

Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos

It may be somewhat of a gamble to base an eight-episode series on a 2011 film that has been widely watched. But that didn't stop creator David Farr from betting big on the unusual storyline of Hanna, which revolves around a genetically-modified teenager, played by Esme Creed-Miles, who is trained to be an assassin by her father, Erik, essayed by Joel Kinnaman. A moody retelling of the Saoirse Ronan starrer by the same name, the Amazon Prime original also features Mireille Enos as an off-the-book CIA agent Marissa Wiegler, who is in hot pursuit of the killing machine.

Having previously collaborated on The Killing, Enos and Kinnaman wouldn't settle for a less-worthy story for their reunion. In Hanna, the duo found a perfect vehicle. While coming on board was an easy decision for Enos, Kinnaman was an afterthought. "Mireille asked me to come up with a list of interesting European actors in their 40s because she only hangs out with her baby and doesn't know anyone in the industry," Kinnaman quips, before adding, "I was in the middle of compiling this list and they [makers] called asking me to join the cast. The idea of working with Mireille again was thrilling. The criterion for us to work together was that it had to be different from the dynamic of The Killing. Hanna fit right in."

Comparisons with the original are inevitable. But Enos credits Farr and Ingeborg Topsoe's "clear and elegant writing" for raising the series above a tentpole action fare. "It's three genres woven into one. You have a coming-of-age story, wrapped in a political sci-fi thriller and a family drama," adds Kinnaman.

Even though the show has a teenager as the central character, both actors are of the opinion that its violent content is not meant for children. A mother of two, Enos explains how she has shielded her eight-year-old daughter from her recent offering. "She has never been able to watch any of my shows because they have never been [age] appropriate. She has been begging me to let her watch Hanna. Since Hanna is 15, I think it would be more appropriate for people in their teens."

In the week since it dropped online, the thriller has been much appreciated for its noir quality - the snow-capped locales coupled with the moody cinematography make it a visual treat. However, filming was not an easy task, says Enos. "Being in Budapest for five months, away from home, is hard. We had a wonderful crew, but I was homesick. Plus, the language barrier [posed another problem]."

Kinnaman adds that his challenge was more professional than personal. "When I got the script, the show was in English, but everyone else was speaking with dialects. I urged David to reconsider and have everyone speak in their natural languages. He relented, and all of a sudden, I had 20 scenes in German, and I don't speak a word of it. I had to learn German dialogues in two weeks!"

Also Read: Find how Sarah Adina Smith followed David Farr's vision and created a masterpiece - Hanna

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