Editor’s Note: Spoilers ahead for The Agency, Season 1, Episode 3.

Summary

Samia and Martian’s relationship becomes the emotional heartbeat of
The Agency
in Season 1, Episode 3.
In an exclusive interview with Collider, Turner-Smith admits how Samia evolves into a woman navigating moral complexities in a world of espionage.
The love between Samia and Martian is a grounding force, challenging their personal and professional lives.

Espionage dramas have a sharp way of pulling the audience into their complex webs of intrigue, betrayal, and the pursuit of truth and, thankfully, Showtime’s The Agency is no exception. The Michael Fassbender-led series might steer its focus on the high-stakes world of international spy drama, but it also underscores the deeply personal struggles of its characters, like Martian, a man torn between love and duty. At the heart of this tension is Samia, played by the mesmerizing Jodie Turner-Smith, whose layered performance anchors the emotional core of the series. In an exclusive interview with Collider about the George Clooney and Grant Heslov production, the actress reveals it’s all about how “this love [is] more important to her than safety… because safety really is an illusion anyway.”

By Episode 3, “Hawk From a Handsaw,” Turner-Smith’s arc takes center stage as Samia’s relationship with Martian (Fassbender) faces scrutiny. In a world where deception is currency, the pair’s connection offers a fragile thread of truth. As the actress’ portrayal reveals her character as a woman navigating her own moral and emotional complexities, Turner-Smith admits it is fun to see her character stand out in such a multidimensional landscape. “I just love when we get to see a woman who is very intelligent making choices based on her strong sense of center, but also complicated,” she says.

Martian and Samia’s Relationship Is Only Getting More Complicated on ‘The Agency’
“This love that he feels for her, whatever it represents for him, there’s an element of it being the thing that is grounding his reality.”

Since the start of the series, it’s no secret that the relationship between Samia and Martian is the emotional heartbeat of The Agency. Between his worry about her following political unrest in her country to his hiding details from fellow London Station chiefs, their connection is a fragile lifeline in a world shrouded by secrecy and deception. Both have been taking significant risks to maintain their bond, but from the sound of it, it’s only getting more complicated.

“For him, this love that he feels for her, whatever it represents for him, there’s an element of it being the thing that is grounding his reality more than anything else,” Turner-Smith explains. “Which is why I think he chooses to take so many risks for it. I feel like for both of them. When I look at the choices that Samia is making as a married woman who’s fallen in love with this person and choosing to be in that relationship despite that, I feel like it’s because what that relationship represents is a deeper truth than she finds with the person that she is supposed to love, right? And so that’s why she clings to it, as well.”

How Jodie Turner-Smith Is Helping Break Ground With ‘The Agency’
“I’ve never seen a particular character like this, and I think that is also very interesting.”

This grounding force is crucial for Martian, whose personal and professional lives collide in increasingly tense ways, especially in the latest episode, where he directly confronts Samia about her presence in London. “There’s a moment where she talks about the fact that — and who knows, because I don’t think I’ve seen the final editing of the episode, so I don’t know if it made it in the episode or not — she kind of talks about how for her this love is more important to her than safety. Because safety really is an illusion anyway, right? And so, what do we have? If we don’t have that, then what do we have? And that is love.” As their relationship serves as both a refuge and a source of conflict, “Hawk From a Handsaw” deepens this tension, hinting at events that could alter their dynamic and push both characters to their limits.

0:57 Related “I Don’t Have Any Regrets”: ‘The Acolyte’s Jodie Turner-Smith Would Come Back for More Despite Backlash & Cancellation “I loved being in that universe…”

But as it goes, Turner-Smith’s Samia is not only a central figure in The Agency but one that helps break narrative boundaries in the high-stakes world of espionage thrillers. Speaking about the significance of her role, Turner-Smith highlights the rarity of a character like Samia in a Western series, especially when it comes to being a Black woman from a conflicted part of the world who is also very educated. “I’ve never seen a particular character like this, and I think that is also very interesting. She is also from a region that I think is very relevant for us to look towards and look toward what’s happening.”

The Agency streams Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime.

Watch on Paramount+

The Agency is a 2024 espionage thriller following covert CIA agent Martian, who is recalled to London Station, disrupting his undercover life. As a former romance rekindles, Martian’s career and true identity are jeopardized, leading him into a high-stakes world of international intrigue and deception.Release Date November 29, 2024 Cast Jeffrey Wright , Michael Fassbender , Jodie Turner-Smith , Saura Lightfoot Leon , Katherine Waterston , John Magaro , Alex Reznik , Harriet Sansom Harris , India Fowler , Reza Brojerdi , Richard Gere Main Genre Drama Seasons 1 Producers Bob Yari , David Glasser , David Hutkin , George Clooney , Grant Heslov , Jez Butterworth , Michael Fassbender , Ron Burkle , Pascal Breton , John-Henry Butterworth , Nina L. Diaz , Grant Heslov Network Paramount+ with Showtime Directors Joe Wright Expand