‘Why would we cast a Russian actor?’: Suzie Miller didn’t want Jodie Comer for the role of Tessa in ‘Prima Facie’

Killing Eve star Jodie Comer is currently killing it on Broadway in Suzie Miller’s one-woman show Prima Facie. However, Miller initially refused to consider the actress for the role, believing Comer was Russian based on her deft performance in Killing Eve.

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Miller admitted to her mistake, saying Comer was so convincing as a Russian assassin on the hit show that she immediately dismissed her for the lead in Prima Facie, a story about a British criminal defense barrister whose view of the law is upended after she’s sexually assaulted. The playwright explained:

“When [Comer’s] name was brought up, I said, ‘Oh, no, no. She’s great, but no. Not her.’ And the director said to me, ‘Can I just ask why not Jodie Comer?’ And I said, ‘Well, she’s Russian. Why would we cast a Russian actor in … a British story?’ They went, ‘She’s not Russian. … She’s British. She’s from Liverpool. ‘ So [Jodi] and I laugh about that quite often.”

That’s right, Comer was so successful in Killing Eve that she almost lost out on her first onstage role. That would have been a tragedy, considering Comer has been honored for Prima Facie twice over: first with the prestigious Best Actress Olivier Award and now a nomination for the Best Actress Tony Award.

Comer herself seems stunned by the response to the play, noting that everyone behind the production was “really taken aback” by the impact that Miller’s writing and her performance has on audiences. However, she was clued in early on, explaining that at the first preview in London, she could hear crying from the audience. “[L]ike very audible and quite loud and unashamed and very guttural.”

According to Comer, she feeds off the audience’s energy, which is something that can’t happen when shooting scenes for film and TV. “It’s really transactional, in a sense,” she said. “You are giving, but you are also receiving.” And according to the in-theater footage supplied by CBS, she’s also receiving more than her share of standing ovations. Not bad for her first time on Broadway.