After featuring prominently in two of the most memorable scenes in the early episodes of American Gods, the love goddess known is Bilquis has yet to have an impact in the new Starz series.
That is, until last night’s finale.
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Yetide Badaki’s character finally took a major step toward having a huge impact on the overall narrative, with the character finally journeying toward House on the Rock at the behest of Technical Boy.
But the episode also featured her character in one of the most memorable “Coming to America” sequences so far, showing Bilquis’ peak as a temple goddess to her low as a beggar on the street.
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“They’re all so much fun,” Badaki said in discussion with PopCulture.com. “Each has a completely different look, a completely different feel, adding to yet another layer of all of what makes Bilquis.”
While scenes showed the character leading an orgy in a temple and dominating the dance floor in a disco, Badaki said her favorite scene to shoot almost resulted in her being kicked off the production.
“It was interesting to play the down on her luck Bilquis because I actually almost didn’t get allowed back on set,” Badaki said. “I had gone to craft foods just around the corner. And I came back and security wouldn’t let me on because, you know, I look a little rough. [laughs] So I was actually going to just move right on because I said, well I guess I’m not getting in here, until one of the PAs were like, ‘no no no no, we need her for this scene!’”
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Badaki said that even when she read the script, that scene resonated with her as an immigrant from Nigeria.
“It felt so poignant,” Badaki said. “It felt so much a part of that experience, of that immigration experience. Some people don’t even realize that within that, there can sometimes be a lot of pain and a lot of guilt. The description, the way that Michael Green and Bryan [Fuller] had written that scene – and it was all description but it was painted so beautifully, it was painted so specifically – that as soon as I read it, I recognized it. I couldn’t wait to jump in and play with it. Michael and Bryan, as in so many moments throughout the show, really seemed to be able to capture that whole journey, that whole experience; what it is to be an immigrant.”
American Gods just wrapped up its first season, with Season 2 already greenlit by Starz.
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