Transforming into Sunny: Joanna Sotomura’s Journey as the Cheerful Robot
Joanna Sotomura embodies Sunny in the eponymous Apple TV and A24 series, which was based on the Irish novel The Dark Manual by Colin O’Sullivan. Sunny combines touching moments with exciting adventures, highlighting the connection between humans and machines. The series stars renowned actors such as Rashida Jones, Judy Ongg, and Hidetoshi Nishijima, enhancing its compelling narrative.
Over Zoom, Joanna Sotomura sat down with EnVi on her perspectives, obstacles, and the process involved in transforming into the three-foot-tall robot.
Heart Stolen by Sunny
When reading through the script during her audition, Joanna admitted that she fell in love with Sunny at first read. “I got the first five episodes and couldn’t stop reading them. It was like when you put a blanket over your head with a flashlight and stay up all night. That was me with those scripts.” This instant connection with the story and characters fueled her excitement and passion for the role, making the experience even more special. “I think one of the things that drew me to the scripts was because I saw so much of myself in Sunny.”
The series follows a woman called Suzie who receives Sunny, a domestic robot, after her husband and son mysteriously disappear. Initially resistant to Sunny’s attempts to fill the void in her life, Suzie gradually forms an unexpected bond with the robot. Together, they navigate loss, friendship, and personal growth in a heartfelt and intriguing narrative.
Joanna expressed her deep affection for the relationship between Sunny and Suzie. Upon receiving the remaining script before securing the role, she fervently hoped to portray the character, feeling a profound personal connection and confidence in her ability to do justice to the role. Coincidentally, Joanna, who had a white top in the interview, mirrors Sunny’s minimalist design, which also sports a sleek white appearance.
After viewing the initial episodes, Joanna found herself speechless. With two years having passed since filming wrapped up, she had forgotten numerous details and was eager to see how everything would come together. “Watching the episodes unfold was a wonderful experience, filled with a mix of shock, joy, and fear in the best possible ways,” she enthusiastically shared.
Empathetic Android
For Joanna Sotomura, finding and capturing Sunny’s essence were both enjoyable and effortless, attributing this to the exceptional craft by Katie Robbins, the show’s writer. According to Joanna, “Katie Robbins had created such a wonderful show and fantastic scripts that I was just like, I didn’t have to improv anything, I just need to do service to this and I’m set.”
She also infused Sunny’s voice with elements of her own energy and personality, describing the process as adjusting her pitch and brightness to match the character’s vibrant nature. Joanna found this exploration of Sunny’s character to be a delightful experience in bringing her to life.
When asked how Joanna managed to portray her grief as Sunny, she shared that, like Sunny, she had no personal experience with motherhood. “But now, seeing her relationship with Sunny, it’s just more colorful, I think, now being a mother to watch those episodes back,” Joanna remarked, placing a hand on her heart. She explained that she fully understood Suzie’s despair in the first episode, where Suzie is shown dealing with a significant loss.
Lights, Camera, Robot!
Diving into the filming process, Joanna described the use of innovative technology that involved the real three-foot-tall Sunny on set. At first, she would perform scenes as herself, before transitioning to wearing a specialized helmet equipped with a ring light, camera, and monitor. This setup meticulously tracked her head and facial movements, ensuring that Sunny’s expressions mirrored Joanna’s emotions in real-time. Whether conveying sadness or joy, Joanna’s subtle gestures and voice brought Sunny to life off-camera, shaping her character’s movements with precision.
On set, Joanna collaborated closely with two puppeteers who mirrored her hand movements and blocking to enhance Sunny’s realism. One of the unique challenges Joanna faced was mastering Sunny’s expressive performance without blinking, a necessity given Sunny’s large, emotive eyes. Joanna likened blinking to disrupting Sunny’s communication. “Every time I blinked, it was almost like Morse code, it was just so flashy.” Despite these challenges, Joanna expressed satisfaction in overcoming them, and was happy to have contributed in creating the character’s dynamic.
As Sunny, Joanna aimed to bring as much life as possible to the character in between takes. “Sunny was so well-designed that after the director called ‘cut,’ many people on set would go up to her, pat her head, make faces at her, or whisper in her ear.” Joanna explained. “They found it delightful to give the robot its own little life when they weren’t filming. It was a really fun experience.”
On Set Dynamics
Despite having to wear a helmet as a non-human character, Joanna finds joy in working alongside Rashida Jones, Judy Ongg, and Hidetoshi Nishijima. She described Rashida Jones as a powerhouse and an inspiration. “She [Rashida Jones] was a wonderful, wonderful leader on set.” Joanna also admitted that she learned a lot from Rashida and everyone else involved, making the experience as a three-foot-tall robot actor both surreal and wonderful.
The character starts as a fresh-out-of-the-box robot and, through her relationship with Suzie, she begins to develop a deeper understanding of human emotions and responses, gradually becoming more empathetic and emotionally aware. It is a fun journey that Joanna is excited for audiences to watch.
Keep up with Joanna Sotomura on her Instagram and watch Sunny on Apple TV!
Interested in more ACT!ON content about actors? Check out our interview with Yuyu Kitamura here!
