With the first three episode of Prime Video sci-fi series The Power now available to stream, Toni Collette has spoken exclusively with RadioTimes.com about the scene she felt "nervous" to film.

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The series, based on the 2016 novel by Naomi Alderton, is set in a world where suddenly, without warning, all teenage girls develop the power to electrocute people at will.

In a key scene, Collette's character Margot Cleary-Lopez, the mayor of Seattle, gives a risky but powerful speech, becoming one of the only politicians to tell the public the truth about the girls' new power.

Collette said of filming the scene: "We're working with really incredible material. I was actually a little bit nervous about that [scene], because it is an absolute pivot for the character and for the story.

"Because everyone's trying to suppress this truth, this new evolution – it's a serious change that's affecting people, young females specifically, all around the world, with a knock-on effect of affecting everybody, society at large. And nobody is telling the truth about it."

The Cleary-Lopez family in The Power.
The Cleary-Lopez family in The Power. Prime Video/Amazon Studios

Collette continued: "I just find that moment very telling about my character, because she has so many responsibilities - she's a mum and she's married to this beautiful man and she's the mayor of a city. And she's suddenly thrust into this position of realising she's the only one.

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"You know, that moment of like, 'Oh my god, I'm the one who has to step up and say this, I'm actually the truth teller here'. And it's a big decision because you kind of have to let go of life as it was.

"I think the line is, life may not be - I can't remember what it is. I'm not gonna try and paraphrase the wonderful writing, but it'll never be the same. Basically, life will never be the same. So I did enjoy doing it and I was a little bit nervous about it as well."

Alongside Collette the series also stars John Leguizamo, Auli’i Cravalho, Toheeb Jimoh, Eddie Marsan and many more.

Leguizamo also spoke with RadioTimes.com alongside Collette, and said the story of the series was "so powerful, so much of our time, like nothing I've ever read or seen before".

The Power episodes 1 to 3 are available to stream on Prime Video now with new episodes dropping weekly – sign up for a 30-day free Prime Video trial and pay £8.99 a month after that.

Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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