Upload Season 3 Interview: Jeanine Mason & Zainab Johnson On Their Romance And Attraction To Horizen

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Upload season 3.After introducing a backup version of Nathan, the love triangle in Upload shifted to a love square. However, Nora, Ingrid, and the Nathans weren’t the only characters with a romantic plotline. The third season hones in on Aleesha’s personal life and the relationship she forms with Horizen executive, Karina, who is introduced in “Download Doctor.” But despite the clear chemistry and affection they have for one another, their differing allegiances threaten to drive a wedge between them.

Zainab Johnson has played Aleesha since the show’s debut, with Jeanine Mason taking on the role of Karina during season 3. Johnson has previously been featured in series such as Tab Time, Ramy, and Private Practice. Meanwhile, Mason is known for leading the cast of The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico. Upload also stars Robbie Amell as Nathan, Andy Allo as Nora, Kevin Bigley as Luke, Allegra Edwards as Ingrid, and Owen Daniels as A.I. Guy.

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Upload Season 3 Ending Explained

The finale of Upload season 3 was packed with surprises and a couple of twists, setting up more conflicts for Nathan, Nora, and Ingrid.

Screen Rant interviewed Jeanine Mason and Zainab Johnson about the relationship that forms between their characters and how Upload reimagines the present day.

Jeanine Mason & Zainab Johnson Talk Upload

Screen Rant: What do you each feel stuck out about this season in particular and added to this world and the ongoing story?

Zainab Johnson: What I love about the opportunity to continue in the world of Upload, and I think season 3 does that, is that we just get to sort of give a reimagining of some of the things that we are experiencing right now. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is approaching, and we have a day like that in season 3, and we talk about how it’s mostly about consumerism. There’s this scene where Aleesha is trying to cook for her family, but she’s not really cooking. Everything is technologically advanced. I love moments where we just give a little bit of a “what if?” If this were available today or even five years from now, would you partake in it? Would you bring it into your house? I love that Upload proposes that.

Jeanine Mason: I’m 100% with you. Seeing stuff on the page to seeing it on the screen is always so delightful. The scene that surprised me was Ingrid in the prancing pony class. She has her VR on, and she’s so excited about being IRL. A chill ran down my spine. We have to be in conversation about this because we have to understand where we want to go. What of it do we want to be helpful, and what of it do we need to protect?

Jeanine, as a fan of Roswell, New Mexico, I was so excited to see your character introduced. Were you a fan of Upload prior to joining the show?

Jeanine Mason: I was a fan of Upload. My whole family is, so they were jazzed about this job, as was I. I was so excited to work with Greg. The writing is so good. It’s just delicious. There were lines where I had so much fun. I was thinking about this line, Zainab, that I said to you where I was like, “You don’t want this bangin’ bod blown to bits, do you?” I had so much fun with that line. It’s just the best. I had the best time.

Zainab Johnson: That’s a testament to you, Jeanine, because that’s kind of like a line like, “I’ll be back.” That’s a line that can seem very comic book. The way that you and all of us are able to ground some of these really absurd things is fun but also really wonderful.

Jeanine Mason: 100% with you. It was so fun. It’s really cool to see how you guys handle this material. The writing is incredible, but the performances just ground it in such a delightful show. I think it’s the reason people are just so attached to it—the performances you guys bring. It was fun to try to contribute and make my little wheel in the machine super shiny.

Aleesha and Karina have an immediate connection right off the bat. What do you feel initially drew them to one another?

Zainab Johnson: Beyond Aleesha and Karina being beautiful women, I think that in this world, Karina saw that Aleesha was new, but also not the same type as everybody else. That can be attractive. She’s the odd woman out. For Aleesha, Karina is kind of aspirational—or so she thought. She has this confidence, she’s in this petite package, but she knows what she wants, and she comes to her directly. With their first meeting, Aleesha needed some distraction from Lucy. She needed to be somewhere other than wherever Lucy was. Karina provided that and provided it in a very spicy way. I think the attraction builds from there.

Jeanine, Karina is such an interesting character. She’s had her good moments, but she’s also willing to do some pretty immoral things for Horizen. What was getting into her head like, and who do you feel this character really is at heart?

Jeanine Mason: Thank you. I’m hoping I did my job. It sounds like maybe I got close at least. Anytime you talk to an actor about a villain, you have to justify why they are the way they are. For me, it was this woman of color, which I think is part of the reason why these characters are attracted to each other. They’re coming up in a world that’s not built for them and not built to service them and their ambitions and their success. I think that was the beginning of her getting to a place where she was a big baddie.

Like, “I’m going to have to be tough, and I’m going to have to be cutthroat in order to make it in this world.” I used that as an entry point. She had to be armored up to make it in this world. And then it just clearly evolved into something beyond her actually being able to contain it. It was really fun to allow the seeds of it to be something which we can maybe forgive, and then it just gets so bad, which is just delicious to play with.

Zainab Johnson: I think Karina’s character really helps, in a really subtle way, show how Aleesha’s character is evolving. In the first season, Aleesha really tried to detach herself from the world of Lakeview. She tried to think of these Uploads as just Uploads. I think that she has such a strong attraction and love for Karina’s world. Karina’s world comes with perks that Aleesha is not used to. She loves that world, but when it poses a threat to the upload world, Aleesha has an alliance to those she cares about. I think that that’s very subtle growth. It’s evident, but we don’t have to say it.

Jeanine Mason: That was the most exciting thing for me to step into. This is Aleesha’s story, and what is it that Karina is poking for her? Suddenly, it’s something that you’re curious about and that we all are. We all would be like, “That seems fun and shiny and exciting.” She’s testing her morality and her moral center in the end. I’m a fan of the show, so I root for Aleesha. It was fun to see you weighing it out, Zainab. I love how long we pulled that cat and mouse thing because it really allows you to see Aleesha doing her back and forth.

About Upload Season 3

Upload is a sci-fi comedy series from Emmy-winning writer Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill), set in a technologically advanced future where holographic phones, self-driving vehicles, AI assistance, and 3D food printers are the norm. And, forget about dying – instead, you’ll be “uploaded” to a virtual reality afterlife, and enjoy all the comforts of a world-class resort. Provided you can afford it.

In Upload Season Three, we pick back up with Nora and freshly downloaded Nathan as they navigate their relationship while racing to stop the mysterious conspiracy that threatens to destroy millions of lives. Can they shut down Freeyond, and finally have a real life together? Or is it just a matter of time until Nathan’s head explodes? Meanwhile, in Lakeview, a backup copy of Nathan has been activated and Ingrid’s not about to let this second chance at love slip away. Back in the real world, Aleesha rises through the ranks of Horizen by managing AI education, and falls into a new romantic relationship. And Luke, all alone in Lakeview, is forced to come up with the funds to pay for his stay in paradise, driving him to work in The Grey Zone.

Check out our other interviews with the Upload season 3 cast and crew:

• Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, & Allegra Edwards
• Executive Producer/Director Jeff Blitz
• Director Tom Marshall
• Director Dave Rogers
• Director Alberto Belli
• Director Sarah Boyd
• Production Designer Rachel O’Toole