Josh Hartnett Confirms His New Netflix Thriller Is Unlike Anything Else on TV

• Collider's Perri Nemiroff chats with the team behind Netflix's series Below at TIFF 2026.
• Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, showrunner Jesse McKeown, and producer Jessica Rhoades discuss the real-life inspiration behind the series and the world-building and characters.
• Rhoades also shares an exciting tease for Black Mirror Season 8.

The Toronto International Film Festival not only highlights upcoming feature films, but it also spotlights cinematic television on the horizon. Such is the case with creator, showrunner, and executive producer Jesse McKeown’s (The Umbrella Academy) star-studded mystery series Below with Netflix.

Set in a coastal village in Newfoundland, Calvin Penney’s (Josh Hartnett) family is reuniting under strained circumstances. Tensions are rising in the close-knit town as a vote on a government initiative looms overhead, dividing the community between tradition and opportunity. But as missing tourists and other strange occurrences take precedence, Calvin enlists the help of marine biologist Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) to uncover something monstrous lurking beneath the sea. Below also stars Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) as Wade, Ruby Stokes (The Burning Girls) as Mary, and Rohan Campbell (Halloween Ends) as Jay.

At the Collider Media Studio, presented by Campari and The Cayman Islands, Perri Nemiroff sits down with stars Hartnett, Heaton, and Davis, showrunner and creator McKeown, and executive producer Jessica Rhoades to discuss the new Netflix series. In this interview, they dive into the real-life inspiration behind this unbelievable mystery, McKeown’s world-building, how the stars bonded and created their family dynamics, their greatest strengths and weaknesses, and Rhoades shares a brief update for Black Mirror Season 8.

As far as what fans can expect from McKeown's original series, who better suited to weigh in on imaginative sci-fi and thrillers than the executive producer of Black Mirror? When asked what about Below sparked her interest, Rhoades explained:

"It's all about Jesse's voice and all about the words on the page and the characters that he pulled me into... When you're setting a world that sits a little bit above ours, and you're going to tell stories that lean into mystery or the possible supernatural, or any of those things, the more you can feel grounded in this world so that the characters feel real, you feel like you know this place, even though you've never been to Newfoundland.

Newfoundland itself is a new idea, but all of a sudden I feel it. I feel these characters, their richness. So now when they are experiencing something that's out of the ordinary, I know that mystery the character’s leaning into, and as an audience, I feel like I lean into it."

Don't miss the full interview in the video above, with time codes provided below!

• 00:35 - What Is Netflix’s Below About?
• 01:31 - Jesse McKeown Shares the Real-Life Inspiration Behind the Series and Its Mystery
• 03:20 - How McKeown’s Writing and Worldbuilding Drew Jessica Rhoades to the Series
• 04:43 - Josh Hartnett, Charlie Heaton, and Mackenzie Davis Reveal Their Characters’ Greatest Strengths and Weaknesses
• 07:40 - How Davis’s Scientist Character Approaches the Unexplained
• 08:43 - Mastering the Newfoundland Accent and Creating a Family Dialect
• 12:17 - Hartnett on Why Newfoundland Became an Essential Part of the Series
• 12:57 - The Cast and Crew Share Memorable Moments and Standout Performances
• 14:17 - How Willow Kean’s Casting Became a Heartwarming Newfoundland Story
• 15:48 - Hartnett Reflects on the Incredible Newfoundland Talent He Worked With
• 17:11 - Newfoundland’s Artistic Community Should Inspire More Than One Series
• 18:52 - Jessica Rhoades Teases Black Mirror Season 8

Below premieres on Netflix on October 8.

Cast

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  Calvin Penney

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  Fonda Howander

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  Wade Penney

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  Rohan Campbell

  Jay Penney