Juliane Nicholson & Thomas Doherty Talk 'Paradise' Season 2

Summary

Podcast Summary
All Of It with Alison Stewart
Episode: Juliane Nicholson & Thomas Doherty Talk 'Paradise' Season 2
Date: August 3, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, host Alison Stewart sits down with actors Julianne Nicholson and Thomas Doherty, stars of Hulu’s Emmy-nominated series "Paradise"—a genre-blending show that shifts from political thriller to sci-fi mystery to post-apocalyptic survival drama. The conversation delves into the show's intricate world-building, the evolving dynamics in season two, character motivations, and the deeply personal arcs shaping both actors' performances. They also engage with a passionate fan caller to discuss theories and share insights into their craft.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

World-Building in "Paradise"

• Attention to Detail in the Bunker
  • Julianne Nicholson describes the thoroughness of the underground city's design, noting, “We got a bible actually in the beginning…all the details of the place. So in terms of, you know, the restaurants that were there, the hair salons that were there… It was the specificity of it that I loved.” (01:17)
• Above Ground Survival
  • Thomas Doherty reflects on his role as Link, who must survive outside the bunker: “When you're talking about apocalypse, you're talking about the end of the world. People definitely kind of defer back to their most primitive survival instincts…there's a lot of violence and there's a lot of death.” (02:12)

Character Motivations & Relationships

• Sinatra/Samantha’s Leadership
  • On keeping people in the bunker, Julianne explains: “If people understand that there are survivors, then…one or two people out of 25,000 are going to go, want to find people, and there is no room for another person in our bunker…any outside influence is a nightmare. It's all done. It's bad. It's bad.” (02:54)
  • She emphasizes her character’s focus on community and control: “Anything that diverges from her plan is cause for major concern.” (03:31)
• Link’s Survival and Defense Mechanisms
  • Regarding Link’s unpredictable personality: “I think it's a defense mechanism, honestly…Surviving is not just making sure you have fresh water and food and somewhere to sleep. It's also the emotional toll that it takes on you.” (04:01)
  • Comic relief about Link’s look: “Well, the beard makes me look like a leader.”—Thomas Doherty (09:44)
  • “A beard makes you look like Charles Manson.”—Julianne Nicholson (09:46)

Evolving Dynamics and Emotional Arcs

• Sinatra's Vulnerability After Trauma
  • Julianne on her character’s shift post-gunshot wound: “She thought…if you had enough money, if you had enough power, that you would be able to control the outcome of everything…She realizes she can't control everything. And I think that's humbling.” (05:33)
• Motherhood as a Defining Force
  • Reflecting on why Sinatra is so driven: “It all does stem from the loss of her son. And that's the impetus behind everything she does. She never recovers, and it's in the forefront of her mind every day.” (06:51)
  • Alison Stewart notes the blurred line between villainy and motherhood in Sinatra: “People might think she's a villain, but this season you're sort of like, is she? She is, but she isn't. Like she could kill the President.” (06:35)

Thematic Exploration: Good, Evil, and Perspective

• Villains and Moral Complexity
  • When asked if there’s a villain, Thomas responds: “Yeah. She's sitting beside me.” (08:02)
  • He expands, “Do people who do evil things know that they're doing evil things, or do they think that they're doing the right thing?…All that really does is breed compassion.” (08:06)
  • Julianne confirms Sinatra’s conviction: “She thinks she’s doing the right thing. Yeah. Greater good.” (09:08)

Central Mysteries, Time Loops, and Parentage

• Link’s Anomaly and Perception of Time
  • On Link’s confusing relationship with time and pop culture:
    Thomas: “Link doesn't really know. […] He's highly, highly intelligent. Obviously, we're aware of his relationship with Professor. All will be revealed. But I do. For me, playing Link, nothing is impossible with what we're dealing with.” (10:07)
• Sinatra’s Belief in Link’s Identity
  • On a crucial reveal: “In the most recent episode, we learned that Link's name is actually Dylan, and that's the same name as your son's character. And they share a birthday…Does Sinatra believe Link is her son?” (11:12)
  • Julianne: “I think she really does. And whether she thinks that's, like, a factual thing or…I think there’s—she does believe it, and it gives her peace and hope and…a level of relief and release that she's been holding so tightly for, you know, almost 20 years.” (11:28)
  • Both actors admit even they aren't fully sure of the "truth" behind their characters, alluding to quantum mechanics and multiverse theories fueling speculation (13:07, 13:25).

Fan Interaction & Theories

• Caller Sophie’s Question on Actor Preparation
  • Sophie: Did the possibility that Link could be Sinatra’s son influence your performance?
  • Julianne: “For me, I had the information, but you just have to actually kind of put it out of your mind and take the scenes as they come…And then there's a real shift when she hears his name, when she finds out his birth date.” (15:12)
  • Thomas: “For me…my turnaround [from casting to filming] was so quick… I think that's a beneficial thing not to really know because then you play the truth.” (15:49)

Acting in Sci-fi: Making the Unreal Real

• Immersion and Authenticity
  • Julianne: “You just have to believe. There’s really no other way. For me anyway.” (16:43)
  • Thomas: “Dan Fogelman and his whole team, the set designers…the lighting…Nothing’s really left to the imagination. So you can really just throw yourself in and immerse...Working with Julianne Nicholson and Sterling K. Brown and Shailene Woodley…they're so present and they'll just bring a performance out of you.” (16:53)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We got a bible actually in the beginning…all the details of the place.”—Julianne Nicholson [01:17]
• “People definitely kind of defer back to their most primitive survival instincts…there’s a lot of violence and there’s a lot of death.”—Thomas Doherty [02:12]
• “Anything that diverges from her plan is cause for major concern.”—Julianne Nicholson [03:31]
• “I think she's doing the right thing. Yeah. Greater good.” —Julianne Nicholson [09:08]
• “A beard makes you look like Charles Manson.” —Julianne Nicholson [09:46]
• “All that really does is breed compassion.” —Thomas Doherty [08:06]
• “It all does stem from the loss of her son. That's the impetus behind everything she does." —Julianne Nicholson [06:51]
• “You just have to believe. There’s really no other way.”—Julianne Nicholson [16:43]

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Important Timestamps

• 01:17 – Nicholson on world-building and the “bible” of Paradise.
• 02:12 – Doherty on survival above ground and character psychology.
• 05:33 – Sinatra’s vulnerability and evolving character arc.
• 06:51 – The importance of motherhood for Sinatra.
• 08:02–08:06 – The villain question: perspective and compassion.
• 09:08 – Nicholson on Sinatra’s moral certainty.
• 11:28 – Nicholson on Sinatra’s belief about Link’s identity.
• 13:07/13:25 – Actors’ confusion about time loops and character reality.
• 15:12 – How revelations informed the actors’ performances.
• 16:43 – The art of making sci-fi feel authentic on set.

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Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is thoughtful, witty, and candid, mirroring the show's own strengths: complex morality, ambiguous reality, and rich emotional depth. Both actors share a genuine enthusiasm for fan theories and embrace ambiguity, revealing the joys and challenges of inhabiting such intricate roles. Stewart’s questions draw out both insightful commentary and playful banter, making the episode both deeply informative for series fans and inviting for newcomers.

Transcript

[Thomas Dougherty]

Foreign.

[Allison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Paradise is a twisty political thriller turned sci fi cover up drama turned post apocalyptic survival adventure. The show finished its second season which recently earned seven Emmy nominations, including an outstanding supporting actress nomination for Julianne Nicholson. Nicholson plays Samantha Redmond, AKA Sinatra, the de facto leader of the underground bunker that has hosted the first season of the show. In the second season, we saw the world above and met its survivors, including Link, played by Thomas Dougherty. Link is a leader himself who spearheaded a mission across the country to the Colorado bunker with the goal of killing one of the series most mysterious characters. Dougherty and Nicholson. Join me in studio to discuss the new season and listeners, you'll hear some fans calling in to share their appreciation. But because this is an all of it encore presentation, we won't be able to take your calls. Today. I kicked off the conversation by asking Julianne what struck her about the way the underground city slash bunker was constructed.

[Julianne Nicholson]

I. I think it's the attention to detail in In Paradise. I mean, they thought about everything. You know, we got a bible actually in the beginning. I mean, not an actual bible, but there was like what we called a bible, which they sent via email, which was just all the details of the place. So in terms of, you know, the restaurants that were there, the hair salons that were there, like, you know, top to bottom, it was the specificity of it that I loved.

[Allison Stewart]

The other major piece of world building that happens this season is the above ground. And you think about Link having to survive above ground. What did he have to do to survive?

[Thomas Dougherty]

Yeah, I mean, the turnaround for me to film was from cast being cast to doing it was really quick. So I had to like, really. I mean, I got my hands on this Bible, which didn't really serve me.

[Julianne Nicholson]

Not outside.

[Caller Sophie]

Right.

[Thomas Dougherty]

But I mean, yeah, I think when you're talking about apocalypse, you're talking about the end of the world. People definitely kind of defer back to their most primitive survival instincts, you know, so I think a lot of unsavory characteristics will generally come to the forefront. Sure. So there's definitely. Yeah, I mean, people are out for themselves and everyone else is a threat. So there's a lot of violence and there's a lot of death and there's a lot of. And so you can see why he wants to get into the bunker so badly.

[Allison Stewart]

Sinatra, your character, has kept people underground and in the dark about the fact that there might be survivors in the outside world. Why? What does she gain by Keeping people underground.

[Julianne Nicholson]

I think it's too dangerous. You know, if people understand that there are survivors, then they will probably, you know, at least one or two people out of 25,000 are going to go, want to find people, and there is no room for another person in our bunker. It has been planned to sustain life for this amount of people, including thinking about, like, births and deaths. Like, it's all been factored in. And so any outside influence is a bad. A nightmare. It's all done. It's bad. It's bad.

[Allison Stewart]

Do you think she has a personal aspect of wanting to keep people down there

[Julianne Nicholson]

creepy? I think it really is about just protecting her family and protecting this community. And I think that anything. She's such a control freak and anything that diverges from her plan is cause for major concern.

[Allison Stewart]

Link can really swing big. He can go from being completely charming to being menacing in one scene. Why do you think he's so difficult to read?

[Thomas Dougherty]

I think it's a defense mechanism, honestly. I think. And I think that's why in the first episode of season two, with the interaction with Annie, it's so poignant and so beautiful because we're seeing this young man who's been two and a half, three years on his own, really having to survive, coming up against not just the elements. I mean, again, and see the first episode, you see kind of what transpires with all that, but with people, you know, and so you build up this wall, you build up this defense mechanism, these barriers, these boundaries to survive. You know, surviving is not just making sure you have fresh water and food and somewhere to sleep. It's also the emotional toll that it takes on. On you, which I imagined. You know, I'm not actually experienced that. Yeah. Who knows with what's going on.

[Allison Stewart]

Your beard does a lot of work

[Julianne Nicholson]

for you, though, I was going to say. Yeah. It starts with the beard.

[Allison Stewart]

Starts with the beard.

[Thomas Dougherty]

I'm actually not very good. Yeah. And that's how I was. I auditioned as well as.

[Allison Stewart]

Oh, really?

[Thomas Dougherty]

That's how it was described. Burly man. And I called my team and I was like, guys, come on, barley. Really? But I got enough barley in here.

[Caller Sophie]

Yeah.

[Allison Stewart]

I'm speaking to actors Julianne Nicholson and Thomas Dougherty. They star in season two of the Hulu series Paradise. Julianne, your character spends time recovering from this gunshot wound. She's determined, but something has kind of changed in her a little bit. What do you think has changed?

[Julianne Nicholson]

I think where we find her in season two, you know, she's been. It's the Most vulnerable we've ever seen her and her world has been rocked. She thought always that if you had enough money, if you had enough power, that you would be able to control the outcome of everything around you. And she has been disavowed of that belief. And so I think we find her just. I mean, I said to somebody else about, we have her with like, her edges are a little bit softer and they're like, yeah. But she still has the president killed. So I mean it's like sort of a tomato, tomato. But I feel like she is definitely a bit softer this year. I mean, she realizes that she can't control everything. And I think that's humbling.

[Allison Stewart]

I'm interested in her as a mom, you know, because it's. What she does in a crisis is to create this entire bunker in part for her family, you know, who she then ignores. She does, but she's gotta figure it out. But it's about her being a mom is a big part of it for me.

[Julianne Nicholson]

I don't know.

[Allison Stewart]

Cause I'm a mom. I feel that way. You know, people might think she's a villain, but this season you're sort of like, is she? She is, but she isn't. Like she could kill the President.

[Julianne Nicholson]

But that's my view about her. Exactly. There is. Yeah.

[Allison Stewart]

What is it about her role as a mom?

[Julianne Nicholson]

It's a huge part of her, of who she is, where she comes from. Because it all does stem from the loss of her son. And that's the impetus behind everything she does because she doesn't want to ever suffer a loss like that again. She never recovers and it's in the forefront of her mind every day, which she, I think says in episode seven. And yeah, we don't get to see her in her day to day with her family life. We only see her usually in, you know, in the, in the bunker or in the office like. And sadly they, they get, I wouldn't say neglected. But her, her attention is definitely on the. Is more macro than micro at the minute. But I feel like in the last episode especially you see her in seven and eight, you see her coming back to her family a little bit and you see what that, you know, the thing that's most important to her.

[Thomas Dougherty]

That was an amazing scene that's so easy to do wrong.

[Julianne Nicholson]

What scene?

[Thomas Dougherty]

The scene where you come back to your husband and the way that you do it is so beautiful, honestly. Yeah, It's a hard scene to do

[Allison Stewart]

it when you're thinking about this show. Thomas, is there a Villain on this show for sure.

[Thomas Dougherty]

Yeah. She's sitting beside me.

[Julianne Nicholson]

Watch your words, young man.

[Thomas Dougherty]

And it is. I mean, it's one of those things, and it definitely makes you reflect on your own life and all your already preconceived notions of who people are and what they stand for and being so kind of intimate with the Sinatra storyline to Link's character, definitely a villain. But when you're doing character work and you're trying to understand these connections, you understand, you know, you see, and it's. That goes back to that whole question is, do people who do evil things know that they're doing evil things, or do they think that they're doing the right thing? And so it's a great position as an actor to be. To be forced into a very objective position to see all these different characters and how they work and what their objectives are to then kind of put into your own life. And I think all that really does is breed compassion. I think. I think that's what it will eventually come down to. The answer.

[Allison Stewart]

Does your character think she's doing the right thing?

[Julianne Nicholson]

Yes, 100%. She thinks she's doing the right thing. Yeah. Greater good.

[Allison Stewart]

All right, this is the big spoiler alert.

[Thomas Dougherty]

Yeah. Turn your radios off. No, don't turn them off.

[Julianne Nicholson]

They're louder. All right.

[Allison Stewart]

Link has a tricky relationship with time, let's put it that way. Annie asks him how old he is, and he says he's about 25. Let's listen.

[Julianne Nicholson]

You're 25? Wow.

[Thomas Dougherty]

I mean, it's been a rough few years. It's not easy to maintain a skincare routine.

[Julianne Nicholson]

No, I think it's just the beard.

[Thomas Dougherty]

Well, the beard makes me look like a leader.

[Julianne Nicholson]

A beard makes you look like Charles Manson.

[Allison Stewart]

He has a weird knowledge of pop culture. Certain things he knows, certain things he doesn't know. As you play this character, are you trying to hide from us as a viewer that there's something going on with him about time, or does Link not really know?

[Thomas Dougherty]

Link doesn't really know. Link doesn't really know. I can't say. This is so hard. Well, I can't say that either. He's highly, highly intelligent. Obviously, we're aware of his relationship with Professor. All will be revealed. But I do. For me, playing Link, nothing is impossible with what we're dealing with. Alex. Who is Alex?

[Julianne Nicholson]

Nice.

[Allison Stewart]

In the third episode, there's a flashback where Sinatra is speaking to a scientist about how to save the world, and he says, billionaires are amazing. You think that your money gives you superpowers. There's only one thing that can fix this, and it's the one thing you can't buy time. How does Sinatra react to that?

[Julianne Nicholson]

I think she will never take no for an answer. So however she has to go about solving a problem, she's gonna figure out.

[Allison Stewart]

In the most recent episode, we learned that Link's name is actually Dylan, and that's the same name as your son's character. And they share a birthday. Later on, Sinatra says to her husband, it worked. Does Sinatra believe Link is her son?

[Julianne Nicholson]

I think she really does. And whether she thinks that's, like, a factual thing or, you know, I think there's. She does believe it, and it gives her peace and hope and.

[Caller Sophie]

Yeah.

[Julianne Nicholson]

A level of relief and release that she's been holding so tightly for, you know, almost 20 years. It's.

[Caller Sophie]

Yeah.

[Allison Stewart]

Link doesn't necessarily recognize Sinatra, even though she might be his mother, but he does tell her that she's the Darth Vader to his Luke. So fill in the box.

[Julianne Nicholson]

Love that also.

[Thomas Dougherty]

Yeah.

[Julianne Nicholson]

That little connection.

[Allison Stewart]

Where else in the series. All right. That have already aired, can we see references to Link's possible parentage?

[Thomas Dougherty]

Nothing really specific. There isn't really anything specific. He talks about going on vacation with his family and stuff. He never. Yeah. You'll never be able to kind of piece anything together.

[Julianne Nicholson]

No. But it's even still confusing for us. Like, it doesn't mean that he's in this. It doesn't mean that he's the Dylan, at least in my understanding. It doesn't mean that he's the Dylan. Like, the same body of Dylan, my son, type of thing. Like, I don't know. This is. This is me. This is me. Just like, it's sort of. It's. You have to sort of. You have to have faith is what it is. So it's not like, necessarily, you know, because I think that too, like, okay, well, I had Dylan. We. He did die. We did bury him. So, like, what. It's sort of. You have to have a little. Some faith and suspend Rhea.

[Thomas Dougherty]

I mean, this is. I mean, I'm an actor. We're talking about quantum mechanics and quantum physics here. And there's so many times where me and Julianne would be like, we just have to trust the writing because I can't speak for her. She's an incredibly intelligent woman. But I am an actor.

[Julianne Nicholson]

I didn't tell you about my degree in quantum physics. My side hustle, it's been so interesting.

[Allison Stewart]

Just, like, all the reactions that people are having. Is it time Travel. Is it an alternative universe? What have you heard that has been just it. That isn't true. But you've been like, okay, that. That's. That's pretty good. That's a pretty good explanation.

[Thomas Dougherty]

I'm trying to think, is there anything.

[Julianne Nicholson]

Well, I'm not going to say whether these things are true or not, but somebody today was saying, like, oh, maybe. Maybe it's Cal Bradford is Alex, or maybe like they have. They're thinking about who the other. What. What some of the possibilities might be, or maybe Annie is Alex and she's still alive but has a different name. So I love it to be on a show that people are that excited about and are talking about and, like, letting their minds wander about is such a thrill.

[Thomas Dougherty]

Yeah.

[Allison Stewart]

Let's talk to Sophie on line one. Hey, Sophie, thanks for calling all of it. You're on the air with Julianne Nicholson and Thomas Dougherty.

[Caller Sophie]

I am a big fan of paradise. Have been since the start of the first season and so excited to see the finale. And I know you've talked a little bit about the fact that it's unclear that Thomas, Dougie, your character is actually Sinatra's son if it's the same Dylan from the same timeline, et cetera. But, you know, I guess assuming you did have this general understanding that this would be explored at the start of the season when in filming. I'm curious if that informed your performance at all or if you were thinking about this possibility when you were filming, like those early episodes as link. If you were thinking about this possibility that he could potentially be Sinatra's son, or if that really wasn't a part of it because he has no idea.

[Julianne Nicholson]

For me, I had the information, but you just have to actually kind of put it out of your mind and take the scenes as they come because when we first meet, it's nowhere near an idea for Sinatra. So she's like greeting him as she meets him. But then it is. I found it very moving when that revelation is made, when she hears his name, when she finds out his birth date. And then there's a real shift down. Wanted a real shift from that moment. And I. And I really felt that happen genuinely just getting that information and the possibility of this being the person that she's longed for and missed so deeply was. Was really powerful.

[Thomas Dougherty]

You could tell it was really beautiful, honestly. And for me, I mean, my turnaround was so quick. I think I got the job on a Thursday and I'd moved to LA on the Monday.

[Allison Stewart]

Oh, my God.

[Thomas Dougherty]

Yeah. And I was on set on the third Friday. So it was really, really quick for me. So I was kind of just thrown into this and so I was just taking the task at hand. And it wasn't until a little later on when I read this script and I'm just like, you guys. Like, I read it and I'm like. But I think, I think that's a beneficial thing not to really know because then you kind of like, you play the truth and you're not playing the death of Romeo and Juliet at the beginning of it. And so I think, yeah, it's interesting

[Allison Stewart]

as an actor and you're in a sci fi world. What's the key to making it seem real? Even though you're dealing with a world where you have to suspend belief on

[Julianne Nicholson]

some level, you just have to believe. There's really no other way. For me anyway. You just have to. You have to. You just have to believe the facts that have been written for you and just commit.

[Thomas Dougherty]

And as well, I mean, Dan Fogelman and his whole team, the set designers and the lighting and everything is. Nothing's really left to the imagination. So you can really just throw yourself in and immerse and then add on top. Working with Julian Nicholson and Sterling K. Brown and Shailene Woodley and these actors of this caliber, they're so present and they'll just bring a performance out of you. Yeah.

[Allison Stewart]

That was my conversation with Julianne Nicholson and Thomas Dougherty about starring in the second season of the apocalyptic sci fi thriller Paradise. And that is all of it. I'm Allison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I'll meet you back here next time.

[Thomas Dougherty]

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[Julianne Nicholson]

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[Thomas Dougherty]

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[Julianne Nicholson]

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[Thomas Dougherty]

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