Note: The following discusses major spoilers for “You” Season 4, Part 2.
Although Marienne’s fate is on the line when Joe goes on a psychotic break and returns to his old ways in “You” Season 4, Tati Gabrielle admits she was “way too excited” to get into the infamous cage after being a fan of the Netflix drama for seasons.
“I was super excited to be in the cage — I was probably way too excited to be in the cage,” Gabrielle told TheWrap, adding that she was “stoked” for the acting challenge. “That was like the fan in me coming out and being like, ‘I get to be in the cage —That’s so awesome. What an honor.’”
As an avid fan of both “You” and the TV world as a whole, after showrunner Sera Gamble gave her a full rundown of the fourth season — including Gabrielle’s imprisonment and Joe’s dissociative state in which his consciousness is separated — Gabrielle was thrilled by the evolution of Joe’s character.
“How long can we have just watched this guy that’s like, okay he stalks people, he kills people, but to make the actual evolution of his mind or one’s mind who does that be so real … that’s of course what would it would get a lead to — like a psychotic break,” Gabrielle said. “Dude’s … gonna not be there anymore.”
As Joe’s consciousness separates and he neglects to provide Marienne with food and water as she’s stuck in the abandoned cage, Marienne finds the strength within herself to push through and think logically as she attempts to escape her imprisonment.
“Marienne has been a fighter her entire life,” Gabrielle explains. “She went through the system, her parents abandoned her, she’s been through through drugs through an abusive relationship. She’s fought so hard that that warrior spirit is just ingrained in her that she’s not going to let go so easily.”
To get herself through this mentally, physically and emotionally taxing trauma, Marienne’s subconscious also soars as she imagines tender moments as she reads storybooks to her daughter — who Gabrielle says is the most important element in the Marienne’s efforts to survive.
“She’s fought so hard to get Juliet back [and] tp have them be able to live a good life that she’s not going to let her child be out there and be alone and live the life that she had,” Gabrielle said. “She’s not gonna let her history repeat itself.”