Jennifer Aniston, star of ‘The Morning Show’: ‘Phones are these almighty algorithms that are just feeding people and dividing and dividing’

The actress returns to the helm of the Apple TV series, which continues exploring journalism in its fourth season. ‘I never suspected that I would take for granted the freedom of the press,’ says her co-star Billy Crudup

Jennifer Aniston plays Alex Levy in Apple TV’s ‘The Morning Show.’Cortesía de Apple TV

Just like doctor or spy dramas, TV series about journalists never seem to go out of style. These shows tend to romanticize the profession: a dash of drama, a few romances, and some jaw-dropping apartments make for the perfect formula to hook viewers. The Morning Show from Apple TV has been doing it for six years and four seasons. But along the way, it’s also brought audiences to the brink of journalism’s downward spiral.

Over the years, the series has grown darker and more complex — not that it started off calmly. At first, Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) and Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) were the friendly faces of a morning show that implodes after accusations of sexual and workplace misconduct against Mitch and other executives. Enter, almost by chance and like a whirlwind, Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon), who replaces Mitch as co-anchor and keeps unearthing dark secrets that propel ambitious executive Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup) to an unstable position of power, while deepening tensions among a team led by the frazzled Chip Black (Mark Duplass) and the unflappable Mia Jordan (Karen Pittman). Over the seasons, new faces have joined the cast, including Julianna Margulies, Greta Lee, Jon Hamm, and Marion Cotillard.

Three of the show’s stars — Aniston, Crudup, and Pittman — say that, both on screen and off, they’re alarmed by the growing threats to freedom of the press and expression. On a warm Sunday morning in Los Angeles, they sit down with EL PAÍS to talk about the latest season of The Morning Show — which airs every Wednesday and wraps up on November 19 — a series that at first seemed like a niche gamble for Apple TV but has gone on to win four Emmys, receive 27 nominations, and earn nine Golden Globe nods.

Did they expect such longevity and success? “No, but good for us, I guess,” Aniston replies sincerely, laughing. “The sector is so ever-changing. Keeps it interesting, that’s for sure.”

Karen Pittman and Hannah Leder, as Mia and Isabella, in an episode of the fourth season of Apple TV’s ‘The Morning Show.’Cortesía de Apple TV

Her co-star, Crudup, was also amusingly skeptical. “It was interesting to read [the first scripts], so I was hoping that [it would be a success],” he says. “It’s not often that my tastes align with popular tastes, but in this case, I was pleasantly surprised that the same things that I responded to in the script [were those] that audiences responded to and continued to respond to. It’s been incredible.”

Pittman didn’t expect the show to be successful either… or did she? “I did not expect that it would be. Well, actually, I don’t know what I expected, I just knew that there were extraordinary writers on the show. I knew Mimi Leder was going to direct it. Just so much admiration. I saw them bring the cast together. I thought, ‘oh, this is going to be special.’”

Pittman recalls that at the time, she thought the script would explore “the challenges of the #MeToo movement” within television networks. “In my career, I like to be part of daring stories, where you have to take sides and really think about what you believe when you watch them.” She adds: “Television can be a strong medium for change, and I think when The Morning Show does it best, we do help create change. But even when we’re not all the way there, we’re making people laugh and entertaining them.”

Marion Cotillard and Billy Crudup, as Celine Dumont and Cory Ellison, in an episode of the fourth season of Apple TV’s ‘The Morning Show.’Cortesía de Apple TV

When the actors are told, “it’s not an easy time for journalism,” they don’t even let the sentence finish. Aniston snaps a firm “no,” Crudup shakes his head and adds: “Terrible.”

Are they more aware of this now that they’re part of the project? “Obviously, we read the scripts every day and also listen to the news itself and what Charlotte [Stoudt, writer and executive producer] and the writers are taking in and how they’re trying to process what a season will look like. Because what’s today will be completely different, not only in four months, but in a week,” says Aniston.

“I never suspected that I would take for granted the freedom of the press, and that’s what we have, clearly,” laments Crudup, the only actor from The Morning Show who has won an Emmy for the series — two, in fact. “We have taken it for granted, and it’s evaporating. We have to fight for it. Agreed?”

Aniston replies firmly: “We really do.” She’s also concerned about phones, social media, and internet searches… “Phones are these almighty algorithms that are just feeding people and dividing and dividing, and you get taken up on a tangent, and you just don’t know what to believe. It’s quite a time.”

Karen Pittman as Mia Jordan in the fifth episode of the fourth season of Apple TV’s ‘The Morning Show.’Cortesía de Apple TV

For Pittman, a line spoken by her character in the third episode of this season stands out as especially important: “The truth is incendiary, and is under attack.” “It’s one of my favorites,” the actress admits. “Our writers have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in our culture and present it to the audience in a way that’s entertaining but also bold and compelling.”

The show’s success comes from the storylines and scripts — and, of course, its acclaimed actors. “Yeah, maybe the actors have something to do with it,” says Crudup, gesturing repeatedly toward Aniston. “Yes,” she thanks him, placing a hand affectionately on his shoulder, “we have an unbelievable cast of actors, also our writers are incredible, and it doesn’t hurt that the world is what it is today, because we’re not short for material.”

Jennifer Aniston, as Alex Levy, embraces Reese Witherspoon, who plays Bradley Jackson, in an episode of the fourth season of Apple TV’s ‘The Morning Show.’