The highly anticipated release of “Snowpiercer” starring Aleks Paunovic, Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs has been pushed up and it couldn’t come at a more appropriate time.
The post-apocalypse show takes place on an ever-moving 1001 car train ranked from high to low class where the rich get access to treatment far quicker than anyone else. Many have compared the show to the current social climate of people trying to get tested for coronavirus.
Winnipeg-born actor Paunovic pointed out how “timely [‘Snowpiercer’] is going to be for people to relate to what we are doing on the show and what is going on with the pandemic” while speaking with ET Canada.
“It puts the mirror in front of every class’ face on the show of the hierarchy and how special treatment is being done,” he explained.
He added that hopefully once people watch the show they will take a look at “how they could be treating someone else and maybe correct it.”
And just as Paunovic gets ready to welcome his new show, he is saying goodbye to “Van Helsing” which is headed into its fifth and final season this fall.
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“For us to get five years, half a decade and a character I absolutely adore, I’m thrilled, blessed. This is a show that will stay with me until the day I die,” he added while praising the “Van Helsing” cast and crew.
“I’m so glad they gave us a chance to wrap everything up opposed to just being cancelled.”
The final season started filming in Slovakia and was supposed to continue production in Vancouver which has been postponed during COVID-19.
But don’t expect any secrets from Paunovic who has been “kept in the dark.” He added, “I have no idea how they are wrapping things up.”
Never one to sit still, Paunovic will also be in Apple+’s “See”. He first turned down the part because he wanted a “bigger role”, but when good buddy Jason Momoa found out he turned it down from director Francis Lawrence, he called Paunovic “immediately”.
“He called me and went ‘what are you doing? This is a wicked role, we have to work together on it. You are perfect for it,'” he recalled and like anyone who gets a personal request from Momoa, Paunovic agreed to do it.
“He talked me into doing one of the best roles I have ever played,” Paunovic said. “From creating the character with the makeup team, the look we really wanted to go for. I got to really create a character…it ended up being one the best, most rewarding gigs I have ever had. I really taught me a lesson that no role is a small role and every part matters. I am extremely gratefully that Jason talked me into it.”
Yet work will have to wait because like everyone else, Paunovic has been isolated and had to quickly get his parents home from Mexico before the borders closed.
“I was doing okay for the first little bit, but I’ve been locked away,” he said but has been keeping busy delivering food and doing his parent’s laundry as they isolate.
“I have never not hugged my mom when I see her,” he said.
He also gave props to Railtown Acting Studio and Haven Studio in Vancouver for helping keep people “sharp” through their online courses and creative ways to give back during quarantine.
“Snowpiercer” premieres on TNT on May 17.
