Jodie Turner-Smith on ‘Murder Mystery 2’ & Joining ‘Sex Education’ Season 4

Like the first movie, Netflix’s sequel, Murder Mystery 2, pits the hilarious Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston up against an ensemble cast of suspects when their friend is kidnapped from his own wedding. One of those in attendance is the regal Countess Sekou, played by Jodie Turner-Smith. Turner-Smith is best known for roles like Queen opposite Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya in Queen & Slim and as the titular ill-fated queen in the three-part miniseries, Anne Boleyn. Before Murder Mystery 2 premiered on Netflix, Collider’s Steve Weintraub spoke to Turner-Smith who told us, “this is the most fun I’ve ever had on a movie.”

Four years since their European debacle, Nick (Sandler) and Audrey (Aniston) Spitz are struggling to get their own private eye agency recognized. Having solved their first mystery, how hard could it be? When the couple is invited to a luxurious wedding by none other than The Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar), that very question is put to the test. The Spitzes set off to a private island, where a new crop of suspects – er, guests – are ready to party. Soon, however, The Maharajah is taken hostage, and it’s up to Nick and Audrey to sort through the clues and the mayhem. Murder Mystery 2 also features Mark Strong, Mélanie Laurent, John Kani, Jillian Bell, and more.

During their conversation, which you can watch in the video above or read below, Turner-Smith shares what it’s like on set with Sandler and Aniston and raves about Aniston’s epic action stunts in the film. Turner-Smith also discusses her many upcoming projects, from joining the Star Wars universe in The Acolyte, to the joy of working with Ncuti Gatwa in Sex Education Season 4, and Vince Vaughn in Bill Lawrence’s novel adaptation of Bad Monkey.

COLLIDER: So I’ve been a fan of yours for a while, but if someone has never seen anything that you’ve done before, what is the first thing you want them watching and why?

JODIE TURNER-SMITH: Queen & Slim.

Yeah, that’s kind of good.

TURNER-SMITH: That’s my calling card. It’s my first movie that I ever starred in, and it’s an incredible film, and I think if anyone’s gonna start trying to get to know me as a performer, that’s a pretty great place to start.

Who was the most excited in your life that you were going to do a movie with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston?

TURNER-SMITH: Hmm, I think my husband. I think my husband was the most excited, other than myself. Then my acting coach was really excited too.

I can only imagine what it’s like actually sharing scenes with them because I’m a big fan of both of theirs. So what was it like? What surprised you about working with them?

TURNER-SMITH: Just how cool they are. I mean, like, you think that they’re cool, but they’re actually cool, down to Earth, warm, collaborative, kind. I mean, the energy and the atmosphere on the set, I mean– a lot of the crew are people that they’ve worked with for years, and you can feel that. No one is being an asshole, and they’re really nice. I’m like, “They want me to be here, and I’m their peer right now,” and that’s wild and crazy. They’re open to jokes that I have, or suggestions, or whatever, and my energy, and it just didn’t feel like I was working with people that had massive egos.

Adam comes in and is playing his music, and Jen is like, literally, one of the coolest people I’ve ever met in my life. You know when you have expectation and reality, and reality exceeded my expectations, and I just love when I have that kind of experience in life. That’s really nice.

I’ve been doing this job for a while, and I’ve been fortunate enough to interview both of them a few times and it is crazy how nice they are. It’s really refreshing.

TURNER-SMITH: Yeah. I mean, to be in the business and have been working for as long as they’ve been working, and at the level of fame that they both have, and to be so grounded and open, not insulated and closed off and angry, is amazing because it is not easy.

You’ve worked on a number of things. How would you rate the fun factor, and also the shooting locations, which is crazy?

TURNER-SMITH: This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a movie.

Bar none?

TURNER-SMITH: This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a movie. It was just all laughs and fun, and beautiful, fucking beautiful, locations.

I mean, it’s insane.

TURNER-SMITH: And chic hotels, it was so fun and glamorous, and then you’re laughing all day at work, and, I mean, it was a dream job.

What do you think fans of Murder Mystery, and soon Murder Mystery 2, would be surprised to learn about the actual making of the movie?

TURNER-SMITH: Well, I don’t know if people are going to be ready for the amazing action sequences of one Jennifer Aniston in this film. Okay? It’s like, where is her secret agent film?

That’s true. The Eiffel Tower stuff in this is huge.

TURNER-SMITH: It’s epic, absolutely epic. I mean, the van scene? It’s incredible. I mean, it’s really action-packed.

Yeah, there are two huge set pieces, maybe three actually. I’m a big fan of Sex Education, and I know you’ve joined for the next season. I have to ask you, what was it like joining the show? And what can you tease, if anything, about your role?

TURNER-SMITH: I can’t tease anything, but I can say that I absolutely love Ncuti Gatwa, and it was an honor to work with him.

I can’t wait, but something that maybe you can say a little bit more, although who knows? You got to join the Star Wars universe. I’m really looking forward to [The Acolyte] because I may or may not know some things about it, which I will not say. How much fun did you have playing in that universe?

TURNER-SMITH: Oh my God, that was also really, really fun. Obviously, the subject matter is different. It’s different when everything that you’re doing is light-hearted, and that’s not what I was doing for Star Wars. But I was working with my favorite director that I’ve worked with so far, Kogonada, and under the leadership of Leslye Headland. It is incredible to see. I can’t wait to see how this show turns out.

Amandla [Stenberg] is such an incredible performer. I, unfortunately, didn’t have any scenes with her, but I got to see a little bit of what they’ve been doing and I think it’s gonna be epic, and it’s nothing that anyone has seen before inside of that universe.

That’s exactly it. I’m going to ask you, did you get to hold or use a lightsaber?

TURNER-SMITH: I didn’t get to use a lightsaber… but I did… not get to use a lightsaber.

I understand completely–

TURNER-SMITH: Because I am not a Jedi!

I’m not trying to pressure you to–

TURNER-SMITH: Oh, no, you can’t.

I’ll switch to something else, so I won’t get you in any trouble. You got to shoot something recently with Vince Vaughn.

TURNER-SMITH: Yes! No one has asked me about Bad Monkey, you’re the first person.

I’m a big fan of Vince. What was it like working with him? Because he’s also very, very funny.

TURNER-SMITH: Yes, he is hilarious. I actually had the best time working with Vince, and I was so mad at Bill Lawrence because we only had like three scenes together. I was like, “Hello, I need more Vince.” Every time we worked together Vince was like, “We need to do more!” It was so much fun working with him.

What is it about for people who don’t know?

TURNER-SMITH: Okay. So, it’s actually based on a book, Carl Hiaasen novel, about this former police officer who’s living in the Florida Keys who discovers a severed arm in the water. It’s the mystery of all that, and I play a local woman from the Bahamas who is somewhat involved in all that is going on.

Murder Mystery 2 is now streaming on Netflix.