CHRISTINE ADAMS
—Talks Restraint, Exposure, and Endurance in Hijack Season 2
interview + written ALBAN E. SMAJLI
Christine Adams appears in the second season of Hijack in a storyline shaped by isolation, memory, and the lasting pressure of consequence. Her character Marsha occupies a space removed from the immediate emergency, allowing the series to linger on psychological endurance and emotional exposure.
Season 2 premieres on January 14, 2026, on Apple TV+. Created by George Kay and Jim Field Smith, the new chapter situates its central crisis on a hijacked train in Berlin, with Idris Elba returning as Sam Nelson. Alongside this high-pressure arc, Marsha’s journey unfolds through distance and interior tension, offering a parallel line shaped by aftermath.
Set one year after the first season, Marsha appears in a different phase of her life, marked by vulnerability and raw exposure. Adams works with restraint and precision, carrying extended passages alone and allowing stillness to hold narrative force. The performance depends on focus, emotional discipline, and sustained attention over time.
Christine Adams wears earrings by MAISON LUMIERE, a jacket and skirt by AHLUWALIA, and shoes by PLEIADES
Christine Adams wears earrings by ARTE NOVA JEWELLERY and a full look by GIORGIO ARMANI
Alban E. Smajli
In Hijack season 1, the tension lived at 30,000 feet. In season 2, where does that tension live for you as an actress?
Christine Adams
Most of the action this season unfolds on a train in Berlin, creating a very specific sense of momentum and claustrophobia. My character’s storyline, however, exists almost entirely outside of that world and stands alone in a place that is very remote. There’s a deliberate contrast between these two environments. What was set in motion in season reverberates into season two in a form the audience won’t be expecting, shifting both the emotional weight and the perspective of the story in surprising ways.
What part of your character’s journey in Hijack did you want to push further this time?
We meet Marsha at a very different place and time in her life, one year on. The strength and composure that defined her in season one have fallen away, leaving her far more vulnerable and exposed. There’s a rawness to her now - emotionally, psychologically, and at times quite literally, which allows the audience to see parts of her that were previously hidden. It’s a stark contrast to who she was before, and it opens up a much more fragile, intimate portrait of the character.
When you play someone who is constantly navigating pressure, how do you protect your own emotional space off set?
It’s a tricky one. I’m not a method actor but on days when you’re playing material with really high stakes it can be extremely challenging, particularly on a show like ours where the tension is constant and unrelenting. On those days, I tend to retreat a bit and stay quiet - it’s a form of self-preservation. I’m not very good at socializing when I’m carrying that kind of emotional weight, and I need at least an hour after wrap to properly switch off. When you have to access darker places in your mind and body, the line between imagination and reality can start to blur; your nervous system believes it’s real. Shaking that off isn’t always easy, and giving myself space is the healthiest way I’ve found to do it.
Working on a series built so tightly around suspense, what has it taught you about restraint and about stillness?
So much of acting is about what isn’t said, and on Hijack in particular that’s how we build tension. The silences, the stillness, the things the audience senses rather than hears are often doing the heaviest lifting. A large part of my storyline takes place with me completely alone, which has been a fascinating challenge - exploring how to tell a story with little to no dialogue. Everything hinges on Marsha’s internal monologue: what she’s thinking, what she’s suppressing, what she’s fighting to hold together. It’s a very internal, psychological kind of storytelling, and that restraint is what makes it so powerful.
Christine Adams wears earrings by XHENXHEN JEWELLERY, a coat by JENNIFER MILLEDER, a blouse and skirt by FALVAON, and shoes by ROGER VIVIER
Christine Adams wears a coat by PAUL COSTELLOE, a top by WOOL PROJECT, pants by THEO, shoes by TABITHA RINGWOOD, and bags by ROGER VIVIER and PAUL COSTELLOE
Christine Adams wears earrings by XHENXHENJEWELLERY, a necklace and bracelet by CAPSULE ELEVEN, fur by SANNA PATRICK, a coat by RAY CHU, a dress by THEO, and shoes by TABITHA RINGWOOD
When you first read the scripts for season 2, what was the moment or scene that made you feel, “I want to be inside this story again”?
I think where Marsha’s storyline goes will come as a big surprise to the audience. She’s transformed significantly from who we saw in season one, and stepping into this new dimension of her character was incredibly exciting. The writers were keen to continue exploring the emotional bond between Sam and Marsha, but this season they push that bond to its absolute limits, testing it in ways that are intense, unpredictable, and deeply human. It’s a rare opportunity to navigate a character who’s evolving under such pressure, and the journey has been as thrilling to play as it is to watch unfold.
Looking back across your career, which project quietly shifted the way you see yourself as an actress?
I’m not sure if it was quiet, but living and working in LA for 15 years taught me an enormous amount about being an actress. I had to walk into a lot of very intimidating rooms and prove myself again and again, which wasn’t always easy, but it forced me to really understand the kind of actress I am. It taught me that acting isn’t just about technique, it’s about drawing people in, connecting with them, and giving them a reason to root for your character. That insight has stayed with me and continues to shape the way I approach every role
The industry often tries to define identity for women on screen. How have you navigated your own path through those expectations?
When I started out, I always wanted to play lawyers and doctors - roles that simply weren’t available to actresses of colour in England at the time. Moving to America opened up opportunities to be cast in more aspirational, multidimensional roles, which was incredibly liberating. Early on, it was frustrating to read scripts where the female characters were one-dimensional or thankless; there was so little depth or agency. Now, as I’ve gotten older and moved into a different age bracket, I’m seeing material become far more interesting and layered, which is something I’m really happy about. It feels like there’s finally room to play women with real complexity, nuance, and power.
Quick fire no commas
a scene from Hijack that stays with you
In Season 2 there’s a sequence towards the very end of the series that was incredibly complicated to shoot. It demanded precise timing and coordination to make everything work perfectly which made those days simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. Those are the kinds of shoots that really test you as an actor and as a team. I can’t wait to see how it all comes together on screen.
a word that captures season 2
Nail-biting
a feeling you hope the audience carries away
The Human spirit can overcome anything.
If you could speak directly to viewers just before they press play on season 2, what would you want them to pay attention to?
Be prepared for twists and turns, nothing is ever quite as it first seems.
Christine Adams wears a dress by JENNIFER MILLEDER
photographer + creative direction IAN KOBYLANSKI
styling BORNA PRIKASKI
styling assistant ANNIE GRACE
set design LOUIS TOLEDO
make up HOWARD K.C.X.
make up assistant JADE MISTRY
hair ABI IGZ
lighting assistants NICOLA SCLANO & ADAM WEIR
copyright LE MILE Magazine / Ian Kobylanski