Dexter: Resurrection has introduced many new faces—including the multi-talented Reese Antoinette as Joy. The Bad Monkey alum is enjoying her role on the Dexter revival for multiple reasons. Not only is Reese getting to show off her talents on a hit TV project, but being a fan of the original series has made the experience even more memorable.

In our wide-ranging interview, Reese discussed her reaction to being cast in Dexter: Resurrection, and spoke about how she developed the character of Joy. Find out about her other talents, including her developing music career, and why she’s drawn to protagonists like Dexter Morgan.

What was it about the character of Joy in Dexter: Resurrection that made her someone you wanted to play?

Reese Antoinette: Dexter‘s been a show that I’ve followed for many years and I’m a huge fan of it… When I saw that they were going to do Dexter: Resurrection, I was like, oh my gosh, let’s keep an eye out on this. I also [previously] worked with Marcos Siega, who is an executive producer on Dexter, but also an executive producer on Bad Monkey. He’s an incredible director and I got to work with him again; that was a gift on the set.

As a fan of Dexter, what’s been your reaction or the reaction you’ve gotten to then being a part of the franchise?

I actually brought my brother with me to the premiere, which was so much fun.  He is also a fan of the show, and he got to meet some of his favorite characters. It’s fun to be on this side of the table—pun intended—because I’m used to being on the other side, trying to figure out what’s going to happen. A lot of my friends are just like, “I can’t believe you’re in this, you love this show!” And every Friday I can’t wait to see a new episode.

Was there a specific episode or scene where you felt dialed into the character of Joy and who she was to you as a performer?

Totally. Episode 6. I got over the oh my God, I’m in the show [feeling], and then really settled into the truth of the character.  You do your homework and all those kinds of things, but the homework is different than actually being connected to what you’re doing.  And I felt like in this episode, I started to understand everything. Like Neo in The Matrix, I started to understand the Dexter code from a new perspective.

Dexter: Resurrection is also a huge opportunity for you, in that audiences are seeing more of what you can do. What other work would you recommend to people who’ve become fans of Joy?

I would say Bad Monkey is a great next thing to see, because it was my first job out of grad school. I’m of Caribbean heritage and I brought that to NYU. I was like, let’s explore narratives that take place in that region and they were very supportive of that. So for me, coming out of school and this being my first thing that I booked, I was aware that the first time people will see me on TV will be in a Caribbean role, and that makes me happy. However, I think getting to know me is seeing where I started and watching what I do next.

Are there particular types of roles or projects that you’d like to do going forward? What interests you creatively?

Absolutely. I’m wanting to do a lot more work where my character is complex—like they appear one way, but something’s going on underneath. I think what’s good about characters who are complex is you can put them in any genre. I’m always intrigued about the stories that we’re not telling, and strange people that we put together that we think aren’t supposed to be in the room together, but they are.

I love contradictions. I love chaos. I love making a mess and then like trying to fix it … but not quite fixing it, but fixing it. I’m intrigued by stuff like that. I think the one thing about art that I find a lot of joy in, pun intended probably, is ambiguity and blurred lines. I like to push the button, and I like to push myself. And art is a safe place to do that. So I would love to play characters like that.

I think that’s also what draws me to characters like Dexter. You’re rooting for him, but you know he’s a serial killer. It’s fascinating psychologically. But yet there’s something about the human experience that I find so fascinating, and that’s why I love being an actor.

Aside from acting, you’re also a music artist. Which of these parts of your career came first, and how would you describe your music?

I was an actor first, but music is another form of expression for me. Music gets into the root of my spirit. It helps me connect to the world in a unique way and it’s really sacred to me; it feels very personal. I have a new song coming out—it’s a cover of “Natural Mystic” by Bob Marley, but a completely new, reimagined version. The song is rooted in connecting to nature and people around us. I think nature is music, and I tried to incorporate that connection into this song.  

For me, the big umbrella is storytelling. And music has a way of crossing borders and reaching people in a way that’s not literal. I challenge myself to say, okay, what is the intention behind this song? And what do I want to achieve? And living in that space when I’m not acting… It inspires me.

What else are you passionate about, whether it’s as an artist or just as a fan?

I’m currently re-learning Japanese. I love Japanese culture. I lived there for a little bit.  I watch anime and I’m very much a huge fan of the entire culture. I enjoy the language and the characters. When I say characters, I mean the alphabets: hiragana, katakana, and kanji.  Being able to read and communicate in Japanese makes me very happy.  I think it’s mostly about the fact that I’m in love with nature, and Japanese culture encompasses that.

There’s an anime that I love called Mushishi, which is all about the supernatural and nature. I found a culture and a language that feels like it’s in my body in a way that I have never felt before. So I’m continuing my Japanese training. My goal is to be fully fluent and to be able to communicate in complex ways. It’s one of the hardest languages to learn, but for some reason that isn’t bothering me, because there’s something deeper there for me.

Dexter: Resurrection streams Fridays on Paramount+ Premium and airs Sundays at 8:00 p.m. on Showtime. Photo Credits: Both images by Todd S. Johnson.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.