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Piper Perabo may be kind in real life, but on screen, she’s embracing her darker side.
The 48-year-old actress stars as Juno Lund, the main antagonist in the new Prime Video action-spy thriller series Butterfly, and says taking on an “evil” role was a welcome opportunity.
“I was really interested in this role,” she tells PEOPLE. “Daniel Dae Kim called me about it, and when he said it was to play the villain, I was so happy. I was so excited. The source material is a graphic novel that can get a little arch in the ‘bad guy’ category, and I love it.”
Courtesy of Prime
In Butterfly, Perabo plays the head of a powerful private intelligence agency called Caddis — and her character betrays the show’s protagonist, David Jung (played by Kim), to seize sole control of the company.
What drew her to the role, she says, was the layered complexity of Juno’s relationships and motivations. “I love that Juno has both her son and a motherly relationship with Rebecca. She has these two superstar young people that she really wants to protect and, at the same time, advance her evil empire,” she explains.
The Coyote Ugly star adds, “For me, it’s a lot about what she wants. She’s really singular in her hunt for power, regardless of how that’s corrupting all of the other relationships in her life. And so, really keeping that singular focus on what Juno is trying to achieve is important and helps me sort of make the decisions of the scene.”
While the chance to play a villain was a draw, Perabo says it was also the chance to reunite with Kim, 57, her co-star from The Cave, that sealed the deal.
“We did an action movie together years ago in Romania and have stayed friends ever since,” she says.
“You know what’s crazy? Just last year, I finished Yellowstone with Cole Hauser, who was also in that same movie I did with Daniel. It’s so weird,” she adds. “When you’re young, you don’t realize these projects might come back around. 20 years later, you’ll be working with the same people again. I love Dan, and we got along so well back then.”
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Filming in Korea, where Butterfly is set, was another major highlight.
“Daniel is Korean American, speaks Korean and is so passionate about the culture,” the Cheaper by the Dozen actress says. “Getting to go to Korea with a friend like that, and see the country through his eyes, is so different from being a tourist.”
With a suspenseful finale that teases more to come, Perabo is already plotting what’s to come, should Butterfly be renewed for season 2.
“I’ve literally thrown out suggestions to the writers for what I think should happen,” she says with a laugh. “We’ve left it open-ended. I think I have some great ideas for how Juno can take over the world. I even know who I want to assassinate next in my family. So we’re ready for season 2. I feel like I’m ready to go.”
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Butterfly is now streaming in full on Prime Video.
