Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s political thriller miniseries ‘Zero Day’ takes place in the aftermath of a terrifying cyberattack that shakes the foundation of America. The unprecedented nature of the attack calls for desperate measures, and this is where former President George Mullen comes into the picture. His history as a soldier, a lawyer, and a President makes him uniquely qualified to lead a task force called Zero Day Commission, which is set up to figure out who is behind the attack and, more importantly, how to stop them. While George’s heart is in the right place, at least initially, things turn out to be much more complicated than he expected, and that’s where he finds himself wading into a grey area that just keeps getting darker. Created by Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt, the story is made more nerve-racking by the fact that it feels terrifyingly close to reality.
Zero Day Imagines a Fictional Premise Not Far From Reality
‘Zero Day’ is an entirely fictional story with a cast of made-up characters. However, when its creators sat down to write it, they wanted to tell a story that was close to reality, especially when it comes to political divisiveness and the threat of misinformation in the country, among other things. The kernel of the movie came from the conversations that Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt had with one another. Newman and Oppeheim, while brainstorming ideas, talked about the USA’s “relationship as a country with the truth.” They were concerned about the manner in which reality has become subjective and how easily it disorients the sense of facts for society as a whole.
From here, the idea rested on what it means to live in a world where there is a constant clash between truth and lies. At the same time, they also explored the possibility of the government dealing with such scenarios, which eventually led them to come up with something like the Zero Day Commission, where all the powers are vested in one organization with the intention of allowing it to solve a national crisis. At the same time, unfettered access to power is bound to corrupt the best of us. What would it mean for someone to have that much power while also dealing with personal issues at the same time? These questions focused the writing team on the fictional character of George Mullen, a former President who is suddenly brought back into the game. He becomes the center of the story from which everything unfolds, making ‘Zero Day’ a deeply character-driven drama.
Despite its fictional nature, the creators were focused on presenting the story with as much authenticity as possible, which is where Schmidt came into play. As an investigative reporter for the New York Times, he served as the “bullshit detector” for the show, where the main rule was not to have any inauthentic ideas embedded into the story. Adding anything that didn’t feel real was considered a “wasted exercise.” Reportedly, they also brought on Washington staffers, who have long years of experience behind them, as consultants on the project to make sure no detail was left unexplored.
Robert De Niro Enriched the Character With Emotional and Political Sensibilities
In the story, George Mullen is given the reins of the Zero Day Commission because he is the only person who can be trusted to have that much power. This meant that Mullen had to come across as a person who didn’t just have the trust of the public but also that of the viewers watching him through their Netflix screens. For this, an actor with great caliber who could balance the gravitas of Mullen with his mental and emotional issues was required. The first person they thought of was Robert De Niro. Luckily for the show’s creators, when they mentioned the idea of the show to the actor, he agreed to do it.
One of the major points about Mullen’s character is that apart from having the weight of the entire country on his shoulders, he is struggling with what could be the early signs of dementia. His cognitive abilities are called into question, and even his own wife wonders if he is of sound enough mind to carry the responsibility of his new job. One could see these as similarities with former President Joe Biden. However, the creators of the show have clarified that these details about Mullen’s character were developed before questions were raised about Biden being fit for the Presidency. Just as the writers didn’t refer to anyone specific, De Niro, too, refrained from shaping Mullen on a particular President. While comparisons with Joe Biden and Jimmy Carter were made, ‘The Irishman‘ actor clarified that one of the easiest things about playing Mullen was that he was basically playing himself.
De Niro found the character so well-established on the page and connected with him on such a level that he didn’t feel any desire to choose an inspiration for it. He did, however, indulge in due research to understand the responsibilities of the role. He referred to the interviews and press conferences of different presidents to understand their mindset while handling situations of grave importance. According to Newman, the veteran actor even consulted with Cold War-era CIA sources to get into the skin of the character. However, at the end of the day, he saw Mullen as someone who doesn’t shy away from the truth and doesn’t like to beat around the bush. However terrible the truth might be, he believes in being honest with people about it, and that’s what makes him an even more compelling character.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Zero Day Filmed?
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