The 'Sense8' Cast Discusses Their Favorite Moments, LGBT Representation, & Those Racy Sex Scenes

The cast of 'Sense8' discusses the show's legacy ahead of the series finale's premiere

At ArcLight Theaters in Hollywood, California, the cast and producers of Netflix's beloved series Sense8 gathered to send off the show in style, and to say goodbye. 

Freema Agyeman, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Toby Onwumere, Miguel Angel Silvestre, Brian J. Smith, executive producer Grant Hill, and special guest Linda Perry celebrated the brief but enduring legacy of the LGBTQ-inclusive series, shared their favorite moments of the series, why it was so powerful to see what queer representation looked like all over the world, and those legendary sex scenes. 

Freema Agyeman on why sex is so important to 'Sense8:'

"It's one thing that we all have in common. If you put a TV show on and someone's blowing someone's head off, a room full of people will sit there and go, 'He just blew his head off.' Soon as people start having sex, everyone's just a bit...But you're okay to watch mad violence but you're not okay to watch the most natural thing in the world. It's important because we have to normalize it and let people know, 'It's okay to look at it, it's okay to feel sexy, it's okay to have sex, it's okay to whatever sex you want to have.' It's just getting it all out there. We get people around the world saying, 'I watched this with my mom and finally came out and told her.' It's about starting a dialouge! Let's talk about sex baby, let's talk about you and me!"

Freema Agyeman on why 'Sense8's' LGBT representation is so important:

"It's so vital for people to be able to see. It's not just about representation, it's about portrayal. If you start putting a smattering of people just to cover a wide spectrum, you can get into tokenism. You have to invest in those people and they're stories and who they are and what they're saying. I feel like in mainstream television, especially in gay relationships, they're either portrayed as like promiscous or deviant. Or they could just be sitting there talkabout the mortgage payment. That's kind of what's going on in people's houses. So it's about learning to invest in true portrayals and that's something. Netflix has always been on the vanguard of storytelling. The Wachowski's always tell thought-provoking stories. Together, they've created this incredibly relevant, brave, exciting journey. Which look how people respond to it! People need to be braver to stand up and just tell it like it is, without fear. 70 countries around the world where it's still illegal, people are gagged and they can't speak. And I'm not saying with a sweeping generalization, 'Stand up and speaking in the middle of the crowd,' because you're going to probably get in some trouble for it in certain countries, but the more of us that are in free countries that can tell these stories, that can rip that out and hopefully impact people around the world."

Brian J. Smith on why 'Sense8's' LGBT representation is so important:

"It's a truly global series. I think in a weird way it questions identity as a whole. The lines between straight and gay kinda blur when you see these characters together, you kind of see what's possible for human beings once those barriers can go down."

Brian J. Smith on why sex is so important to 'Sense8:'

"There's not enough sex positivity out there. We've all got some issues with sex that we should look at and deal with. It's helpful to think of it that way. I think Lana's point is, you know, we're here because of sex. Sex is a beautiful thing. Maybe some of the neurosis around it would start to evaporate the minute that we stop being so intense about it and just let it do its job, which is to enrich our lives. Opposed to trying to do our job with sex, which is to control things and get into other people's business."

Brian J. Smith's favorite moment of the series:

"I don't know why this is, but one of my favorite moments in the series is the scene that happens on the Fourth of July in season one. I'm watching fireworks with my dad, and Nomi and Amanita are having sex in San Francisco and it just turns into this people enjoying fireworks, but then sexual fireworks as well. It's such a sweet moment and an erotic moment and I...There's something about it. And the song, "Keep It Close" by Seven Lions plays underneath it. That moment is always just going to completely blow me away."

Jamie Clayton's favorite 'Sense8' moment:

"It's in the finale. You know which one it is."

Jamie Clayton on why sex is so important to 'Sense8:'

"It can start a dialogue. That's what this show has done around the world with so many different kinds of people. I get so many messages where they're either coming out as any kind of queer, somewhere under the trans umbrella, somewhere under the gay, lesbian, bisexual umbrella. Even just guys being like, 'Hey I watched your weird show and I just want you to know that you're hot and you opened my mind, thanks.' It's awesome! That's great!"

Jamie Clayton on why 'Sense8's' LGBT representation is so important:

It's interesting being on a show that's so diverse ethnically, but I'm the only out, queer member of the entire cast. What I hope when people watch it is they see the characters and maybe they see me off-screen and they go, 'Oh wow, she's really trans in real life too, maybe that's ok? She seems really cool.' I want people to tune in and watch it and not be so afraid when they step out, they get on a bus, they go to a movie theater and see people who might not sound like what they think they should sound like and they might not look like what they think they should look like and not be so scared because they're like, 'Oh, I think she might be like that girl on Sense8.' That's what I really hope."

Tina Desai's on why sex is so important to 'Sense8:'

"The main motive of Lana was to not show it as abusive, not something that's hardcore, not something that's violent or aggressive, but pure love and something that unites people and something that is beautiful and something that can be considered art. To celebrate the beauty of that and to open up your mind and see what that can change within you as a character, as a person. That's something that I learned as well, that was exposure for me as a person as well, not just as an actor."

Tina Desai on why 'Sense8's' LGBT representation is so important:

"I can speak from being Indian. It's just awareness. I, myself, did not know so much about the LGBT society, about their issues, I didn't even know what transgender was really. Because of this show, I've been exposed to so much, I've been educated about so much. I've spoken to them, I understand what they're going through and why. I almost feel like a mouthpiece in India. A lot of people come to me and ask me, not even about the awareness of the issues, but the existence of the issues. To be able to even pass on the information and spread awareness is amazing. I really find it strange that there's still a fight going on because everybody from the LGBT community is so fun loving and such warm, amazing people. They're just happy people, let them be!"

Tina Desai's favorite 'Sense8' moment:

"So many things. I think the best part is that you can sensate with all the other sensates, be a part of their lives, be a part of their story as if it's yours. To be able to understand someone's character as if it's your own, I think that whole concept is very interesting to me. There are no lies, there are no barriers, you experience everything as if it's your own story. Just to play with that idea was huge and fascinating."

Toby Onwumere's favorite 'Sense8' moment:

"Season 2 during the birthday montage. It was during Lito's birthday and everybody's blowing out the candles. That was my very first scene. That's kind of been a microcosm of Sense8, just a whole birthday party. And right after that, there was a huge celebration and everyone spanked me and we went to go party. That's what Sense8 has been, it's been a complete celebration."

Toby Onwumere's on why sex is so important to 'Sense8:'

"It contrasts with how it's been used in popular culture now. You see sex in like a sexy way, you see it in a rough way. But I don't think you oftentimes see it with joy. The comfort of just two people being there and using sex to enjoy themselves, for it to be a joyous occasion. That's definitely what Lana was preaching to us."

Toby Onwumere on why 'Sense8's' LGBT representation is so important:

"We know that those populations are there and it's good to give them a voice, to those people that are tucked away in those corners of society in countries where being LGBTQ is punishable by death. That's crazy. It's good to have a show that says, 'We acknowledge you, we recognize you, and we are with you.' That empowers people and then we start to get progressive and more people come to the table. I just think that it enriches the race when we hear more varied voices. It shouldn't be a luxury, it should be a necessity."

Miguel Angel Silvestre's favorite 'Sense8' moment:

It was the dancing we did in the Torifel. It's in the last episode. We kind of knew the show was going to end there, so it was kind of a celebration in a way. Even though it was freezing, we had so much fun that night. 

The 'Sense8' finale is now on Netflix!

Watch it here!