In a raw, electric, and eyebrow-compliment-filled sit-down with Where Is The Buzz’s Kori Nicole Barnes, Piper Perabo and breakout star Louis Landau opened up about their dark new Prime Video series Butterfly. A slow-burn spy thriller wrapped in explosive action and emotional intimacy, the highly anticipated series hits screens on August 13. If the conversation is any indication, fans should brace themselves for espionage, ethical gray zones, and some serious actor chemistry.
From Indie Films & Auditions to Korean Spy Chaos
Perabo, a seasoned actor known for roles in Covert Affairs and The Prestige, revealed that Butterfly came her way through a familiar face: Daniel Dae Kim.
“I did a movie with Daniel like 17 years ago, some action thing. We stayed friends,” Perabo said. “I was filming this tiny indie in Iceland when he called and asked if I wanted to go to Korea for six months. I mean… yeah. Who says no to that?”
For Louis Landau, the experience was a full-throttle career launch. “It was only my second audition with my new American reps,” he said, visibly stunned even recounting it. “Within a week, I was in L.A. and then Korea. It all happened so fast. And it was easily the biggest thing I’ve done.”
What Butterfly Is Really About (And Why You Should Care)
Developed by 3AD and co-created by Ken Woodruff (The Mentalist) and crime novelist Steph Cha, Butterfly is based on the graphic novel of the same name. It’s a character-driven spy thriller that detonates the line between family loyalty and global chaos.
At the center is David Jung (played by Daniel Dae Kim), a former U.S. intelligence operative now living off the grid in South Korea. His attempts at a quiet life implode when Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), a dangerously unhinged young agent, is ordered to assassinate him. Behind her: Caddis, a chillingly powerful shadow organization. What follows is not just an international game of cat-and-mouse. It’s a devastating reckoning with the past.
Line by Line, Scene by Scene: Deep-Dive Actor Prep
Landau and Perabo weren’t content to just hit their marks and deliver their lines. The duo described an intense preparation process that involved obsessing over every single scene together.
“Piper and I spent hours, I mean hours, going scene by scene,” said Landau. “We were literally breaking everything down with a fine tooth comb. Or a ‘fine tooth pen,’ as I said when I was half-asleep.”
Perabo added, “I was thinking of the entire six-episode arc like a single piece. You want it to be an action ride, sure, but also a slow-burn mystery. Balancing both rhythms is hard. And I’ll be honest. I don’t love private global security firms in real life, so I had to dig deep. I’m more into democracy and the right to privacy.”
Bring on the Trauma! Actors Love a Good Breakdown
One of the best-kept secrets of acting? The messier the scene, the more fun it is to shoot. Both actors lit up when talking about the emotional meat of the series.
“People think emotional scenes are tough or depressing,” said Landau. “But we live for those moments. Give me a death scene, and I’m stretching that baby out for hours.”
Perabo nodded in agreement. “The more difficult the scene, the more I love it. If it’s just a scene full of exposition with a bunch of characters, sure, that’s fine. But the juicy, gnarly emotional ones? That’s where the fun is.”
Action, Secrets, and Global Spy Games But Make It Personal
Butterfly may take you around the world with black ops missions and morally grey characters, but it never forgets to keep its focus on emotional truth. It’s a series where family trauma hits just as hard as an assassin’s bullet.
This is not a cold, sterile spy show. It’s messy, intimate, and often devastating. A thriller that punches you in the gut and whispers in your ear.
Who’s Behind Butterfly?
The powerhouse behind-the-scenes lineup includes executive producers Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Woodruff, Steph Cha, John Cheng, Stephen Christy, Ross Richie, and Arash Amel. The show was developed by Kim’s 3AD, the same studio behind the smash hit The Good Doctor.
With a cast that spans continents and a storyline that messes with your head and your heart, Butterfly is positioning itself as the streaming event of the season.
Your Mission: Watch Butterfly on August 13th
If the buzz and cast chemistry are any indication, Butterfly isn’t just another entry in the espionage genre. It’s a genre evolution. Bold, cerebral, and anchored in raw human emotion.
Catch Butterfly exclusively on Prime Video starting August 13th.
