Laura Donnelly: John and Charlotte seek human connection in 'Sugar' S2

NEW YORK, June 20 (UPI) --Outlander, The Nevers and Hex alum Laura Donnelly plays Charlotte, the woman who shakes up the title hero's world, in Season 2 of Sugar.

"I loved the atmosphere of it. It's really cozy. I love that film noir-style," Donnelly, 43, told UPI about the show in a recent Zoom interview.

"I've been a big fan of film noir and neo-noir and, so, I just thought the chance to play in that sandbox for a bit -- and apply a little of that 1930s, '40s femme fatale vibe with Charlotte -- would be a really fun thing to do and a bit of a childhood dream in terms of how I thought acting was going to be."

Co-starring Jin Ha, Raymond Lee, Tony Dalton, Sasha Calle and Shea Whigham, the series kicked off its second season on Apple TV Friday.

It follows John Sugar (Colin Farrell), a private detective, who also happens to be a space alien, as he solves missing-person cases in contemporary Los Angeles.

Charlotte and Sugar meet at the hotel where they are both staying in Season 2, Episode 1.

"She strikes up a conversation with Sugar and she is someone who is very independent. She's very self-contained and I think that she has actively chosen her life, really loves her life and loves her work," Donnelly said.

"She travels a lot for work and that leaves her quite isolated and, at times, lonely. I think that's where she and Sugar kind of find each other to begin with -- just the desire for some human connection in a hotel bar."

Donnelly said she doesn't think the show's sci-fi twist overwhelms its central message.

"It seems to be more using a metaphor in order to explore the human experience and that's what is so wonderful about how Colin plays this character," she added

"He's just a man who is very un-cynical and very empathetic and, essentially, a bit of an innocent in the world. But, scene to scene, it doesn't really read as very sci-fi to me."

The actress described as "genius" Farrell's casting as the show's lead.

"He is the kind of person that people feel, I think, very drawn to because of his authenticity," she said.

"That reads on screen and it's definitely there in spades in real life," Donnelly added. "People find themselves on his side, watching him on screen, because he does just bring an integrity and an authenticity with him that is a really important aspect of John Sugar as a character."

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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 3:18 PM.