Why Kiernan Shipka Says HBO’s ‘Industry’ ‘Gets Away’ With One Of Its Most Shocking Scenes

Kiernan Shipka believes the creators of “Industry” have landed on a unique approach to making the series, one that enables them to push boundaries in ways that few other shows can.

The actress joined the HBO program in Season 4 as Hayley Clay.

Hayley works as an executive assistant at Tender, a fintech startup central to the season’s plot. Her arrival sets the stage for one of the show’s most talked-about scenes to date.

Just three episodes into her character arc in “Industry,” Kiernan Shipka’s Hayley has already found herself at the center of one of the show’s most discussed moments so far.

The scene sees Hayley drawn into an intimate situation with Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington) at the encouragement of his wife, Yasmin (Marisa Abela). The dynamic then shifts dramatically when Yasmin becomes directly involved.

Speaking to Variety, Shipka explained that to her, the moment was less about shock value than how the three characters’ distinct journeys were brought together in one scene.

“What I think is so interesting about that scene is that everybody’s got this wildly different emotional arc,” she said. “You’re doing something together, but everyone is on kind of their own journey.”

The scene itself is so graphic that Shipka acknowledged it was always likely to spark conversation among viewers.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the former “Mad Men” star said she had anticipated the reaction. “I looked at that scene and went, ‘Yeah, that’s going to get people talking,’” she said.

Still, Shipka believes the difference lies in how “Industry” approaches its most provocative moments.

In her conversation with Variety, the actress revealed that the creators rely on careful framing.

“The show, for lack of a better term, gets away with this stuff as it’s done in such a careful, tasteful manner,” Shipka explained. “I feel like we’re in such good hands.”

While Shipka demonstrates a lot of trust in the team behind “Industry,” that has not stopped her jaw from dropping a few times when first reading certain scenes.

“The amount of stuff that I read and went, ‘Oh, I guess I’m saying that!’” she admitted.

The award-winning actor explained that this was a new experience for her as a performer. “I’ve never been on a show where I’ve read the scene, and then in real time gone, ‘Oh, wait, no, no, I’m actually doing that,’” Shipka said.

She credited the series creators for having a clear vision. “It’s really testament to Mickey [Down] and Konrad [Lay] knowing exactly what kind of show they wanted to make," she said.

One positive that Shipka hopes will come out of the controversial moment is a change in how audiences perceive her acting career.

Shipka, who has been performing in the public eye since childhood, said she is keenly aware of the expectations that still follow her today.

“I’m 26 now, but people have known me since I was 6. And I’m very aware of what kind of weight that holds,” Shipka told Variety.

She added that taking on such “risky” material can help reshape those long-held impressions. “It can also be something that challenges someone’s perspectives of me as a performer,” Shipka explained.

Shipka says it was Hayley Clay’s mysteriousness that immediately drew her to the role in “Industry.”

Speaking to Cosmopolitan, she explained that she is constantly discovering new layers of her character, which in turn makes Hayley an especially compelling part to play.

“Every scene I read that she was in, there always seemed to be some kind of reveal,” Shipka said.

Despite an already extensive résumé, Shipka also recalled noticing a change in how people reacted when she mentioned joining the show. “I could feel the energy shift around me,” Shipka recalled. “It has a weight to it.”