Note: This story contains spoilers for Episode 3 of Season 3 of “Indústria.”
like “industry” In this third season, Joel Kim Booster took the opportunity to appear as a guest on Sunday's episode. Especially since he was no longer available on the HBO financial drama when he was offered an interesting role.
Booster, also known as the executive producer and star of the 2022 film “Fire Island,” calls himself the show’s “evangelist” as he tries to attract more people to his loyal fanbase.
“This might be the first time I’ve been promoted to a show that I’m on and I really love,” Booster told TheWrap during an interview about his role. “I’m not in a specific place in my career where I have to look for parents. I didn’t try to find that and they were very encouraging because I enjoyed my work and thought about it, so I went for it.”
In episode 3, Booster is introduced as Frank Wade, an analyst who needs to post a buy/sell recommendation on Lumi stock over the weekend, when he finds himself with the Pierpoint team at the World Climate Conference. With Frank still a bit out of reach for Eric (Ken Leung), Rob (Harry Lauti) finds Frank in a bargaining position in the hotel's steam sauna. Rob takes the moment to ask Frank not to recommend a sell, or what Frank considers his desires to not seem like a faking of the work.
“There are some questionable things when someone says, ‘We immediately thought of you because of this,’ and that person is driving someone to the bathhouse or the steam room,” said Poster. “The Acho que minha brand is strong.”
Embora doesn't tease the audience exactly what happens between Rob and Frank in the steam sauna, and Booster says the event is “better left to the imagination.”
“We talked a lot about what we both know is going on… We have different ideas, but the end result is the same — everyone gets what they want with this change,” said Booster, adding that the boundaries are just confusing about what Rob assumes. “Conformity” may be Frank’s intent to positively recommend “buying” Lumi products.
“There is no point in any data necessarily indicating exactly what others want, and it is up to the public to decide whether there is any data they have received or what they want,” he said.
Despite whatever change occurred in the steam room, Lumi's controversial painting may have had a greater impact than Rob's, as Frank eventually published a “retention” in Lumi's works during the painting after a series of his works concurrent with your recommendations.
Embora Booster didn't want to reveal too much if Frank initially intended to recommend a “buy”, he may be more tangled up about his character at the end of this season and in Germany.
“I won’t be physically around for the rest of the season, but hopefully the door is open for me to come back,” said Booster. “It really depends on the kids (co-parents Mickey Down and Conrad Kay) and what they know. There will be room for that character again in the future, but I would love to come back at any time.”
Having starred in comedies like “Loot,” “The Other Two,” “Big Mouth,” and more, Booster says he loved being part of the dramatic and chaotic world of “Indústria,” noting that “there was a lot more going on down there. It gives a surface… It was really nice to be able to stretch some muscles.”
“This was probably the first time I played a character who was really in the position of power that he was in Indústria, and it was a new dynamic and very fun to play as an actor.”
But being immersed in the technical side of two investment banks was another story. “They taught me what I needed to know to get through dinner… but besides me, I couldn’t figure out what was going on in that program on the financial side,” he admitted.
As a point in “Industry,” Poster said that this is “for the dynamics of non-office psychosexual relationships, and so everything or more I trust is confirmed.”
If Booster returns in future episodes, he would like his character to come “face to face” with Harper (Myha'la) and Eric (Ken Leung), and not have the cast members like Myha'la and the rest of the cast, despite “being intimidated to go in and jump out of the ring with them.” Embora Booster had just shared dinner without dialogue with Leung, and working alongside him meant a lot to Booster after growing up helping with the cloth.
“I love Ken, I’ve loved Ken since I was a kid — he was one of two Asian men active in Hollywood, so I’ve admired him for a long time,” said Poster. “Working with him, like só um pouquinho … (and) just being able to hang out with him, was an amazing moment for me.”
“Indústria” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
