All hidden truths come to light in Hulu’s epic adaptation of The period melodrama, named after the titular Caribbean dessert, bakes a culturally rich tale of adversity, survival, and perseverance into one gripping mystery that unravels one family after the loss of their matriarch. 

“Black Cake,” set in the 1960s and present day, follows the story of Coventina “Covey” Lyncook (Mia Isaac), an Afro-Chinese Caribbean girl and runaway bride who flees her hometown in Jamaica after her husband’s murder. Though Covey attempts a fresh start in Europe under a new identity, Eleanor Bennett, misfortune and tragedy soon find her. Decades later, after losing a cancer battle, older Covey (Chipo Chung) leaves behind a collection of audio recordings for her kids (Ashley Thomas and Adrienne Warren) that reveal the untold secrets of her past — and present — detailing her journey from the Caribbean to America. 

Ahead of “Black Cake”’s finale, BET.com spoke to series star Mia Isaac about filming her Hulu drama, its powerful storytelling elements, the emotional toll of her leading role, and much more.

BET.com: Were you familiar with the book “Black Cake” before you got cast in the show?

Isaac: No, I wasn't. I got the audition and immediately went to Target and bought the book. Because I read the breakdown, I was like, I can't audition for this and not have at least read the first chapter. 

BET.com: I heard casting for “Black Cake” was quite difficult because they wanted to nail the authenticity of accents and the different periods. What was your audition process like?

Isaac: So my audition process was over the course of like three months. I auditioned with thousands of other girls, and it was just back-to-back Zooms, callbacks, and chemistry reads. It was really high stakes. And I remember there were a few weeks in between each callback, and I kept thinking, “Oh, they're not gonna call me back this time,” or “Oh, I must have done a really bad job because they're not saying anything.” Then I remember when I did the final chemistry read, I was like, I have a really good feeling about this. And then MJ [Marissa Jo Cerar], the showrunner, called me the next day and asked me if I wanted to play Covey, so it was really cool.

BET.com: You did an incredible job portraying Covey and her story in the series. I wonder what conversations you and Marissa Jo Cerar had when it came to molding this character.

Isaac: I think that the character was kind of already created by Charmaine, the author of the book, and that's where I drew everything from. It was a little bit hard to communicate just because I didn't get to meet anyone until we landed in Jamaica and started shooting. I wish we had gotten more time to talk and curate the character, but it was definitely like, go, go, go [on set], so it was all on the spot. 

BET.com: What was it like working with the cast and crew during filming?

Isaac: Oh, filming was great. I moved to two different countries. We shot in Jamaica for two months, then in Wales for five months, and it was just so surreal. I couldn't believe that I was where I was; that I got to be in Jamaica, in the ocean surfing, or in the mountains and the jungle. 

BET.com: Did you learn how to surf for this role?

Isaac: I did. I learned how to surf. I didn't know how to surf before, but I learned in two days with our amazing stunt coordinator. I almost broke my skull, but it was really fun. 

BET.com: So many people can relate to different parts of “Black Cake,” especially the family aspects. Is there any part of Covey’s journey you felt particularly drawn to?

Isaac: I mean, the whole thing really. I read the book with my parents, and I remember seeing both my Chinese side and Caribbean side represented, and I had never seen that before. It was really cool. It touched my mom and dad and resonated with all three of us. There are so many different cultural themes and family things that we can relate to, and it just feels like it's our story. So it was really cool to watch it with them when it finally came out.

BET.com: The show also explores a lot of heavy topics like identity, race and heritage, trauma, grief, and so much more. Can you speak to the emotional toll this role took on you?

Isaac: Yeah, it definitely took a toll on me. I was in a different country for five months, and I left my family behind. I was playing a character that had to go through some really traumatic things. You can say that it's just acting or that it's fake, but your body remembers it as being real. So when I shot some of those traumatic scenes, they would call cut, and my hands would be shaking, and I would have a panic attack or an anxiety attack just because it felt real and I didn't know how to tell my body that it wasn't. The production team was great, and we had a therapist on set and a support system, but it wasn't easy, that's for sure.

BET.com: When you finished filming, how did you release yourself from this role and the whole experience?

Isaac: Oh, I mean, the best thing about wrapping for me was going home and being with my family. I hadn't gotten to be with them in so long. I'm so close with my family; we have things that we do every night like eat dinner together, watch a movie, play games, etc., so just having that again was so special, and that's what helped me to decompress after everything. 

BET.com: Each “Black Cake” episode has a crazy plot twist or a shocking cliffhanger. Did anything in the show take you by surprise when you finally watched it back?

Isaac: I remember a lot of it from filming. But what really surprised me was the present-day stuff. It was episode five or six where we met Mabel. I loved that whole storyline 'cause I didn't get to see any of it [during filming]. Sonita [Henry], who plays Mabel, is so great, I just loved watching that episode.

BET.com: The show essentially demonstrates how we can use our past to heal our present and those around us. What do you feel is the most powerful part of this multigenerational tale?

Isaac: I thought that it was really powerful for the children to hear their family history and come together. That really resonated with me 'cause I haven't done that with my family, and that's something I probably should do: sit down with my grandparents or my parents and ask them about their life, any secrets they have, or my family history. 'Cause it's all of our history, and you think that you have all the time in the world to ask questions until you don't. 

BET.com: What can this show teach people about honoring our identities and embracing the things we go through, good or bad?

Isaac: The show is great because it highlights some great parts about being Caribbean or Chinese. For many Americans, you identify more with being American and feel less [connected] to your ancestry. So yeah, celebrate where you're from, your culture, your heritage, and remember where you come from.

BET.com: Is there room to continue “Black Cake” for another season?

Isaac: It would be great if there were a second season. I haven't heard anything yet, but that would be really cool to see what happens with the kids in the future and all that kind of stuff.

 Stream all episodes of “Black Cake” on Hulu now.