Molina: 'Thunder Road' symbolized Sam and Lilly in 'The Boroughs'
Alfred Molina, the veteran actor you might know from Spider-Man, recently got pretty emotional while performing Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road" in Netflix's sci-fi series The Boroughs.
He shared with PEOPLE that the song became much more than just a soundtrack: it symbolized the bond between his character Sam and Sam's wife Lilly (played by Jane Kaczmarek), adding real depth to their story.
Molina's emotional connection to the song
Molina said digging into the lyrics helped him connect with themes of love and escape: core parts of Sam and Lilly's journey.
In a key moment, Sam sings "Thunder Road" to help others escape, which left Molina teary-eyed.
He described the song as taking on "a real presence in my mind and in my life, in my heart really," in his heart, making it one of his most challenging performances.
'The Boroughs' streaming now on Netflix
Streaming now on Netflix, The Boroughs also stars Geena Davis and Bill Pullman.
Set in a sci-fi series set in a retirement community, it explores love, sacrifice, and survival, with Molina's character at the center as he faces tough choices alongside Lilly.