Michelle Monaghan Reflects on ‘Highlight’ Moment Filming Bad Monkey’s Iconic Manatee Scene
As the thrilling crime drama Bad Monkey approaches its finale on Apple TV+, Hollywood star Michelle Monaghan has opened up about her most cherished filming moment. The show, featuring Vince Vaughn as the sardonic former detective Andrew Yancy, concludes this Wednesday, promising fans a climactic end after ten gripping episodes. Viewers are eager to see if Yancy and Rosa (played by Natalie Martinez) can finally take down the villains, Eve (Meredith Hagner) and Nick Stripling (Rob Delaney), without any more casualties.
Monaghan’s character, Bonnie Witt, previously made a daring escape with a prison guard, riding off into the sunset. With her fate still uncertain, fans are left wondering if she will make one final appearance before the series wraps up.
Speaking exclusively to The Express, Monaghan shared one of the standout experiences from filming that has left a lasting impact on her. This memorable moment, tied closely to the show’s environmental themes, showcased the stunning natural landscape of Florida. “The backdrop of Florida is this beautiful landscape,” she explained. “Some of it man-made, some of it the natural wonders of Florida.”
She emphasized how the show, based on Carl Hiaasen’s novel, integrates these elements seamlessly into its narrative. “Those are things that are really important to Carl Hiaasen, that these things co-exist, and they really do inform the narrative of the show in a lot of wonderful ways. I love the character of Florida in the show and how we lean into that, very subtly, into the environment and the preservation of the ecosystem. It’s really important in the show.”
One of the series’ standout scenes features Bonnie’s near-spiritual encounter with a manatee, a moment that has become iconic among Bad Monkey fans. Episode six captured this encounter, revealing Florida’s wildlife while giving Bonnie a moment of clarity about her past. For Monaghan, filming that scene was a career highlight.
“Getting to swim with that manatee was absolutely one of the highlights of my life,” she said. Monaghan described the unforgettable day they filmed at Crystal River, one of the few places where it’s possible to swim with manatees. “We got in the water before the sun came up, and we had these amazing guides that found a particular manatee that wanted to play and hang out. It was one of the most exhilarating, adrenaline-pumping experiences that I’ve had. These animals are huge. They’re the size of a couch!”
The encounter was not just about the thrill of the experience for Monaghan but also held deep significance for her character. “It’s this lovely moment that Bonnie has with this animal that allows for her to have this revelation about her life and the direction that it’s going,” she shared, highlighting the scene’s importance both on and off screen.