‘Industry’ Star Myha’la Breaks Down That “Shocking” Harper Strap On Scene: “This Is The Kind of Power She’s After, That She’s Been Chasing”

Industry has long been known as one of HBO‘s most scintillating shows, never shying away from sex, nudity, or shocking displays. The Industry Season 4 premiere hews close to this trend, giving us sex scenes, strip clubs, and a storyline focused on a payment app associated with popular porn sites.

However, the big, jaw-dropping nude scene in Industry Season 4 Episode 1 “The PayPal of Bukkake” has less to do with sex than it does with protagonist Harper Stern (Myha’la) coming into her power.

**Spoilers for Industry Season 4 Episode 1 “The PayPal of Bukkake,” now streaming on HBO Max**

Harper meets and goes home with Tender bigwig Whitney Halberstram (Max Minghella) in Industry Season 4 Episode 1 “The PayPal of Bukkake.” After the two consenting adults have sex, Whitney asks Harper for a favor. There’s something in his closet he wants her to wear, to do whatever she likes with. Harper discovers a strap on. Soon she is standing fully naked, save for the strap on.

Industry never shows the audience what Harper does with it in bed with Whitney, if she does anything else with it at all. Instead, we get a poignant scene where she is appraising herself in the mirror, the black rubber dildo resting in her hand.

“Yeah, I think it is as shocking for her as it is for the audience. She’s doesn’t imagine doing that. She doesn’t know what she’s about to do with it,” Industry star Myha’la told DECIDER. “But the thing that is arresting is how much power she feels physically.”

More important than anything going on between Harper and Whitney is what is going on between Harper and herself.

“Like, this is the kind of power she’s after, that she’s been chasing, that she sort of feels like she has now,” Myha’la said. “She’s got her fund at Otto Mostyn Management and she’s making money, she has employees, and she’s chasing this great trade.”

“This is like a physical representation. She can quite literally hold in her hand the weight of the power that she has and that she’s chasing. And also the metaphor of what she could do with it. It’s really just all about possibility.”

Myha’la was quick to add that the possibilities that Harper can now entertain aren’t all positive.

“Yeah, I mean, I think it’s also sort of a dangerous feeling, like I’m now wielding this weapon,” she laughed. “What I choose to do with it — and I choose. You know, he says, ‘Do what you want.’”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Complicated, kind of scary, definitely dangerous, but like, very, very cool and powerful and exciting for her, I think.”

It’s true, though. One of the main themes of Industry thus far has been tracking just how far its ambitious cast of characters will go to attain power. In Industry Season 4, Harper Stern wields that power. What will she do with it?

Industry Season 4 Episode 2 “The Commander and The Grey Lady” will come out Sunday, January 18 at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.