Exclusive: Ayelet Zurer Talks Daredevil: Born Again, Vanessa Fisk’s Evolution, and What’s Next
Ahead of the explosive finale of Daredevil: Born Again, we had the chance to sit down with the talented Ayelet Zurer. Recognized from numerous films and series, we focused on her compelling return as Vanessa Fisk—arguably the only person capable of disarming the fearsome Kingpin.
Vanessa’s arc has been anything but simple. From loss to power plays, every move she made had layers—and as the finale looms, it’s clear not everything is as it seems.
RELATED: Exclusive: Could Spider-Man and Elektra Appear in Daredevil: Born Again?
Ayelet shared her thoughts on Vanessa’s emotional reaction to the shocking death of Foggy Nelson in episode one, and the subtle, growing suggestion that Vanessa may have been more involved than we first realized. “It was heartbreaking,” she said, recalling the moment. “When you see it in the show and you understand the consequences… it was devastating to watch.”
Whether it’s misdirection or something deeper, Ayelet left just enough unsaid to keep us on edge. “I know what I’ve done,” she said cryptically, “and for the people who did watch it, they understand that it comes from love.”
Vanessa’s motivations this season are difficult to pin down—something Ayelet leaned into fully. “There’s something to say about the duality of where she is,” she explained. “She’s not really just holding on to power for power — I think power serves something else for her.”
We also touched on what it was like for her this time around filming more scenes with a broader cast of characters and how that shifted Vanessa’s perspective. “I had scenes without Fisk for the first time,” she noted. “So for me he was my world… I sort of grew into my power as well as a woman.”
Still, Vanessa’s bond with Fisk remains the emotional backbone of the show. “Vanessa does everything from love — so how can you hate her for that?” Ayelet asked. She spoke warmly about working with Vincent D’Onofrio again, adding, “The marriage therapy [scenes] were my most favorite… We see her pain as well as her complicated demeanor.”
Of course, we had to ask what she loves most about the Kingpin himself. Without missing a beat, she smiled: “I like when he laughs in the wrong places.”
And what’s next for Vanessa? Ayelet didn’t give anything away—but her conviction was clear. “I mean they will end up together,” she said. “There’s no way for these people not to end up together. It’s just not happening.”
Still, perhaps the biggest clue came when we asked how it felt to return to this world and this version of Vanessa. “It was shocking because at first it wasn’t meant to be, and then it was meant to be… I had a whole aha moment where I understood why and what Dario was doing for her.”
The final word? When speaking about Daredevil himself, Ayelet offered a glimpse into the show’s core question: “Can you fight your true nature? I think that’s his true nature… he’s good on the inside.”
And maybe that’s true of Vanessa Fisk, too.
Watch the interview here.
