'The Lowdown' Star Reflects on Francis and Lee's Relationship
Ryan Kiera Armstrong opened up about the complex father-daughter bond between her character, Francis, and Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke) after the finale of The Lowdown Season 1, Episode 8, titled “The Sensitive Kind.”
The season concluded with Lee solving the mystery behind Dale Washberg’s (Tim Blake Nelson) death, but also confronting the truth that his job endangers his daughter — both physically and emotionally.
“I don’t think that she realized how big it was,” Armstrong said, referring to Francis’ perception of danger.
“I also think that she’s really intelligent for her age, and so I think that she knew something was up.”
Throughout the season, Francis faced several close calls, underscoring her father’s internal struggle between truth-seeking and protecting his child. One particularly poignant moment was when Francis performed a poem at an open-mic, expressing her pain over her parents’ separation and her father’s frequent absence.
“I read it, and at first I was really moved, and then the next thought was I have to make it really good,” Armstrong recalled. “It was also my last day on set, so I was like, I can’t regret anything, it has to be perfect.”
Author’s Summary
Ryan Kiera Armstrong reflects on the emotional finale of The Lowdown Season 1, sharing how her character’s bond with her father exposes both love and vulnerability amid life’s darker truths.