‘Sugar’ Actress Kirby on the Only Album She Really Needs

When Kirby accepted the role of Ruby — a Bondish M-meets-Q foil to a Los Angeles private detective played by Colin Farrell — in the Apple TV+ series “Sugar,” she found herself among kindred spirits.

“All of us sort of bounce,” she said about the ability of her co-stars Farrell and Amy Ryan to move seamlessly between drama and comedy. “As an actor, you are always looking to engage your audience and excite them, but at the same time, you want to feel excited by the material yourself. For me, it comes from the richness of being able to dip my toe in many worlds.”

Kirby’s own bouncing has taken her to TV shows like “Killing Eve,” “Barry” and “The Sandman.” She stars as a commercial cleaner in her latest film project, “We Strangers,” an observation on assimilation, code switching and belonging in Gary, Ind.

“That is sort of my pride and joy, I think the best piece of work I’ve done,” she said.

In a video call from Los Angeles, Kirby (who last year dropped her surnames Howell-Baptiste) explained why Doc Martens, a Starbucks cup and Solange’s “A Seat at the Table” made her list of cultural necessities. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

1

D.I.Y. Massage Therapy With Lacrosse Balls

My new best friend. The lacrosse ball is basically a Thai massage that you can take around with you everywhere. Super easy, but it’s fantastic. I just roll it around on my back or my foot. It’s instant pain relief.

2

Fly by Jing Sauces

They’re these incredible Chinese sauces by this chef called Jing. You can put them on everything and anything — from boiled eggs to ramen noodles. I buy these sprouted peanuts from the farmers’ market. And then I just chop up some shallots, do some black sesame seed and mix the Fly by Jing sauce in. It is truly a winner.