Judith Light Says She's 'Amazed' by 'Before's' De-Aging Effects (Exclusive)

Using special effects to age actors is a risky endeavor, but for Billy Crystal and Judith Light in their new series Before, the effort was worth it.

The supernatural drama on Apple TV+, premiering Friday, October 25, centers on Eli (Crystal), a child psychologist who loses his wife Lynn (Light) and meets Noah (Jacobi Jupe), a “troubled little boy ” with a “haunting connection.” ” about Eli’s past, the synopsis says. As Eli comes to terms with the “mysterious connection” between him and Noah, he also remembers moments from his decades-long relationship with Lynn.

Instead of casting younger actors for the roles of Crystal (76) and Light (75) in flashbacks, Before Anti-aging technology was used on both actors.

“They did a test with him (Billy) and showed me this first, and I said, 'Billy, will this work?'” Light tells PEOPLE. “Because we were friends before and I was like, 'Honey, what are we?' do?' … We didn't want to bring in younger actors because that often upsets people. It's like, 'Wait a minute.' What is that?' And we didn’t want people to be thrown out of the story at such a pivotal moment, when they meet for the first time and you realize that these people are soulmates.”

“He's just showing me himself, and I was completely amazed,” she continues, adding, “I saw the two of us together and thought, 'This is really amazing.' It's truly breathtaking.''

While Lynn has plenty of dark moments on screen, Light explains that it wasn't difficult to draw on her considerable skills as an actress to make those moments compelling.

“It wasn't hard at all, and I didn't have to reach in and pull anything out and do what you often call substitutions when you're acting out of your own life,” she explains. “Once you believe it and it's real and you have a partner that you work with and they believe it and it's real, something magical happens. Something is changing. You don’t think about it in your head.”

By portraying Lynn, who according to the trailer is unwell, Light was able to easily and comfortably understand her character's complicated journey.

“What does it tell you that someone isn’t feeling well? What happens? What happens to the body? What's broken? It wasn’t difficult at all and Billy was so supportive and so incredible,” says Light.

While Light reflects fondly on the project – “It was the most collaborative experience,” she says – she is particularly proud of Crystal.

“He has nothing tilt Do… That's what he did Mr. Saturday evening (A new musical comedy), where he sings and does eight shows a week,” she says of his Broadway appearance in 2022. “And I know he's done dramatic work before. … I don't think Billy says, 'Oh yeah, that is the comedy guy.' He's this incredibly versatile artist who is my friend. I knew that somewhere substance that he would contribute.”

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Before Premieres Friday, October 25 on Apple TV+.