So is it true that Sony loved your dailies so much on Bullet Train that they approached you about Kraven the Hunter?
That’s what I hear!
That’s pretty cool.
Yeah, I feel very fortunate. It’s one of those magical and rare moments where the stars align from just doing your job the best you can. I was turning up to work and just loving everything. And then someone else further up the totem pole was looking down and noticing the hard work and what I was trying to achieve. So it’s always really lovely when that happens, but it doesn’t happen very often, if at all. In this case, there was stuff coming out of the rushes, and then I got a call, saying, “We’re thinking of you for this thing.” That’s when they put me in touch with J.C. Chandor, the director, and Matt Tolmach, the producer, and we all hit it off. So I’m very blessed that Kraven was the next project, and to be with the same studio, Sony, was really wonderful.
You don’t strike me as an actor who likes to repeat himself, so is it fair to say that Kraven is a whole new ballgame compared to Dave Lizewski (Kick-Ass) and Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver)?
Absolutely. Like you said, I’m not here to play the same character twice. I, as a person, am naturally changing and evolving. New things inspire me, and you grow as a person. So I can only move forward and play things I haven’t done before. I like a challenge, and I like to step outside of my comfort zone, often. It’s more interesting to go from an indie to a blockbuster or whatever it may be. Some people like to go on holiday to the same place every year, but I like to explore different places. So there’s a lot that really excited me about the character of Kraven. Sometimes, these roles come about, and you have to truly believe in the character. You’re going to be in that skin for a while, and you have to believe in what you’re saying. So there was a lot about Kraven that I really loved, and I’m excited to share it at some point.
It’s interesting how you shot Bullet Train almost entirely on a soundstage, only to then shoot Kraven the Hunter entirely on location.
Kraven being shot entirely on location is going to make all the difference. It’s going to add something really beautiful to our personal story. It also sets Kravenapart from that Marvel stage look. It’s important for this character to be in the real world. It’s important for the authenticity of the story. When you’re running on streets barefoot, you take in those elements and play within that.
