Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje talks 'Thor: The Dark World', Race in the Marvel Universe, more
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is one of the more versatile working actors today. His imposing 6'2" frame has served him well in roles as varied as TV work as Simon Adebisi in HBO's Oz, and film roles in The Mummy Returns and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. But the actor is perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Eko on ABC's Lost, a character that, even today, remains incredibly popular among the show's vibrant fan community.
However, Lost is all in the actor's past. For Akinnuoye-Agbaje, the future involves a knock-down, drag-out brawl with the Asgardian God of Thunder, naturally. In the upcoming blockbuster, Thor: The Dark World, Akinnuoye-Agbaje plays Algrim the Strong, a noble Dark Elf who is transformed into the monstrous Kurse, and tasked with destroying Thor.
I had the immense pleasure of discussing the role with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who went into great detail about the nobility and regality of his character, a good man slowly corrupted by an omnipotent being, Malekith the Accursed (Christopher Eccleston).
Credit: Marvel
So I wanted to talk a bit about how you became involved with the project?
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: Well, for me, it was quite a straightforward process. I'd had the opportunity to work with the director, Alan Taylor, before when I did a show called Oz. I had a character called Adebisi, and Alan was a director who directed many of the episodes. So our relationship began a decade ago, and we both had enjoyed that experience, and always vowed to work together again. And this was one of those opportunities where we could. So the process was quite simple. I was invited to play a character within the Marvel world -- actually two characters. And I gratefully accepted.
And how familiar were you with the character before you accepted the part?
I have to confess, I wasn't overly familiar with the Dark Elf, I was familiar with Kurse -- as a boy, actually. But I think part of the intrigue of coming on board was in reading the comics, and sitting down with Alan and discussing it, and trying to bring a fresh perspective to these alien kind of creatures and making them somewhat human -- to the point that both myself and Chris Eccleston spent quite a lot of time outside of working hours, perfecting the language, trying to find a tone and pitch that was similar -- because my baritone is a little deeper than his -- so we tried to find a pitch that we felt represented their race. Even from movement, and signs and signals they would have. How would such a race, an alien people, act? We just didn't want to assume. So that was a lot of fun, the discovery aspect of who these creatures or characters were.
Credit: Marvel
So who is Algrim? And how does he fit into this story, in his role as a villain?
Well, basically, I've never really looked at these characters as bad guys. I always look at what their agenda is, and I use that to inform not only the character but their choices. So these are a race of aliens who were scorned, who were victims, whose race and planet and life have been as nomads. But fortunate for them ... there was a time where the constellations were aligned that they could reappear and make another claim for their lives and population. Algrim -- he's a fiercely loyal and noble, "by any means necessary" sort of lieutenant, and he's fiercely loyal to his boss -- who is Malekith -- to the point that he will die trying to accomplish whatever end they perceive. He's the kind of character that always sees the bigger picture, and is prepared to lay his life down for that big picture. I thought he was a very noble and stately kind of character. What I tried to do with [Algrim] was maintain his loyalty and nobility, even in his transformation as Kurse, because we know that there's this sacrifice. We know that once Algrim transforms himself into this element of darkness, into this force of darkness to achieve [his and Malekith's] goal, he can never return to who he was again. So there is that sacrifice, but what we tried to do was keep an element of Algrim within Kurse, from the choice to maintain his blue eyes, and to have him still speaking with traces of Algrim. So all of that was very fun to convey.
And on that pand rocess, speaking of the blue eyes, what was the makeup and costume process like? Did they hurt to wear?
Yes, it was quite a challenge, the process. For Algrim, it took anywhere from two and a half to three hours to really suit up, from the wigs, prosthetics, and contacts and the outfit. For Kurse, it was about an hour and a half, two hours. Often I played two characters in the same day, so we're looking at five hours just getting into makeup, and then another three getting out of it. So it was definitely a labor of love. But I think the ultimate reward was how you looked. I mean, I've never looked like that in any character on-screen, and I think they were quite pioneering, particularly Algrim. I don't think we've ever seen a character look like that -- with that type of blonde hair, blue eyes, pointy ears -- I mean, I just think it's a very brave choice for the Marvel world to have a black Dark Elf. It was very very exciting. But yes, the Kurse suit was quite cumbersome. It weighed about thirty pounds on my back, and you know, it definitely aided in the performance. When you see him trudging and moving through like some sort of menacing, rock-like character, it wasn't simply my brilliant acting that was conveying that, it was the weight of the costume as well. [Laughs] And it all just adds to the performance. There was no doubt that it was a challenge, but one that I relish. That's just the labor of love, that's why you do these things. You've just got to go there to make it look great.
The costume is pretty striking, and I'm wondering just in terms of the on-screen look, how much of it is you and how much of it is the visual effects? Did they enhance your look in the costume in any way? Or is it mostly just you in there?
Everything you see is me. Apart from lifting up that boulder. [Laughs] The actual creature was the outfit, and I was very surprised, and quite happy, about that. I think that's what creates the animalistic-like feel, because it is a human being inside it. But yeah, that was me, man. It was me picking up the people, me smashing through the force field, and then fighting Thor. That was us going toe-to-toe in Iceland in minus twenty degrees.
Oh man...
I think that was the one place where I was very happy to be wearing the outfit, because it was very, very hot inside there with the glue and the sweat, but in Iceland, it kept me warm.
You must have cut a pretty intimidating figure.
[Laughs] You know, Tom Hiddleston had remarked he'd never been so terrified than when I stepped in front of him to do our scene where we meet for the first time. And my whole M.O. was, "If I'm playing this creature, every take that I'm going to do, I am going to scare the life out of people. I'm going to put the fear of this creature into it. I'm not just going to rely on the suit to do his job." And he had said he was terrified, and that was my job. To really bring that presence any time we saw him, or could sense that he was coming, so that people are gripped with fear.
Credit: Marvel
What kind of training did you do to prepare for the role?
Well, I mean, you have to be very physical to be able to carry a thirty-pound weight anyway, and then during the fight sequences. Just apart from working out in the gym, I had to do an awful lot of stretching and calisthenics just because you need to be very agile in that suit, because you're going to be in it for hours. And it's so heavy that it will bend your back, so I did a lot of back exercises to keep my back straight so that when I put the suit on, I was still straight. Because, you know, the rubber will tend to pull you. Gravity kind of pulls you down, and I didn't want to just slouch. So it took a lot of back work with weights to make sure that I could carry that weight. It was mostly just a lot of stretching and calisthenics, and quite a bit of weights and squats, so that you could still see the power in the gait when you saw me.
And did you suffer any injuries as a result of the role?
No, fortunately. I was fine with it. The preparation and the exercise was very significant in that you cannot take it for granted, you don't want a pulled hamstring or anything like that while carrying that weight for hours. I think probably one of the trickier parts was getting used to the contact lenses because they impair your vision, so you really can't see where you're going or what you're doing. I think those were probably the most challenging element of either costume, Algrim or Kurse. But no injuries were sustained! So I was very glad to see that.
And would you be interested in returning for future action blockbusters or do you prefer less physical roles?
I like the diversity of roles, but the opportunity to play these characters is a lot of fun, and I love the physicality of them. I just played a gladiator, the champion gladiator of Pompeii in the upcoming movie Pompeii, and it was extremely physical. I had to lose thirty-five pounds for the role, and we trained for a whole month, and it was grueling, it was like a regimen. But again, me, as an actor, that's what I relish. I love investing myself in the part and the characters, and just bringing that in front of the camera for the audience. So definitely, I'd love to play more, but I'd probably still diversify it with smaller films, like Mister and Pete that I did, which is out this October. Or Annie, that I'm filming at the moment, which is more of a musical and lighthearted. I think if you're hungry as an actor, you can still switch it up and be diverse.
And what are some of your favorite action movies? Did any of those influence your approach to the role?
Well, honestly, I have to admit that I love the Marvel installments. I loved the first Thor, I loved Iron Man. You know, Marvel has sort of reinvented superhero movies, since they were so great at bringing humor to them, and making [the heroes] almost human as well as superhuman. So I loved that world they created, and I was excited to be a part of that, since that was always something I'd liked. I also loved the sort of supernatural movies that have a thriller base, those are interesting. From The Matrix, things like that, that there's action and everything contained, but there's also a real arc and a mystic quality to it as well. From action movies like The Bourne Identity, which is a more real, authentic-based kind of action movie. I love both of those types. But I think having looked at the world Marvel created with The Avengers and Iron Man -- I think that, if anything, those would have inspired me about the scope of the world that we were about to go into, with regard to Thor: The Dark World. That probably influenced me more than anything.
Credit: Marvel
How is Algrim different from characters you've played in the past?
I don't think I've ever looked as striking or intriguing as Algrim. I mean, here's a character who's a Dark Elf, and I thought it was very courageous of Marvel to make one of the Elves black. I mean, you've got blonde hair, you've got blue eyes, you've got pointed ears, but you still have this regal nobility in this outfit that he's wearing that was created by Wendy Partridge, who's just a phenomenal costume designer. So that's one of the main differences, just how striking he looked. But I think, also, the language. You know, that's always exciting. To create this otherworldly being -- whether it be an individual or alien -- is something that intrigues me. Speaking Elvish was quite a complex language, and it's probably one of the most distinguishing elements that are different from what I've played before.
And what are you most excited for fans to see in this movie?
Oh, man! [Laughs] I mean, just witnessing the arc -- there's a real nobility in his character. Here is an alien who has almost human-like qualities, and there's a real brotherhood between him and his boss, Malekith. But I'm most looking forward to the audience seeing this transformation, and what he becomes, and what he's able to do. I mean, there is some serious, serious throwdown between him and Thor. You're going to see a battle that is worthy of this world.
Well I'm definitely excited to see it.
I think you'll like it. It far exceeded my expectations. It's truly a spectacle for the audience, no matter what gender or race or age. This is a real moviegoing experience.
Big fan of the first one, so pretty excited overall. Thanks for talking to me today!
You're welcome, mate. And thanks for doing the research! Enjoy the movie.
Thor: The Dark World releases on November 8.