Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Nicholas Hoult Talks about his Preparation For The Role And More!
What drew you to the role of Hank McCoy/ Beast?
"The fascinating part of the role for me was the chance to play Hank/Beast before and after his transformation. The combination of his intelligence and wit offset by his animalistic appearance was fun to play."
What did you think of the original Beast?
"I thought Kelsey Grammer did a fantastic job when he portrayed Beast, his charm and eloquence was something I wanted to try and emulate. However, in First Class I play Hank younger before becoming a politician, when he is a scientist and still learning about himself and his abilities. So I didn't want to try and just play a younger Kelsey but also bring something new to the role."
Are you an X-Men fan and if so, did you have a lot of source material to go thru or did you make up your own version of Beast?
"I am an X-Men fan, I grew up watching the cartoons and films. It was fantastic to have so much source material to draw from, I read lots of comics in the build up to filming to try and get the best sense of Hank."
Beast is my favorite comic book character. Did you feel any pressure to show his feral side, while keeping him as lovable as he is in the comics?
"There is pressure when playing a character who is so iconic and loved by fans, so you have to approach it with respect. Hank is urbane whilst being slightly shy of his mutations in this story, but then later on once the transformation to Beast has taken place he should still be charming but have a feral edge."
What type of preparation did you do for the role of Beast?
"In preparation for the role I watched lots of Frasier and listened to people who spoke with a similar accent to Kelsey, my dialect coach and I worked on creating something towards Kelsey's dialect but without being an imitation. I also did lots of fitness training as being in the Beast costume and make up could be very tiring and tough physically."
Will we get to see Beast in more of his iconic lab settings and sporting some Shakespearean quotes?
"Yes, you get to see Hank in his element in the lab. Some of the genius inventions he creates are shown, and also some of the not so successful ones."
How long does it take to get your makeup on?
"The make up took 4 hours to get on, during which time we would listen to music mostly, or if it was a very early call I sometimes fell asleep."
Did they do any CGI on your hands and feet prior to Beast going blue to make him seem more ape-like as in the comics and shows?
"Before the transformation Hank's feet are a CGI effect so I would wear a blue sock and then the larger ape like feet would be added in post production. I did wear shoes a few sizes larger so that in theory they would have fitted in."
Beast is a nasty combination of high intellect and brute strength. Which side is more evident in the movie, and which side do you relate to more?
"You get to see both the brute strength and intellect of Beast in this film. If I had to choose which one I related to most it would have to be the intellect as I certainly don't have anywhere near the strength and speed he possesses. Although, the same could be said for the intellect..."
http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Wolvie09/news/?a=32526
Spoiler Filled Character Bios
Charles Xavier: The young Oxford graduate, a powerful telepath who can read and control minds, had long wondered if there were others out there like him. When Charles finally meets some fellow mutants, he recruits them and harnesses their unique abilities to try and stop the greatest threat the world has ever known.
Magneto: As a young man, Lehnsherr discovered, under horrific circumstances, his power to control magnetism. Now, he is determined to exact revenge on the monstrous evil who 'created' him. Erik and Charles form a fast and fateful friendship, which is tested in a battle upon which rests the fate of mankind.
Mystique: A close friend to Charles Xavier, Raven is a metamorph or shape-shifter who can assume the form of any humanoid creature she chooses. The mutant teen works hard to lead a 'normal' life and hide her gifts, but the battle between Xavier's mutants and Shaw's forces leads her on a different path.
Beast: Hank is a brilliant scientist with only a few mutant features until a serum unexpectedly unlocks the superhuman Beast within.
Darwin: Through 'reactive evolution,' Darwin can adapt to any situation or environment. Plunged underwater, he grows gills; in the dead of night, he gains night vision.
Banshee: Banshee's unique sonic blasts carry him into flight. Like other young mutants, Banshee's powers reach their full potential only under Charles Xavier's patient tutelage, and in a battle that will have global consequences.
Azazel: A demonic figure, Azazel can teleport by opening a portal into another dimension. He is a key player in Sebastian Shaw's plans to make sure that mutants inherit the planet.
Riptide: Never far from the side of his leader, Sebastian Shaw, Riptide creates powerful whirlwinds that can demolish buildings and challenge even the most powerful mutants.
Havok: Alex can emit concentric rings of super-heated energy waves, causing his targets to burst into flame. The handsome, athletic mutant has difficulty with his impressive powers, until Charles Xavier teaches him how to harness them.
Angel Salvadore: The beautiful ex-dancer possesses a stunning tattoo of insect-like wings, which become actual wings growing from her back, giving her the gift of flight. Her arsenal is a deadly acid, which she projectile vomits in combat.
The Man In Black: The Man in Black, as his mysterious moniker suggests, works for a covert government agency whose mission is to guard, and when appropriate, exploit our most explosive secrets. He enlists the assistance of mutants - and finds himself at the vortex of a battle that will determine the fate of humankind.
Moira MacTaggert: A female CIA agent in the 1960s - a time when female operatives were very few in number. After Moira becomes among the first humans to witness the powers of mutants, she tracks down Charles Xavier, who helps Moira convince her superiors of the existence of mutants and the notion of working with them for the greater good.
Sebastian Shaw: Shaw, a force of incalculable evil, was a Nazi collaborator whose early research forever altered the life of a young Erik Lensherr. Shaw can absorb energy and re-channel it, and he will stop at nothing to start a war to ensure that mutants inherit the earth.
Emma Frost: Emma, a platinum haired beauty and close ally of Sebastian Shaw, is a telepath who possess a diamond-like skin that is indestructible. Like Charles Xavier, she can project her thoughts and will into another's mind.
http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/joshw24/news/?a=32470
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Edi Gathegi Talks Darwin
Could you talk about the character of Darwin, from a dispositional angle?
My character’s mutant ability is reactive adaptation. For instance if I fall from a building my bones turn to rubber. Or if the lights go out I have perfect vision in the pitch black. Or if I happen to get catapulted into outer space, my body no longer requires oxygen. That sort of thing. And the list is as extensive as the need to survive.
You passed from a "franchise" as Twilight to another one, even more famous, as X-Men. What's your impression about it?http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Dustin03Comics/news/?a=32418
Well those who know me know that I was a major X-Men fan as a youth. I'd wake up every Saturday morning with my bowl of cereal glued to the tv screen enjoying my favorite comic brought to life as a cartoon. So you can imagine my sense of joy when I was asked to be apart of the live action version. Really it’s just living out a childhood dream. Not to mention it’s a super cool movie.
Is there any difference between the movie character of Darwin and that one we knew in the comics?
You'll just have to wait and see.
Did you make massive use of visual effects and CGI as far as Darwin's powers?
And what about his make-up? Is it on the same level as the make-up of characters like Mystique and the Beast or pretty less?
Darwin is more or less a regular guy. And by that I mean he isn't painted blue or anything. So visual effects are specifically relegated to my use of powers not for my overall look. Makeup was virtually non-existent.
Which are the main differences for you about the story's tone, the characters portrait, etc., by comparing this movie to the previous X-Men trilogy and the other prequel about Wolverine?
You trying to get me killed? Let's just say I think the fans have been waiting for this film even if they don't know it yet. It’s being handled well by the creative powers that be. For instance it’s a dope script. And Vaughn is not a joke - he got game. And McAvoy ... He's on some next level acting. He's a beast. No pun intended.
How has been working with director Matthew Vaughn? What was your impression during the production?
Up against the ropes time wise Vaughn had his work cut out for him. But he knows what he wants. He has a good eye. And he's got a very interesting competitive spirit. I don't think he would even allow himself to not make a great movie. And personally, he is a hilarious guy. I like him.
What can you say about the other members of the cast?
Great cast all the way around. Lucinda, Zoe, Roger and Jeremy did a fantastic job casting this project. Kudos to them. And I'm probably the most excited to see Kevin Bacon in action. He's really cool in this film. Really cool.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Bryan Singer Answers Questions
Bryan Singer Answers Questions on Facebook.
Q: If you were a mutant what kind of power would u want to have and why?
A: I would like the power of Nightcrawler or Azazel; the ability to teleport anywhere.
Q: Who is your favorite x-men character and why?
A: Professor X because he is both powerful and vulnerable.
Q: Was there a character from the old comics you would love to have seen in this movie that hasn't been in previous movies, and was not able to be put into this movie?
A:Quicksilver.
Q: What made you choose Emma Frost to play a part in "X-Men: First Class"? Overall, what do you think of her character in the movie?
A: You can't have the Hellfire Club without Emma Frost. She is sexy and scary.
Q: Does this movie fall in the category of prequel, reboot or bit of both? Nevertheless, I'm very open-minded for this movie! =)
A: Prequel
Q: What are your plans for the X-Men franchise after First Class?
A: I am just focusing on this one at the moment.
Q: Is there less pressure producing this film as opposed to directing it (like X-Men 1 and 2), or are the pressures just different - with different things expected from you?
A: I can absolutely say from my standpoint that there is less pressure. There is no position with more pressure than directing. Hats off to Matthew.
Q: What was the deciding factor on changing the origin story of the X-Men instead of going with the comic book?
A: I felt that to earn the First Class title, it was important to go back to the formation of the X-Men and the beginnings of Xavier and Magneto's relationship.
Q: What about this period in history intrigued you?
A: It is a time of socio-political upheaval in the world. The height of the cold war period. The birth of the civil rights movement. And the birth time of the X-Men comic book.
Q: Was it a conscious decision by the team to pick and choose which parts of previous movies would be canon to this movie? (White Queen already appearing in other movies, etc.)
A: We did our best to maintain continuity with the other films. But as sometimes happens for the sake of telling the most compelling story possible, we made a few concessions.
http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Dustin03Comics/news/?a=32017
Rose Byrne Explains Moira MacTaggert's CIA Connection
Rose Byrne spoke MTV News.
"She works for the CIA in this prequel and gets involved in the whole mutant community as it were,"
"I'm on [the mutants'] side, so that's the main thing," she explained. "She kind of joins forces with [Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr] to use mutants for good rather than evil."
"She really believes in them being able to coexist with humans," she added.
http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/03/15/x-men-first-class-rose-byrne-moira-mactaggert/
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