I’ve had the privilege of working with some truly remarkable actors and characters throughout my career, but none have challenged me quite like Homelander. His complexities are a labyrinth, a tangled web of fear, power, anger, and confusion that I’ve spent countless hours trying to untangle.
I’m an experienced journalist with a background in investigative reporting, and I’ve covered my fair share of high-profile stories. Before diving into the latest episode of “The Boys” season four finale, “Assassination Run,” which premiered on July 18th on Prime Video, I had the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with some of the key figures involved. This interview took place prior to the attempted assassination scene in Pennsylvania that left many viewers shocked and on the edge of their seats. While I can’t reveal too much about the conversation we had, I can assure you it provided valuable insights into the world of “The Boys” and the motivations behind certain actions.
Antony Starr frequently refers to Homelander, the ruthless superhero character he breathes life into in “The Boys,” as “Homie.” This affectionate nickname contrasts with the show’s intent, as Homelander is portrayed as a villainous counterpart to Donald Trump by showrunner Eric Kripke. Throughout earlier seasons, we have seen Homelander working with Nazis and allowing an airplane filled with people to crash. In this season, he brutally retaliates against one of his childhood tormentors by amputating his penis and incites the superheroes under his control to brutally murder a man.
In a certain instance, Starr pauses and corrects himself from calling Homelander endearingly as “poor old Homie.” He clarifies that the extensive portrayal of Homelander’s traumatic childhood at Vought’s lab is not intended to evoke empathy towards the supervillain. Starr’s captivating acting in “The Boys” lies in his ability to convey both the character’s most disturbing moments, such as savoring blood on his lips after dismembering a useless supe, and his quiet moments of sadness, like during his introspective contemplation over a jar filled with white pubic hairs he’s been gathering throughout the season. Although “The Boys” may not intend for viewers to feel sympathy for Homelander due to his villainous role and association with polarizing political figures, Starr manages to bring depth and complexity to this multifaceted character, creating a paradoxical emotional connection between the audience and Homelander.
Last week, before the unfortunate shooting at a Trump campaign rally, Starr acknowledged the similarities between himself and the 45th president during our conversation. However, he is quick to clarify that he does not claim these resemblances. “I’m simply one of the players,” Starr explains, dressed in a Rage Against the Machine T-shirt and thick black glasses for our interview. “Do I have political views? Absolutely. But as an actor on this show, it’s not my role to express them. My job is to bring the character to life honestly.” With a character as unstable as his, Starr admits, it’s quite a challenge.
I was merely an onlooker, silent in the wings. The scene seemed poised to show Calhoun stepping forward, but deep down, I knew better. Homelander’s self-importance would not allow for a mere puppet to take center stage. As if on cue, I whispered to Eric, “Mate, it’s classic Homelander to muscle his way in and declare his plans.” Eric brilliantly captured the essence of that moment not through words, but through actions – the assertion, the interruption, and the displacement of Calhoun.
In the second act of this story, our heroes seem to be at their lowest point, facing defeat. I wanted to emphasize that Homelander, the antagonist, appears to have emerged victorious. This sets the stage for The Boys’ comeback and their ongoing battle in season five. Essentially, we’re dealing with a group of anti-heroes determined to thwart evil—think of them as the Rebellion in Star Wars.
The evil Empire?
Right. They’re trying to take down the empire.
As I donned my Rage Against theMachine t-shirt before settling into my seat for tonight’s screening, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the show and the iconic band. Both are unapologetic in their defiance against the powers that be. The finger raised in protest, a symbol of resistance against Vought, the Establishment, and the status quo, is reminiscent of the band’s iconic one-finger salute. It’s clear that this production shares the same spirit of rebellion as Rage Against the Machine.
From a devoted fan’s perspective, that pivotal moment signifies progress for Homelander. After all, he was on the brink of despair, wallowing in the ruins of what seemed like an utter failure. If Sage hadn’t appeared and given him a new perspective, I believe his subsequent actions could have led to destruction. But she intervened with her reassuring words, “Nope, it’s all part of the plan. We won.”
I recalled Eric mentioning that they write about things that scare or anger them during the fourth season. For me, it wasn’t so much anger but more introspection. At 48 years old, I found myself pondering my past, present, and future, with mortality being a significant theme. I wondered if we could incorporate these feelings into the show. However, I realized that wasn’t my decision to make.
As an actor who has had the privilege of bringing Homelander to life, I’ve often found myself grappling with the complexities of this character. Eric’s perspective that the show has always been about Trump is undeniable, but my intention was never to portray him as a mustache-twirling villain. Instead, I saw him as a deeply troubled individual with a complicated backstory.
Homelander, like many people, presents different facets of himself in various circumstances. He has been carefully crafted into a public figure by Vought, but beneath that image lies a complex and insecure individual. The contrast between his public persona and private self is intriguing, and the show offers glimpses into his personal life to explore this dynamic further.
In my opinion, Eric seemed to resemble Trump more than I did when it came to interpreting the character. I concur with this assessment. However, I aimed to develop him into a fully-realized character without straying from his role as the antagonist. It’s puzzling how some viewers have idealized him and viewed him as a leader for their own causes, which is somewhat disconcerting. Nevertheless, I believe they will come to understand this season that he is not.
I personally don’t take on the political commentary present in Homelander from the series as I don’t write the scripts. My role is to show up and bring my creativity to the material given to me. I believe in the idea that “Republicans buy sneakers too.” I don’t want to isolate any group of viewers, and Antony Starr as an artist has a broad audience. In today’s politically charged climate, there are many people on both sides who feel apprehensive.
As a movie buff, I’ve noticed that fear is fueling a lot of the conversations we’re having these days. Instead of shouting at each other or forcing our opinions down one another’s throats, wouldn’t it be great if we could all take a moment to understand why people hold the beliefs they do? I truly believe that there’s more common ground between us than we realize, and many feel neglected and long for someone who brings them hope, even if it comes in the form of false promises. The truth has unfortunately become a rare commodity in our era of “alternative facts.” When someone assures us they will improve our lives and we’ve grown disillusioned, it’s natural to be drawn towards their message.
In relation to the program, I assume a role and portray a character on screen which isn’t an accurate reflection of my true self or beliefs. Once I remove my costume at the end of each day, I keep it confined to the set. I’ve been fortunate to experience great kindness from this nation, being a non-native myself. Consequently, I can adopt a more impartial perspective and observe many individuals who yearn for transformation and cling to their chosen leaders. It’s simple to vilify the opposition, but that’s not an approach I wish to take. Instead, I urge everyone to engage in the democratic process they possess, as not every nation offers such liberties. Essentially, your vote reflects your personal values; what kind of country do you prefer to inhabit?
Homelander frequently appears alongside female characters: Madelyn Stillwell, Queen Maeve, Firecracker, and Sister Sage. I’m intrigued by how having a female partner influences this character who seems to dislike women.
I often find myself in a position where I don’t have definitive answers as a writer when it comes to this particular character. Instead, I prefer to pose questions and invite the readers to ponder or form their own opinions. As someone who has lived through many complex situations in life, I believe that this approach adds intrigue and depth to the narrative. By keeping some aspects of the character open-ended, we as an audience are encouraged to engage more deeply with the text, forming connections and drawing our own conclusions based on the clues provided. It’s a thrilling way to explore the human condition through storytelling!
Homelander’s smile is such a motif. He has a fake smile for selfies and people filming him in public. He has a maniacal laugh when he’s in the Vought lab, torturing the people who ran tests on him as a child. How do you craft the different versions of that smile?
Ninety percent of it is spontaneous. Eric and I go back and forth quite a bit on my scenes. There’s a lot of freedom to play, which means I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do. It’s funny you mentioned that scene in episode four. Homelander makes Marty self-pleasure in front of a group of people. I had it in my head that I just wanted to go in and laugh maniacally at him. But those scenes are really hard to do, when you’ve got to really drive into a laugh. It’s almost a physical thing that takes over; you’ve got to try to push past that and somehow make it real laughter. We blocked it, and then we did a rehearsal showing the crew before we set up, and I pushed that out a little bit just to see what would happen. There was just crickets. Pure silence.
I was like, Oh no, is this not gonna work? But I like being in a position where there is that risk of failure. It’s very uncomfortable, but it’s a good place to be when you’re working. So I asked director Phil Sgriccia, “Let me just go for it. We’ll see what happens.” Once we got into it, a lot of emotion, really bitter resentment and teary sadness, came up as well. It’s very confusing for the character, and I think a lot of that ended up in the final cut.
As a movie critic, I found that distinguishing between the different Homelanders in episode three was quite a challenge for me. I’ve had some experience with this myself, having played twins in a New Zealand show for six long years. Those mirror scenes require an intricate performance, as you need to react to yourself while keeping track of your mannerisms and expressions. But having multiple versions of myself to work with in the mirror scene was even more complicated.
Each character required unique camera setups, which meant switching among them frequently. There was the domineering Overlord, contrasted by a nurturing and caring persona, an introspective reflection of insecurities, and poor Homie, portrayed with confusion and inner turmoil. Homelander, unsure and uncertain, was ultimately silenced by the Overlord’s decisive commands. Logistically, we had limited time to capture all this on set, cramming shots for all four characters into the remaining hours of the day. We repeated this process for each shot, cycling through one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four. By the end of the day, I was left feeling disconnected from the experience and unsure of what we had accomplished, but ultimately trusting that the editors would piece it together effectively.
At the buzzer, could you please share: Which Rage Against the Machine track is your top pick for me?
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2024-07-22 20:03