Emma Corrin looked at a variety of famous villains to prepare for their portrayal of Cassandra Nova in Deadpool & Wolverine.
In an interview with British GQ ahead of the sequel's release, Corrin discussed their research process and what initially attracted them to the character of Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s sister.
To embody the role, Corrin studied classic cinematic antagonists, including Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka, whom they consider “one of the best villains of all time,” and Christoph Waltz’s Nazi officer in Inglourious Basterds.
“There’s something extravagant in Gene Wilder’s performance,” Corrin shared. “And it’s a similar energy that Christoph Waltz has in Inglourious Basterds because he’s wearing a uniform so he can sit there and drink a glass of milk and pretend he’s a f****** fairy godmother.”
Corrin also participated in GQ‘s “Actually Me” segment on YouTube, answering online questions about their roles. When asked why they were drawn to the role of Cassandra, which is starkly different from their previous portrayals of Princess Diana in The Crown and Marion Taylor in My Policemen, Corrin explained their desire for a change.
“I think probably because it is a major contrast to my normal roles, and I always wanted to play a villain. And then Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman,” they explained. “Ryan improvs the entire time. And it was kind of like a masterclass in that kind of comedy and that kind of genre of film, which I hadn’t really done before. Yeah, what’s not to love?”
Corrin also revealed they had requested a personal trainer from Marvel before filming began on Deadpool 3, eagerly “so ready to undergo like a huge transformation,”. However, the studio declined.
“They said I don’t have to undergo any physical training,” the star said, “They were like, ‘That’s absolutely not required of you. Please stand down.’ I tried.”
Acknowledging the current climate of superhero fatigue, Corrin admitted it’s a challenging time to be part of a Marvel film. Nevertheless, Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine seems poised to overcome this hurdle, with box office projections estimating a domestic opening between $160 million and $165 million.
“There’s a lot of pressure on it, but I think that it’s the right one at the right time,” Emma said. “Because it’s Deadpool, and Deadpool has always broken the mold, right? That’s why Ryan is a literal genius.”
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