Last year, while visiting the set of Superman, we got to be part of a conversation with the terrific actor bringing Mister Terrific to life: Edi Gathegi!
Though the moniker of Mister Terrific has been around since the 1940s, the specific Michael Holt version of the character that Gathegi portrays is, perhaps, the most well-known version of the character. Debuting in 1997, and making appearances in Bruce Timm’s DCAU in Justice League Unlimited, as well as having an alternate version named Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum) appearing in The CW’s Arrowverse, the character has gained more prominence over the years. He is, perhaps, the third smartest character in the DC Universe, behind only Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor (but only when Lex is rational), and a genius inventor, capable of crafting some of the most useful tools and weapons in the DCU. His signature creation, the T-Sphere, can be used for a TON of really cool applications, including kicking bad guy asses!
Here’s what Gathegi had to say about bringing Mister Terrific to cinemas for the first time in the new DC Universe:
We were told you had a big role to play in the story. What can you tell us about that role?
Gathegi: It depends on what your definition of “big” is… Everybody in this movie was put into the movie for a specific reason. It’s because they’re great actors. It’s a superhero movie with actors who care about the craft and have a passion for telling stories… It’s been a lot of fun.
Can you talk about Mr. Terrific’s gadgets, costume, and branding?
Gathegi: As you may or may not know, the costume is comic accurate. Which I think is so cool that they decided to do that. And outside of that, we’re taking a few liberties with the character. True to the source material to a degree, we don’t learn a lot about his backstory from the comics in this film. So we’re building our own version of Mr. Terrific for this cinematic universe, and taking liberties. So the T-Craft which you see in this film is not in the comics… But there’s also something else he rides that’s not in the comics that’s from this film. It’s just as cool… He has T-Spheres as well, but he’s got a flying rig. I don’t know if it has a name yet. I think it’s called the T-Rig. We’ll call it the T-Rig. But it’s like a “Professor X flying wheelchair…” it moves with his body.
What’s his relationship with Superman?
Gathegi: Superman thinks Mr. Terrific is his BFF, but it’s not true… They are brothers in fighting crime. Brothers in being heroes. But they don’t have a lot in common. You know Superman is a boy scout; an embodiment of good. But our version of Mr. Terrific is a bit more complex, in the sense that he’s battling other demons… so he’s a little broken.
Mr. Terrific is known as one of the most intelligent characters in the DC Universe. So is Lex Luthor, who is also in this movie. Is there any sort of “battle of the brains” between them?
Gathegi: In a sense, there’s a battle of the brains. But if you want to know who wins, you’ll have to watch the movie.
Can you talk about the Mr. Terrific facemask?
Gathegi: The facemask was something I struggled with the very first time I saw it in the comics. Not understanding who Mr. Terrific was, the facemask resembled blackface to me. I saw it and was like, “what is that?” And it wasn’t until I dove into the comics and understood the technology and the purpose of the mask that it became a cool mask. Something actually functional. A nanotechnology that appears on his face, but protects his entire face… And it is very comfortable because it’s been molded to my face. It’s pliable. If you touch it you’d freak out because it’s not what you’d expect. It looks hard but it’s not hard… But I love the wardrobe. The first time they put the whole thing together for the screen test, I was on Cloud 9. I felt like I could save the world. I felt like a real superhero. It was such a cool feeling gearing up to play this part in this film.
Did you get time with the other DC heroes? Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, etc.
Gathegi: Yeah. I think I interact with all of the main characters in this film.
What are your dreams for the future of the DCU?
Gathegi: What do you think my dreams are? What actor gets this role and doesn’t want it to extend beyond this project? But honestly I’m such a fan of James Gunn and his imagination, and what he’s trying to do with this universe, that it’s going to be a privilege to be involved in any capacity. Even if I just pop in here and there. But they’re making a statement with Mr. Terrific in this film. So the hope is that it’ll expand beyond this.
You’ve gone through some intense preparation to play this role. How many pounds of muscle did you put on for this role?
Gathegi: Twenty pounds. It was something that I kind of went back and forth with. Do I want to do the superhero regimen, and prepare for this? Or do I want to be lazy because I love my burgers and my pie. And I said, you know what? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m playing a superhero. And in fact the guys at the gym who are not actors, their dream is to be a superhero. So it’s clear it’s everybody’s dream. And I get to live it. So why not push myself as far as I can. So I dedicated myself 8 months in to no carbs… I haven’t started my cheat weekends yet, but when the movie is done, I’ll start. However I’m going to try and maintain this, because I don’t know what the future holds for Mr. Terrific.
What does the regimen entail?
Gathegi: It’s actually not that complex. My trainer says… diet… And I’m naturally lean, so it’s very easy for me to lose weight. So I don’t do a lot of cardio. So I’m just bulking. Hitting heavy, heavy weights, and eating a lot of protein.
Can we talk T-Spheres? Practical or VFX? And if practical, can you take one home?
Gathegi: Both. Practical and digital. And I would totally take it home. I’d take everything home. If they let me take the T-Craft, that’s coming with me too!
What was the audition process like?
Gathegi: The audition was… I made a tape for James the day before I took a family vacation to Europe. So I made it within eight hours with no expectations. And then I found out shortly after the tape was going to be considered, which totally ruined my Eurotrip. So I’m thinking, “what if I’m in Superman” the whole time I’m supposed to be relaxing… and then they cut my vacation short, Two months into the vacation… but I flew back to LA, did my screen test, and James called me on Zoom. He said, “not for nothing, but you should know this. You’re not testing against anybody. It’s just you testing.” And I thought, “Ok, so I feel like this could be my role, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Go in there and win the job.” And I went in and tried my best. They gave me a 10-day window to notify you. Which is excruciating. So I booked a trip to New York to get out of my head… But the day of the screen test they called me into the office, and said “do you want to play Mr. Terrific.” And I just lost it. Actually my exact words were “Can I have some time to think about it?” And they looked at me like “Is he serious?” And I said, “I’m just kidding.”
And we’re glad he was, because Gathegi is hands down, the *perfect* choice for Mr. Terrific!
We have more interviews coming your way from our set visit to Superman, including interviews with stars Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, and David Corenswet, as we count down to the premiere of DC Studios’ Superman! Stay tuned to The Nerds of Color for much more to come!
Superman hits theaters July 11!