Yahya Abdul-Mateen II might be starring in the Aquaman duology, but he’s had no issue describing the acting in them as “clown work” in a recent interview.
Appearing in Aquaman’s first big screen appearance as the villain Black Manta, Abdul-Mateen is under no illusion about the seriousness of the role in comparison to more dramatic works, such as The Trial of the Chicago 7. He compared Aquaman as being “clown work” in comparison to the Academy Award-nominated picture whilst in conversation with Vulture.
“Everything should be about getting to the truth. But sometimes you got to know which movie or genre you’re in, something like Aquaman, that’s clown work. Aquaman is not The Trial of the Chicago 7. You have got to get over yourself.”
He elaborated, saying that taking up a less serious role like Aquaman is all about how you “survive” as an actor with it likened to being a bit of a game.
“In order to survive [as an actor] and to do it well, you have to play that game and then be crafty about when you want to surprise the audience, the director, or yourself with a little bit of ‘Wow, I didn’t expect to see a Chekhovian thing or August Wilson and Aquaman, but I did.'”
Abdul-Mateen will return for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but it’ll take a little bit longer than expected. The sequel got delayed in Aug. 2022 as Warner Bros. moved to shift around release dates and cut costs of marketing. Previously pegged for a March 2023 debut, it’s now been relegated to a Dec. 2023 premiere.
