Moon Knight will see Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke make their MCU debuts. Isaac is considered one of the finest actors of his generation and Hawke is famous for his indie credentials, making them starring together in an offbeat superhero adventure a tantalizing prospect.
Cast member Ann Akinjirin, who plays a cop on the show, spoke about what it was like working with them in a chat with Variety. She praised their technical performance skills, saying:
“They kind of have a theatre approach to the craft, and they really dig into it. There is a different skillset, acting for screen and acting for stage, and they do the work. And because they’re very similar in their approach, I think that’s what makes them a good fit. And also, they love to play, so there was a lot of space to play and find. I think that’s what makes them a good fit. And they get on so well, as well.”
We Got This Covered was at this week’s Moon Knight press conference where similar sentiments came from co-star May Calamawy. She discussed what it was like acting opposite Isaac’s character’s various personalities, saying:
“He really understands it at such a cellular level. And when he would be each character, it was really two separate people, and I could feel the energy. I wouldn’t even have to ask who he was. With Marc, I would find myself more guarded around. With Steven, I’d feel more nurturing. And there was no intellect or thought process involved in it. It was just visceral, and it was so fun to work with you and experience that.”
Marvel Studios has sent us the first four episodes of the show to preview and we can only echo what these two have said. Isaac is particularly great, with his mild-mannered Steven Grant a long way from what you’d expect from the hunk. It’s a real treat watching him shift between the personalities, altering his body language, accent, and even his gaze to clearly delineate between the two.
It’s the kind of performance that may well see some awards in Isaac’s future, though Steven Grant/Marc Spector is such an offbeat character I struggle to see him fitting into other MCU characters’ stories. Maybe the one hero he could empathize with is Bruce Banner, who also shares a body with another personality he’s often at odds with.
You’ll get to see this for yourself in a week’s time on March 30, when the first of Moon Knight‘s six episodes premiere on Disney Plus.
