The movie Oscar Isaac found “excruciating” to make
With an impressive filmography that boasts collaborations with the likes of the Coen brothers on Inside Llewyn Davis and Paul Schrader’s recent The Card Counter, Oscar Isaac certainly isn’t lacking in substantial roles in movies by talented filmmakers. His Marvel revelation, however, may surprise some fans of his turn in the superhero genre.
Isaac has candidly discussed his experience filming the 2016 superhero blockbuster X-Men: Apocalypse, a role that he’s described as “excruciating”. The actor’s portrayal of the titular villain, complete with heavy blue makeup and prosthetics, is a far cry from his critically acclaimed performances in the more artistically-driven projects.
In an interview with GQ, Isaac explained that the painstakingly elaborate makeup and prosthetics process significantly contributed to his discomfort during filming. “I didn’t know when I said yes that that was what was going to be happening. That I was going to be encased in glue, latex, and a 40-pound suit—that I had to wear a cooling mechanism at all times. I couldn’t move my head, ever,” he recalled.
Later, in an interview with The New York Times, the actor delved deeper into his X-Men experience. When asked whether he would go as far as to “disown” the movie, Isaac responded: “No, I don’t disown it.” Despite the challenging production circumstances, Isaac was clear about his motivations for joining the project.
“I know exactly what I went in there wanting to do and the reasons why. There were these amazing actors involved that I really wanted to work with, [James] McAvoy and [Michael] Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence,” he said. Isaac, an X-Men fan himself, also expressed his initial excitement about portraying the “freaky, weird character” of Apocalypse.
However, the actor was frank about the reality of the filming process, stating, “And then you get there and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got all these prosthetics on. I’ve got a suit on. I can’t move. I can’t see anybody.’ All these actors I wanted to work with – I can’t even see who they are.'” Despite these frustrations, Isaac noted that he still looks back at that time with fondness – although he wishes the character had been handled better and that the final film could have been stronger.
Despite his gruelling experience on X-Men: Apocalypse, it appears that the actor wasn’t deterred from once again visiting the superhero realm. Isaac recently took on the titular role in Disney’s Marvel series Moon Knight, where he portrays a man endowed with the powers of an ancient Egyptian god, as well as providing the voice of Miguel O’Hara in the excellent Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
