Billy Eichner Is Ready to Play a Comic Book Villain

Billy Eichner may be returning to his theatrical roots a bit in giving voice to the loveable Timon in Disney's latest live-action adaptation, The Lion King, taking over the role from Nathan Lane who memorably played the part in the original animated film, but the actor isn't opposed to exploring territory a little more unfamiliar. Eichner recently told ComicBook.com he's open to playing a comic book villain.

Speaking with ComicBook.com, Eichner explained that while he wasn't exactly a huge comic book fan -- he had a passing interest in it while he was a kid -- if he had to choose between playing a superhero or a villain in a comic book movie, he'd be going with the villain.

"Being a villain is really fun," Eichner said. "I guess the closest I've gotten to something in that genre is American Horror Story, which I've done two seasons of. And I've gotten to do some really evil things and kill multiple people in some really violent bloody ways and that that could be really fun. So I love playing a villain."

Eichner has appeared in two seasons of American Horror Story, season seven's Cult and season eight's Apocalypse and the concept of villain definitely applies to his role in Apocalypse. Eichner initially appears in the season as Brock, boyfriend of Coco (Leslie Grossman) who is left behind in Los Angeles during the actual apocalypse. He appears later seeking revenge, but his true villain character is that of Mutt Nutter, the co-founder of a robotics company who should his soul to Satan and helps orchestrate the nuclear attacks that destroy the world and allow for the rise of the Antichrist, Michael (Cody Fern.) It's definitely diabolical and fitting of a comic book villain, but Eichner has other experience that might make him suited for such a role: Prince Namor.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live back in December, Eichner appeared as an over-the-top take on Namor the Sub-Mariner, disgruntled about the Aquaman movie and his own lack of perceived mainstream appeal in a humorous skit on the show around the time of Aquaman's release last December and Eichner said that he's ready to do it again.

"I did Namor on Kimmel and actually Kimmel just emailed me last night, he was at The Lion King premiere and emailed me today and said he was very complimentary about the movie and my performance," Eichner said. "So then he was like, you should do the Prince Namor movie, like we should make that into a movie. I'm ready to go."

While Eichner will not be appearing in American Horror Story's ninth season, 1984, you can catch him next in The Lion King when it opens in theaters on July 18th.