Aquaman Star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Calls His Role “Clown Work”

Film is in a really peculiar state since the COVID-19 pandemic with larger scaled blockbusters edging out smaller scaled films at the box office. Superhero movies just so happen to be the bread and butter of Hollywood, with some of the highest grossing films of all time coming from Marvel Studios and DC Films. One DC Films actor is calling working on the Aquaman movies “Clown Work” as opposed to films like The Trial of the Chicago 7. During a new interview with Variety, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II reveals that actors have to do blockbusters like superhero films to survive.

“Everything should be about getting to the truth. But sometimes you got to know which movie or genre you’re in,” Abdul-Mateen told the trade. “Something like ‘Aquaman,’ that’s clown work. ‘Aquaman‘ is not ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7.’ You have got to get over yourself.”

“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.’” The Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star added.

The next DC Comics film to hit theaters will be the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam. Johnson recently revealed got the chance to talk with ComicBook.com while promoting his film, where he revealed that he thinks that Henry Cavill is the Superman of our generation. 

“I will say this. I will say that Henry is a buddy and he is a phenomenal Superman,” the actor says. “He is a phenomenal Superman and Henry Cavill is the Superman of our generation with respect to the other Supermans of the past. Every time I see him, we have some tequila and I say ‘This guy is Superman.’ My longtime business partner Dany Garcia has been a passionate advocate for Henry Cavill and his career for a very, very, very long time.”

Black Adam will star Johnson and will also feature Aldis Hodge (Underground, The Invisible Man) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I Love Before, Charlie’s Angels) as Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell (Trinkets, Euphoria) as Cyclone, Sarah Shahi (The L Word, Sex/Life) as Adrianna Tomaz, Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, Mamma Mia!) as Doctor Fate, and Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz. Uli Latukefu, Marwan Kenzari, Mohammed Amer, James Cusati-Moyer, and Bodhi Sabongui have also been cast.

What do you think of the actor’s comments? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!