Non-binary actor Emma Corrin shared the "moving advice" that their Deadpool & Wolverine co-star imparted to them ahead of the MCU film's debut this weekend.
Corrin is making their MCU debut playing supervillain Cassandra Nova in the sequel to the Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films.
Comic book fans would recognize Cassandra as the presumed twin sister of X-Men founder Charles Xavier, who was responsible for her stillbirth after recognizing her "evil presence" by using his psychic powers while they were in the womb together.
Mutant Nova later comes back to life in another body and possesses telekinetic and telepathic powers.
Speaking to Digital Spy, Corrin, who gained critical acclaim for portraying Diana, Princess of Wales in the fourth season of Netflix's The Crown, shared the poignant conversation they had with Jackman.
They prefaced the anecdote by noting Jackman's 25-year-spanning portrayal of X-Men mutant Wolverine, saying, “He’s been playing this role for so many years and it really threw him into a spotlight he’d never had before."
Corrin explained the pressures that come with portraying iconic Marvel characters to please diehard fans.
The 28-year-old Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee recalled:
“We just had one of those conversations [about] no matter how much success you have or how many incredible roles you get, playing this thing that means so much to so many people, you still are so riddled with insecurity and anxiety about being able to do a good job.”
They continued:
“I was so worried, I felt so much pressure going into it."
"Marvel fans hold everyone to such a high standard because these characters are so beloved, so he really put me at ease about that.”
Not much is known about the mutant Nova and her plans for destruction in the film other than what was teased in a first look, which you can see here.
And here's a trailer.
Deadpool & Wolverine | Official Trailer | In Theaters July 26youtu.be
Corrin delved more into their character in an interview with Entertainment Weekly and said they were totally on board with Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy's vision for Corrin's malevolent character.
Corrin recalled being told:
"We want this villain to not be a villain in the sense that you expect them to be."
"We want you to be so endeared by her, so charmed by her, and just when you think that maybe she’s totally seen into your soul and you are going to be best friends for life, you’re dead.'”
For inspiration, Corrin imagined Gene Wilder's take on Willy Wonka, while Reynolds and Levy had Christoph Waltz from Quentin Tarantino's 2009 war film Inglourious Basterds in mind.
Corrin said of Waltz's egomaniacal SS officer character:
"He's so disarmingly polite and nice and unaffected, and it's really creepy."
"It's all the more sinister because he doesn't need to do anything.”
Much like Waltz's character, Corrin said Reynolds and Levy wanted Deadpool and Wolverine's adversary to be "unpredictable."
So far, the buzz on their character delivery following the movie's premiere at Lincoln Center in New York City on July 22 was all aces.
Deadpool & Wolverine is scheduled for a U.S. release on July 26, 2024, as part of Phase Five of the MCU.
