It’s clobberin’ time… for fascists!
At least, that’s what American actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach jokingly proposed when asked what he would do if he had the superhuman powers of Ben Grimm (also known as The Thing) from the Marvel movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Emmy-winning 48-year-old actor is widely recognized for playing Desi Harperin on Girls and Cousin Richard “Richie” Jerimovich on The Bear.
Premiered last week, the latest movie directed by Matt Shakman has grossed over $118 million domestically and $218 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here:
- YouTubeMarvel Entertainment/YouTube
Kicking off phase six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Fantastic Four find themselves defending their multiverse version of Earth from a planet-consuming Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer.
The so-called “First Family of Marvel” also cast Vanessa Kirby, who plays Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, and the ever-charming Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic.
In a video interview with IMDB, Moss-Bachrach was joined by his Fantastic Four cast members and was asked fan-submitted questions about their characters, including:
“If you could borrow your character’s powers for one day, what’s the first thing you would do?”
For non-comic book or Marvel fans, Moss-Bachrach’s The Thing character is imbued with superhuman strength, durability, and immortality.
Focusing on the super strength part of his rock-skinned character, Moss-Bachrach mused:
“I would… There’s a handful of fascists that I would just throw into outer space. That’s what I would do.”
Hey Ebon, do we get to vote on which fascists, or is this more of a Hunger Games situation?
Without naming names, the actor earned a double high five from Pascal and laughs from the rest of the cast.
You can watch the interview at the 1:17 mark below:
- YouTubeIMDB/YouTube
Growing up in Amherst, Massachusetts, Moss-Bachrach has been engaged in activism, including advocating for a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Joining “Artists for Ceasefire,” the actor wore the organization’s red pin with an orange hand and black heart inside to the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The cast gave more answers to fans' questions, including how Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave inspired Vanessa Kirby in her portrayal of Sue Storm:
“I had Jane Fonda, especially cuz she was an activist, but she was a cool one… Just watched tons of her talking about all things she was campaigning for, but she was always so powerful, but also very feminine at the same time. Vanesa Redgrave, one of my favorites, I mean all those are my heroes.”
The interview also sparked a debate over who would thrive in the high-pressure kitchen of The Bear. While Joseph Quinn bragged about his onion-chopping skills, the cast noted that Moss-Bachrach regularly cooks for everyone. So yes, chef.
Moss-Bachrach may not have named names, but the vibe was crystal clear—and widely appreciated by online fans.
FX, Moss-Bachrach’s home network, even joined the fun, posting a playful crossover between his characters from The Bear and Fantastic Four.
With the iconic Fantastic Four theme song, you can watch the promo below:
@fxnetworks (volume warning) HERE'S THE THING. Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps now playing in theaters. FX’s The Bear now streaming only on @hulu. #ebonmossbachrach #thebearfx #fantasticfour
