What I like about the Carpenter take on The Thing is the fact that it just has so much suspense. It seemed like a different story, with the horror elements. Those films that really speak to the primal fear that we, as human beings, have about the unknown have always intrigued me. That's the really scary thing, not the slasher, macabre movies.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Categorized in : Different Scary Suspense

Wale means to arrive home. So the crown has arrived home. Akin is warrior or brave man. Nuoye is a brave man of chieftaincy and Agbaje means wealth and prosperity.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

warrior home mean

I was always led to believe you should take care of yourself, trust in your abilities and you're the author of your own destiny.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

destiny care believe

What you desire, as an actor, is to have an impact. That's why you did it. You want to move people, and you want to resonate with your audience. It's always a great compliment to have people appreciate and speak of the characters. I can go anywhere in the world, to places where people don't actually speak English, and people can say, verbatim, what I said on the show as Mr. Eko, which is great. That's fun!

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

fun character moving

You don't want it to be a replica or an imitation. You want to create something fresh, original, very unique.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

imitation unique want

Also, I'd like to play an athlete again, while I'm still physically fit, or a musician, like Nat King Cole, because I play the trumpet and sing. I'd like to incorporate that into a character.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

athlete kings character

Personally, I love Toronto.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

toronto

I'm of Nigerian descent, from the Yoruba tribe. Names are very significant in that culture. It basically states your purpose in life.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

purpose names culture

It's the ones that deal with the inner fear, the unknown realms and the mysticisms that are scary. You had that in the Carpenter version, and you have that in this prequel. It's paying homage, very much, to that.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

realms carpenter scary

I remember in the Carpenter version, you got acquainted with the characters and really knew them. It was a real character piece. Each actor was serviced in the movie, and we tried to do that in this movie as well. I like the fact that there was a European, first-time director. I'd known of him because I'm from Europe. I knew him as a commercial director and thought one of his commercials was great. I thought it was an interesting take on such a big-budget cult classic.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

real europe character

There's always your initial trepidation about doing a remake, but that was alleviated by the fact that it was a prequel. Immediately, that gives you creative license to really recreate and explore and put a new stamp on the genre.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

creative giving facts

The actual fights themselves are very demanding. You don't want to drain yourself. But it pumps you up, gets you in the zone. It's a good way of getting you into the zone for the scene.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

pumps fighting want

I think always as an actor. I go in knowing how I'm going to play it. That's about it.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

knowing play thinking

The axe is fifteen pounds. You have to make sure you don't hurt or hit someone. And hit the beats, because they have five cameras. It has to look real. That in itself becomes challenging because you have to learn it straight away.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

real hurt challenges

It's very important to stretch, because while it's good to look pumped, a lot of the moves are split legs, and twisting fast. So you really, really have to stay supple.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

important looks moving

As an actor, you really want to resonate with your audience. I played a character on Oz and people still approach me in the streets today.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

actors character people

I just want to keep the diversity and the options open. In terms of what I'm looking for, I'd like to do a lead action role. Whilst I'm still young and I still have the looks, I want to take the helm and be a renegade cop, or something like that. He's got to have a bit of an edge, but that would be nice.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

diversity nice would-be

And then, with a European director and Norwegian actors speaking in Norwegian, it was going to be very interesting. So, whatever initial trepidation or fear I may have had was alleviated by those factors. I just said, "This is something to get on board with."

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

boards directors interesting

Certainly, I look for different characters 'cause I always like to keep people guessing, and I also don't like to get typecast. I made a concerted effort, last year and this year, to get a range of characters, just to show people the range that I have, and for them to be able to see the artistry beyond the color.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

color character years

I'm known for playing bad guys, so this was an interesting departure from what I'm known to play, which is a softer, more likable, affable character.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

play character interesting

Well, filming in Hawaii, you know, is a blessing. It's one of the most beautiful places on this planet. It has a very mystic energy which informs you as an actor.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

energy blessing beautiful