What was it, man? We talked with the Fingers of “Merlina”, the unexpected star of the Netflix series

The missing remnant of that loose hand belongs to a Romanian magician by the name of Victor Dorobantu. In fact, it is thanks to his profession that he was summoned to play the curious character. “The creators of the series wanted to maintain the tradition of the old versions of ‘The Addams family,’ in which they used a magician to act as Fingers. This is because we are known for our ability”, explains Dorobantu in a one-on-one dialogue with Trade.

However, he admits that his experience in sleight of hand did not help him much. “Actually, I don’t know if a magician is the right person for this role, because our finger work is mostly mechanical. What we exercise is muscle memory. On the other hand, I am passionate about puppets and I also play the guitar. And I feel like that helped me a little more“, it states.

other fingers

Dorobantu predecessors? In the “Locos Addams” series of the 60s, Fingers was played by the hand of Ted Cassidy, the same actor who played the noble butler Largo; when both characters had to share the scene, who replaced him was a production assistant. In the 1991 film, which starred Christina Ricci as Merlina, it was Canadian Christopher Hart who lent him the magical right hand for the role.

“I knew Christopher for his role as a magician, but I didn’t know that he had played Fingers in that movie. Dorobantu says. I searched for information about his work, but only found one interview from that time. And yes, they have been an inspiration anyway, although I tried to take a different approach.”.

The different approach to which the Romanian refers consisted of a less histrionic one and, rather, with a greater emphasis on the emotional. “What Tim Burton wanted was for Fingers to look more human. In the previous versions you saw a very animated hand. I tried to make it more planted on the ground, not jumping from one side to the other. The idea was to make it look natural”, says the actor.

The preparation for it was no small thing. First, Dorobantu thought about studying sign language, but he understood that it wouldn’t be of much use because for that he would need the missing hand, a face, the whole body. He also tried simulating the letters of the alphabet with his fingers, but the communication would become too complex. Finally, Dedos’ way of expressing himself consisted of a mixture of divers’ language, Morse code and other resources.

“Actually, 50% of what Fingers ‘said’ was improvisation. Because I was more focused on his attitude and her emotions. He wanted people to understand what he was saying without the need for them to use a particular language.“, Explain.

RIGHT LEFT

The technological part to give Fingers a life of its own is also striking. Dorobantu’s hand was not only made up to have that ghastly look, full of cuts and stitches, like the missing limb of the “Frankenstein” monster; There was also the need for the actor to put on a blue suit that covered his entire body –except for the leading hand– so that, in the manner of a chroma screen, the color was extracted and made invisible through digital effects.

Luckily for Dorobantu, the outfit served not only for VFX purposes, but also for his acting performance. “The fact of wearing that suit and the mask was also useful for me because it allowed me to ignore all the blue parts of my body, like the computer itself. I just looked at my own hand and focused all my energy there. If you had walked on set at that moment to talk to me, I probably would have ignored you. Because I wasn’t really in that place. I was disconnected“, bill.

It was with this concentration and dedication that Dorobantu spent performing different contortions during the 6 or 7 months that the filming of “Merlina” lasted. In each scene, he had to do awkward postures to try to hide his body as much as possible. It cost him some back pain, but the result was worth it. As in that memorable scene –which we will not reveal here to save ourselves ‘spoilers’– that those who have seen the entire series will surely be able to identify.

“That was my favorite part, definitely. –confessed the interpreter of Fingers–. I remember we didn’t rehearse, it was all improvisation. Jenna came up with the idea of ​​making a ‘pinky promise’ with our pinkies, and Fred Armisen (Uncle Lucas) was on the verge of laughing. But it was Jenna who made everything easier because at the time I wasn’t looking at my hand; he just looked at her and reacted to everything he made of her. It is she who deserves all the credits for that scene”.

GIVE ME FIVE

Skill in phalanges, phalangines and phalanges, and above all a lot (or little?) of the wrist is what Dorobantu required to know how and when to react to his acting peers, who had the great advantage of having a whole body with which to act. . Despite the obvious physical limitations of his character, the magician-turned-actor has achieved particular fame, achieved in just over a week since the premiere of “Merlina”.

Do people already ask you for autographs? Or do they ask for them only at your hand?, we asked him. “What everyone asks me is to put my hand on them. They say to me ‘could you not appear in the photo, please? Just your hand on my head’ [risas]. It’s weird, yes, but I’m very proud of my hand.”, reveals. And how not to be with those five fingers without fury, and so much charisma and talent. palms for him