“Eternals”: What do Kumail Nanjiani and Lauren Ridloff tell us about the most inclusive Marvel movie to date?

With 25 films already released, the Marvel Cinematic Universe The MCU has become one of the biggest – and most lucrative – film projects of all time. But that same triumph has also generated exhaustion of the audiences and the sustainability of the so-called ‘Marvel formula’ has already encountered questions as the MCU enters its Phase 4 after the events of “Avengers: Endgame”.

That is why the movie “Eternals”Has been seen with such anticipation before its premiere on November 4, being a film that promises to at least change the canons of the MCU a little. The film not only has a cast full of stars in which they stand out Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek, but is directed by the Oscar winner Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland”), who also wrote the script with Ryan and Kaz Firpo.

The theme also sounds intriguing, as you explore the mythology of the film universe following a group of 10 immortal superheroes who have protected and guided humanity for the past seven millennia.

On the eve of its premiere this epic, Trade together with a couple of Latin American media they had the opportunity to talk with two protagonists of “Eternals”. It was about Kumail Nanjiani (Kingo) and Lauren Ridloff (Makkari), who were kind enough to answer all of our questions about the film.

The Eternals were created by legendary artist Jack Kirby in the 1970s as part of his ambition to merge the superhero genre with the mythology that fascinated him so much. Thus, each of the members of this team is based on a great hero or god from cultures around the world, whom they inspired in the context of the Marvel universe.

But its transition to the big screen was not without modifications. Perhaps the most visible case is precisely in Ridloff’s character, Makkari, who transforms from a Caucasian man to a deaf African-American woman.

About this case Ridloff, who also suffers from this disability and communicates through a translator, reveals a lot, pointing out that the change in hero was taken before she was cast in the role.

“I feel like they wanted this new superhero team to reflect the world more.”, He says. “The Eternals are based on important figures throughout history who appear over and over in different countries with their own mythologies … so I think they wanted to go against the grain. Instead of a man, it will be a woman. Instead of a Caucasian person, it will be someone of color. I love that decision and I think it’s brilliant”.

In the movie Makkari is an Eternal whose power is super speed, an ability that has allowed her to travel every corner of the Earth. This, coupled with the millennia on the planet, has left her bored with everyday life.

The actress also noted that crafting her character was interesting because she only had the first glimpses of Jack Kirby’s version of the Eternal, as she didn’t see the script until filming began. Even when filming began, things continued to evolve. “I think Chloé and the Firpo took everything that happened, how we worked together as a cast, and brought it to the script “.

Another of his preparation methods was to read the mythology of different parts of the world. “My character Makkari is connected to Mercury, the god of speed. Also Makkari is a ‘joking god’, and I love that. So that also brought the film and the narrative”He added.

While Kingo’s character did not undergo such an abrupt transformation in his film debut, it was not without challenges for actor Kumail Nanjiani, who also had to wait until filming began to see the full script. “So I took the opportunity to create a character who had a lot of things that I wanted to play before and I didn’t get the chance to do it.“, he pointed.

In the movie, Kingo is the most outgoing of the Eternal, who has taken the directive to keep a low profile becoming one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. In this regard, Nanjiani was guided by remembered icons of cinema:

“On specific characters … I checked swashbuckling movies, I saw El Zorro and Erroll Flynn. I saw Bruce Willis in ‘Tough to Kill’, to kind of create this character that is good at action, but also funny, funny and full of joy while doing it.“, he claimed.

In these last respects, both remembered that Director Chloé Zhao emphasized that while the character was funny, “this was a superhero in the first place.”. “So while the jokes were fine, the most important thing was that he had the bearing of a superhero. To think of himself as cool, to be comfortable about who he is”He added.

Much of the interest in the film has focused on the high share of inclusiveness and representation in its cast. In addition to Kumail Nanjiani and Lauren Ridloff, it also includes Mexican actress Salma Hayek, Korean actor Lee Dong-seok, and actress of Chinese descent, Gemma Chan.

Not only that, because in addition to having the first deaf superheroine in the figure of Makkari, but “Eternals” also features the first openly gay hero with Phastos, played by African-American actor Brian Tyree Henry., who thus fulfills a request of years by fans and detractors of Marvel.

“I think this conversation about inclusion, diversity and authentic representation is only beginning”Says Lauren Ridloff when asked about this issue. “This is the first step and I think that at this moment we are only taking small steps. Being that Hollywood now understands the importance of presenting diversity on screen. That this does not scare audiences, but attracts them. And that makes so many people feel validated. And I think the question now is ‘how do we present authentic representation on screens?’ That is where we are currently”.

Kumail Nanjiani agreed with his colleague and added the importance of seeing other types of faces on the screen. “I think it is obviously important for people to see themselves reflected on the screen. That seeing people of color like Lauren and I in superhero costumes is very exciting. But more than that, I think it’s also exciting that people who don’t look like us look at us. Good stories come from different perspectives, and for too long we’ve had the same point of view from filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors.”

An example of this different perspective is Chloé Zhao herself, who won more than one Oscar this year for her film “Nomadland,” a thoughtful journey through this American subculture of modern nomads. “She is Chinese and I feel like this movie would have turned out completely different if it had been directed by a Caucasian man as is the custom.”Says Lauren Ridloff. “I think because Chloé and her experiences as a marginalized person, she was able to bring that kind of sensitivity and insight into the story.”.

Hand in hand with this show of representation and inclusiveness is the film’s central message: that just because it’s a diverse world doesn’t mean we can’t work together.

“I feel like this movie leads to more knowledge and understanding that we live in a world that is very global, and that we interact with such different cultures and communities, more than ever.”, Reflects Lauren. “And that is what the film offers us: an opportunity to share. To fantasize and dream together”.

“For me it would be great if the audience could see the movie and understand that we are all one family, the whole planet”, A Kumaade Kumail. “Sometimes we focus a lot on our differences and not on the things that bring us together that are similar. We are all human and we are a great community. We have to take care of each other.”

But The actor stressed that not only in his message lies the value of the film, which he describes as an epic of science fiction with a scope never seen before in the MCU and the superhero genre. “It is a fascinating movie, it is exciting to watch. So I hope that people take those messages, but also that they have a lot of fun and have a great time.”