Henry Cavill is regarded as the unluckiest actor in Hollywood, having lost the race to Robert Pattinson in both Twilight and Harry Potter by a whisker. Not anymore. As the new man of steel playing Superman in Zack Snyder’s latest reboot of this most popular comic book hero, he is more than ecstatic. Currently on a whirlwind tour of Australia to promote this Friday’s release, he tells DEEBASHREE MOHANTY how he will be the new, edgy, changed Superman with shades of grey “to make the superhero believable and contemporary”
While shooting, was there a performance pressureIJ How did you deal with itIJ
There are a lot of people expecting a lot of things from this film. I accept that responsibility but I don’t allow the pressure to mess with my head. To do justice to Superman is my only focus. The trick to deal with performance anxiety is to turn it into a positive energy.
The film is due for a big release. What are your expectationsIJ
Man of Steel is a very Snyder movie. It was his dream of modernising Superman and making him more believable. It is a gamble we have willingly taken and are hoping that it works well. I want people to look at Superman from our perspective. That'll do.
How did Man of Steel happenIJ
Zack Snyder had been toying with this idea when he thought of a reboot. When he called to discuss the role with me, I was on a vacation and not in the mood to sign on scripts. But when I heard him out and what was on offer, I rushed back. Not every day one is offered the role of Clark Kent. I had no reason to doubt Zack. I was on board.
nHow difficult was it for you to be SupermanIJ Any fond memoriesIJ
I have been on an intense workout for the past six months just to fit into the redesigned suit. One of the many problems was to get the body language and the Superman swagger right. Once I figured that out, it was easy. Shoots were hectic so I don't recall moments of fun.
Are you a superhero fanIJ Which one is your favouriteIJ
I would have loved to say Superman but you may not believe me. So, I will stick to my second favourite – and that’s Batman. He is a real superhero with many shades. I like him because he does not come across as pure fiction.
You had to shoot for long hours at a stretch. That must have been physically draining...
No. Shoot hours were decent.
What kind of research you didIJ
luckily, I was handed out a guideline of what to do and what not to. The research team and Snyder had done all the groundwork. I just had to follow their instructions. In a superhero film, you don’t need to read up. You go by instinct.
The star cast has some biggies from Hollywood. How was your rapport with themIJ
They are all senior artists and I have a lot of respect for them. I am the biggest and the luckiest fan of Russell Crowe. I was barely 14 when I met him during the shooting of Gladiator. I walked up to him and asked him how it was to be an actor. He told me I needed to pursue it till the end. That bit stayed with me.
Do you think Superman has evolved since Christopher ReeveIJ
A lot has changed since Reeve. Technology and influences are only a part of this metamorphosis. I am sure he would have loved to be a part of this transformation. The soul of the film will always be the same. Evolution in all forms is good.
How is Man of Steel differentIJ
This being the reboot, the entire look and feel is different. We have a redesigned suit, a more expansive set and a different way of telling the story.
You are tagged the unluckiest actor in Hollywood because you lost out to Robert Pattinson for Harry Potter and Twilight, to Christian Bale in Batman and Brandon Routh earlier in Superman series…
I had auditioned for Harry Potter twice. I don't know how close I was. But Twilight was definitely in the offing. Stephenie Meyer thought I was the perfect Edward but I had already given my dates to another producer. Batman was never offered to me and I never auditioned! I was signed up for a Superman film titled Superman: Flyby but that did not come through.