Lewis Pullman 'found a kinship' with his Marvel character
Movie star Lewis Pullman has revealed how he related to his on-screen character in 'Thunderbolts'.
Lewis Pullman "found a kinship" with his 'Thunderbolts' character.
The 32-year-old actor plays Sentry, the villainous character, in the new Marvel movie - but Lewis has revealed that Steven Yeun was initially lined up for the role.
Lewis told Men's Health: "Steven Yeun was going to play the Sentry, which I think was such awesome casting.
"It was a testament to the quality of the role and of the world. And then, due to scheduling and life happening - which always happens - he had to drop out.
"They were in a bit of a scramble to find a guy. Obviously, knowing that, it was a big pair of shoes to try to step into. And in that massive world, it’s hard to remember that you have your own things that you can bring into it."
Lewis actually found it surprisingly easy to relate to his on-screen character.
The actor - who stars in 'Thunderbolts' alongside the likes of Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - shared: "Your job is to fit into the world and assimilate into it, but it’s also to enhance it and bring any sort of relatability you might have to the character.
"That was something [director] Jake Schreier constantly reminded me of, which was beautiful. He empowered me in that way. He was asking how I related to Bob, and there was much to relate to in that sense. I really found a kinship with this character."
Lewis begins the new Marvel movie as Bob Reynolds, but he transforms into the superpowered Sentry after his character goes through a cutting-edge medical trial.
Lewis admitted that it tough to physically prepare for the challenge of playing two distinctly different characters in the film.
The Hollywood star explained: "They’re very different people, and they have very different purposes within the story.
"To make that transition both believable and shocking within a very short amount of time was very challenging. But I was lucky to be in the hands of this awesome trainer, Brendan Johnston, who just said, 'We’re not trying to build a lot of mass.' We were trying to build definition, and all those small, intricate, sinewy muscles that will pull the light.
"That was done a lot with boxing, which I hadn’t done much of but that I really loved."
Lewis actually continued to box after he finished filming 'Thunderbolts'.
The movie star said: "I’ve continued to do it since we wrapped production, because I don’t like cardio. I don’t like feeling like I want to die when I work out, because then I’m not going to get back in the gym.
"I have to make it fun for myself so that I can continue incentivising getting my butt out of bed and into the gym."
