So when you got “X-Men: Apocalypse,” did you call Fassbinder immediately?
I actually have done the opposite. I haven’t said a word to anyone [I know from the movie], Nicholas Hoult, who I worked with on “Young Ones,” Michael Fassbender, and Tye Sheridan I know a little bit. I just met up with him before the film. But yeah, it’s going to be really cool. I’m just going to roll in and be like, “Hi! We’re in such a different environment now.”
I wondered if you’d called to ask for help on your German accent.
Oh, my God, of course. No, as soon as they told me I was just flipping out. I know when they get my agent and my manager on the phone, I knew I’d gotten
a job. And I knew that I’d only done one audition so, I was like, “OK. This is my day.” I was tripping out.
When you do something that big, do you even know who you’re up against to win that role?
Yes, actually. Sometime you’ll straight up be in the room and be like, “Oh, God. I know that actor. I know that kid.
He‘s awesome.” But then you’ll also be like, “I need this job!” [Laughs] So it’s such a weird industry to be in, but this process was really quick and I’m so grateful for that. I thought it would be something much bigger. But I had a meeting with Bryan [Singer]. Then I just did a little audition and that was it.
Can you tell us about the audition scene?
Yeah, I can totally tell you this. They got me to do –which I really liked – -one of Alan Cumming’s scenes, where he was explaining the scars on his body were from archangel Gabriel. And they just had me do it in the accent. So I think that was really smart. I didn’t know if it was going to be in the actual movie, as like a moment rebooted. But it wasn’t.
How much is effects makeup, how much prosthetics?
I obviously can’t say a lot, but there’s not a lot of prosthetics. I think they tried to stay overall, just because it’s X-Men and such a big following, they tried to keep it pretty traditional as much as they can. And even with the stories, they intertwine with Mystique being my mother and Azazel — so you know they can touch on that. I think people are going to be very happy. I’ve read the script and I think they know what the fans are expecting, and even fans of
Nightcrawler. So, I’m very happy.
So you’ve seen the script.
I have. It was very top-secret for a long time. And then I was literally on the plane going to get a makeup test next to the writer. He’s like, “I’m finishing it right now.” And I’m like, “Great! I can’t wait to read it. Seeing as we’re a few weeks away from filming and I don’t know what the **** is going on!” So yeah, I read it before I came here. And I’ve only read it once, so I still have quite the way to go with my research. And I really want to give to the audience what they expect. That’s my duty for sure.
Are you looking back at the Alan Cumming stuff?
Yeah. Usually I wouldn’t pull from things that have been done [before], like “Let the Right One In,” I didn’t look at that when I was doing “Let Me In.” “Slow West,” I didn’t look at other Westerns because I just wanted to be in the moment of those characters. Seeing as this is something
so different, I’m kind of researching everything from when Nightcrawler himself was created as a character. So seeing everyone’s take on it, what people have liked to keep about him, and then what they’ve liked to take away from him. I’ve followed his journey of evolution and the kind of story that’s evolved for him now, which is running away from the suffering that’s being in the circus and his freakish looks, and finding God, and faith. Those are all things that I relate to as a person. So I’m doing
so much research definitely — on Alan Cumming’s take, on the comic books, on even the cartoons. I love the cartoon — I forget what it’s called, but it’s a really nostalgic old -school one. So cool, I’m just watching all the episodes, soaking it all up. It’s all out there.
What are you allowed to say about “X-Men: Apocalypse” at this point?
Really nothing. It’s all so top-secret. So, just the fact that I’ve got it. We know that [Nightcrawler] is young and that they’ve brought back Tye Sheridan and all these other characters, and that they’re connected to Cyclops and young Jean Grey and this and that. And I think that’s all there for the X-Men fans to play with. And if they have enough knowledge on the Marvel Universe, they can pretty much pick it up from there.
Is there anyone in this cast you’re particularly geeking out about?
Um … Hugh Jackman. I’ve just crossed his path many times, and I actually at the start of my career got [cast as] a young Wolverine. And then I was like, “No, I have to do ‘The Road.'” So this is really meant to be.
So you were almost an X-Man before?
Yeah, I really was, which almost destroyed it for my Nightcrawler.
Which X-Men movie?
I think it was “Origins” [“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”]. There was a scene where they were showing how young Wolverine was made. So it’s almost meant to be that I didn’t get that one.
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