Anson Mount is popular for portraying Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt in the Marvel television series Inhumans and an alternative version of the same character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Despite his gruesome face-off with the Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange 2, Black Bolt has always been viewed as one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics, boasting an ability to harness electrons to great effect as well as kill his enemies with a single whisper.
Considering his signature power is his voice, which Elizabeth Olsen’s character cunningly used against him, Blackagar Boltagon’s stature rarely gets talked about. When compared to other Marvel mammoths, his height falls pale in comparison. However, on the subject of height, the actor behind the Black Bolt was loud during a debate with James Gunn.
What Guardians of the Galaxy Director James Gunn Asked Actors to Do in Their Resume
Before James Gunn took over the reins at DC Studios, he showed his filmmaking prowess by overseeing the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, which familiarized fans with the Leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt).
Peter’s hot-headed and rebellious nature makes him stand out from the rest of the superheroes in the MCU. Another thing that attracts the eyeballs of Marvel fans – with Star-Lord emerging as the Guardians’ most powerful member – is the massive on-screen presence of Pratt as a half-human and half-celestial criminal. But the actor’s huge size made things a bit tricky for the director of the trilogy. While responding to a fan, Gunn said on X (via MovieMaker):
“Most other actors appear to be mini-humans around him. If someone would shave him down to a normal human size casting would be easier for me.”
The discussion around the height started with The Suicide Squad director asking actors to tell the truth about their height during casting. He further claimed that “easily 50%” of the time male actors exaggerate how tall they are. This invoked criticism from many users, with some arguing the reason for actors lying in their resumes is the obsession of some directors concerning their height rather than their acting talents.
Read more: James Gunn Credited His “Rotten Childhood” and Marvel Movie For Peacemaker’s Unexpected Success
How Anson Mount Reacted to James Gunn’s Comments on Actors Lying About Their Height
Anson Mount also joined the debate, insisting height shouldn’t even be the issue in the first place. The Virtuoso actor went on to add that the industry’s use of height is shorthand for male dominance.
However, Gunn was quick to clarify that his concerns over his actors’ heights had to do with his camera shots. The 57-year-old tweeted (via MovieMaker):
“I don’t know why this hit such a nerve, @ansonmount,, but, as a director, it does matter, because when you’re shooting two or more people the heights make a difference in how it’s shot. And sometimes you are looking for height disparity or parity. It’s about the storytelling.”
It’s tough to come to any conclusion regarding what the famed filmmaker was insinuating, but we do know he’s very particular about the on-screen presence of his actors.
One of the reasons behind Gunn’s decision to replace Henry Cavill with David Corenswet for Superman: Legacy was his desire to go with a young actor to aptly present the earlier part of Superman’s life on the big screen.
Source: Anson Mount – X, MovieMaker
