Antony Starr is best known for playing the unhinged and manic antagonist Homelander, one of the most powerful and deadly characters in the popular television series The Boys. While the New-Zealander became synonymous with the role through his impressive performance, he starred in a very different avatar in the 2013’s Banshee.
The action thriller series saw Starr at the receiving end of a lot of brutal attacks in which he plays a sheriff who hunts down formidable foes. The Boys actor jokingly confessed that he somehow attracted ill luck via his past life, which was why he was constantly beaten up during the show. However, he was still grateful to Banshee for giving him the initial foothold into becoming a recognizable face in Hollywood.
Antony Starr On Being Battered And Bruised in Banshee
2013’s action thriller series Banshee gave Antony Starr his first big recognition as an actor. Having become a hugely popular name as the chilling Homelander in The Boys, Starr’s claim to fame before this series was his role as Sheriff Lucas Wood in Banshee. Unlike the intimidating Homelander though, his character in this show faced a lot of physical challenges before coming out on top against formidable enemies.
In almost every episode, Starr’s character is beaten to pulp by gigantic and intimidating antagonists before managing to conquer them. The New-Zealand actor joked about this aspect of the character and what he felt about it in an interview with Chicago Tribune. He said that he believed bad karma was following him due to past life acts.
“If I’m honest it has crossed my mind that possibly I’ve done wrong to someone, I’ve pissed them off in some way because the guys that I’m fighting just seem to get bigger and bigger. And every day I do a fight sequence I come out of it battered and bruised. So, you know, it’s payback for some transgression either in this or a past life.”
Starr went on to also admit that the brutal physical beat downs made his character relatable and realistic to audiences while making them believe that a common man could rise above all odds.
Antony Starr Was Insecure About Playing Homelander For This Reason
Antony Starr made every other supervillain look meek and mild with his chilling portrayal of Homelander in The Boys. Playing the role of the psychopathic antagonist, Starr made fans and critics around the world shudder and applaud through his perfect performance. The actor though, was not confident in himself and his abilities when the opportunity was first presented to him.
The Banshee actor confessed that he did not give the script much thought, and refrained from reading it when he found out that his character had superhuman abilities. With Henry Cavill being signed on as DC’s most celebrated hero Superman, Starr was of the opinion that he was physically inferior in every way to The Witcher star, and was certain that he wouldn’t be picked for the part. In a conversation with Metro, the actor recalled his trepidations and said,
“I didn’t look at it for a week and a half and then I saw it was a superhero thing and I thought they’re not going to pick me anyway, I’m not made for that. Henry Cavill’s 12 feet tall, built like a 12 foot brick s**t house and he’s wonderful, handsome and charming – I’m not going to get that.”
As it turned out, Starr’s fear of failure was unwarranted, with the actor gaining superstardom through his chilling performance as Homelander, and ensuring that no one else but him could have played the role.
