DeWanda Wise rose to prominence with her performance in the Netflix comedy-drama series She’s Gotta Have It. However, fans of the Jurassic World franchise might know the actress as Kayla Watts in 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion. Wise is currently starring in the Blumhouse horror film Imaginary, and gave an interview while promoting the film.
In the interview, Wise opened up about her Hollywood career and spoke about being a part of a blockbuster franchise. At the same time, Wise shared her brief experience in the MCU and criticized Marvel for their approach to characterization and acting. Here is what Wise revealed about her short-lived MCU stint and why the Marvel process was one of her worst nightmares.
Jurassic World‘s DeWanda Wise Criticizes Marvel Movies Over Creative Approach
Actress DeWanda Wise recently appeared on Collider Ladies Night to promote her work in the 2024 horror film Imaginary. During the lengthy interview, Wise spoke about being a part of the Jurassic World franchise and discussed her experience with what she referred to as “blockbuster acting.”
While Wise praised her collaborators on Jurassic World Dominion, she was critical of Marvel’s approach to acting in blockbuster films. Wise was initially cast in the role of Maria Rambeau in 2019’s Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson as the titular hero. However, Wise eventually dropped out of the film due to scheduling conflicts.
“Yeah, you know how it is, these movies, you hit your mark, you say your line, you go home.”
Wise made the above statement referencing what a crew member on the film had told her about the acting process for the film. Wise was clearly unhappy with such an approach and added:
“That is my own personal nightmare. That sounds crazy and terrible to me.”
In contrast, Wise had a brighter experience with Jurassic World Dominion, where she was allowed to flex her artistry and got to discover her character’s emotional truth. Thus, it seems Wise’s discovery of the Marvel acting process left a sour mark on the actress.
DeWanda Wise Opens Up About Toxic Sets and Creating Safe Work Environments
In the same interview, Wise also spoke about experiencing toxicity on sets and explained why she did not feel comfortable working in such a space. Wise added that she instead attempted to create a safe work environment for her peers, citing her experience on Imaginary as an example.
“It makes me mad when people are mistreated. It makes me mad when people don’t feel safe and taken care of in an environment where it’s really actually very easy to do.”
Wise made the above statement voicing her need for a safe working environment. At the same time, Wise also revealed how the entire crew for Imaginary came together to support a crew member who had lost their house during a fire.
Co-produced by Jason Blum, Imaginary stars DeWanda Wise as Jessica, a mother whose children exhibit strange behavior after interacting with a stuffed toy. The film also features Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, and Pyper Braun in the lead roles.
Imaginary was released theatrically on March 8, 2024.
