Ma displays his signature action style in new Marvel movie

“Scenes, where I throw a punch or smack villains, are what the director Chloe Zhao said she wanted to include in the movie after watching my previous works,” said Ma Dong-seok during a virtual press conference held on Friday. He has become the first Korean actor to play a Marvel superhero in the movie “Eternals.”

A recently released trailer for the movie shows Gilgamesh, played by Ma, punching and smacking a Deviant, the oldest enemy of mankind. Gilgamesh sends a Deviant up in the air with his powerful punch. This scene reminds movie fans of the ones Ma played in in his previous works, including “The Outlaws” and “Train to Busan,” where he showed his signature punch.

“Director Zhao recreated the Gilgamesh character, reflecting my action style, such as boxing which I have been doing for a long time. The director and Marvel changed a lot to adapt the character into me, such as changing the character to an Asian unlike the original comic book,” said Ma, expressing his gratitude.

The fact that Ma is a fan of director Zhao played a part in his choice of the film. Zhao won more than 200 awards, including the Best Picture Academy Award. “Zhao is a great director, who understands film both commercially and artistically,” Ma said. Zhao chose Ma for the role without even auditioning him.

In the film, Gilgamesh is a member of the Eternals, a group of superheroes who spent 7,000 years on Earth, hiding their presence. Angelina Jolie, who plays Thena, is also a member of the group. “Shooting with Jolie was like meeting an old friend. I was thankful when Jolie told me she was my fan,” Ma said.

Jolie made a surprise appearance during a virtual press conference held in Los Angeles and exchanged a hug with Ma, showing their friendship. “Shooting action scenes with him was an unbelievably exciting experience,” Jolie said. “Taking this as an opportunity, I expect to continue to work with the Marvel Studio. I think this is a great opportunity,” Ma said.

“This film has a message that the even superheroes create the strongest power when they join forces. I hope many people will be able to open their minds to each other and unite as one after watching this film.”


Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com