Jonathan Majors portrays many different Kang variants in the MCU. During Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania interviews, he discusses Kang.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicks off the MCU’s Phase 5 and introduces the world to one of the most coldhearted Marvel villains, Kang the Conqueror. While we got a glimpse of his variant, He Who Remains, in Loki, we were warned that the rest of the variants are far worse than him.
During the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania press conference, Jonathan Majors talks about finding different versions of this character, and what his preparation is like.
Jonathan Majors On Playing Many Kang Variants
Majors asks the question “Who is Kang?” before answering it himself, “I think the quick answer to that is Kang is a time traveling super villain. Who is also a nexus being. Which leads to this idea of variants.”
He continues, “There’s multiple versions of Kang. Versions being variants. They occupy different universes, multi-verses, they have different intentions. They are all different beings, and yet something that we’re still and I’m still working on and continue to refine and refine and refine to something as a through line between them. And that, to me, is the Kang gene.”
Specific to Kang the Conqueror, Jonathan Majors says he has some issues with some of the other variants, and he’s not happy about it. When he was in the Quantum Realm he met Janet and for the rest of the story, you will have to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
In regards to finding the right approach to playing Kang and his variants, Majors explains that it feels like joining the Shakespearean troops back in the day.
“The culture of the play and the story is all there, but it’s really changing. And so, for that, you really have to be very clear about what it is you’re doing and who your character is, the spine of the character, what he’s about, what she’s about, what they’re going after. So, you built that. And the rest of it, you just play hard. At least that was my take. Play hard and if we turn left, you turn it left.”
Majors confesses that prepping for the role came with a lot of studying of several different Marvel characters and the actors that play them.
“In Loki, I’m dealing with Tom. He Who Remains and Tom. This opportunity came to me in lockdown. And so I studied Tom Hiddleston for hours a day. And then when that was done, I went, ‘Okay, Paul Rudd, you’re up.’ And I studied him, and I studied him, and I studied all his hero colleagues and co-patriots.”
He adds that it is also important to talk to the director and producers to learn what they are looking for. “That’s the approach. Same as all the other pieces of the people I’m blessed enough to play. Kang is just different in so far that he lives in a very different world.”
Check out how chilling Kang is in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania when it hits theaters on February 17th!
NEXT: Creating MODOK For Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
About Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible.
Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a. and Stephen Broussard, p.g.a., “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O’Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar.
