The phrase ‘star-studded’ can perhaps be a little overused at times, but in the case of new Netflix film The Gray Man, it certainly applies.
Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana De Armas lead the action thriller, while there are also key roles in the Gray Man cast for the likes of Billy Bob Thornton, Alfre Woodard and Regé-Jean Page.
Another actor with a big part to play in the film is The Matrix Resurrections‘ Jessica Henwick, who portrays CIA agent Suzanne Brewer, a ‘Deputy’ Group Chief who doesn’t always see eye to eye with her boss (Page).
Suzanne also has a rather complicated relationship with Evans’ character Lloyd Hansen – a psychopathic former CIA agent who is rehired by the agency for a murderous task – and Henwick has revealed that the backstory between the two characters was explored slightly further in the original script.
“It’s a shame, there’s another line which didn’t make it into the cut,” she explained during an exclusive chat with RadioTimes.com. “But we talked about how Lloyd and Suzanne actually worked together on a mission before he washed out.
“And he betrayed Suzanne and left her for dead somewhere in the wilderness or something. So they’ve known each other for years, but she has a very, very personal vendetta against him – which you know, maybe that’ll come out in future editions. Hopefully, we’ll see!”
Speaking of future instalments, Henwick also revealed there’s a chance her character might be more involved in action sequences in subsequent films, although she said that decision ultimately rests with the directors, the Russo brothers.
And she explained that taking on a character without much direct involvement in those action scenes was very much a deliberate choice on her part – even if she ended up feeling a little jealous of some of the other actors.
“I had been joking with my agents that I wanted my next film to have me only performing seated or standing,” she said. “I didn’t want to walk, I didn’t want to run, I didn’t want to jump, I didn’t want to fight. I basically said, ‘I want to do a film where I’m sat down, polishing silverware – like an old Anthony Hopkins role!’
“But saying that, when I watched the film, I was like – ‘damn, Ana got to play with a missile launcher! Then jump into this moat, and then the flying – it looks like so much fun.’ And I did kind of feel a bit like, ‘Oh, it sucks, I didn’t do any of those.’
“It’s possible,” she said, when asked if she might be more involved in the action in the likely event of a sequel. “It’s really up to the Russos. You know, to be in her position at the CIA, she would have had to go through field training, and she would have had to have had experience with fighting… so it’s definitely in her wheelhouse.
“Whether or not she decides to use it or not… she’s kind of the politician of the film, so she doesn’t really get her hands dirty – that much is my feeling. But I don’t know – the Russos have already figured out what they want for the next film, so it might be in there!”
The Gray Man is currently showing in select UK cinemas and is available to stream globally on Netflix from 22nd July 2022.
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