British actor Charlie Hunnam said he “begged” the director to let him switch roles after reading for a different character in his Rebel Moon Part One: A Child Of Fire audition.
The Gentleman star, 43, plays pilot and gun for hire Kai, one of the warriors Kora (Sofia Boutella) assembles who share a common need for redemption and risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt – in the film launching on December 15th.
However, at the London premiere at the BFI IMAX, Hunnam said he had originally auditioned for a different role.
“I wasn’t reading the script for Kai,” he told the PA news agency.
“I was reading the script for another character and immediately when Kai showed up I was like ‘forget that other geezer, I’m playing Kai’.
“And so I wasn’t sure if it was already cast or if Zack (Snyder) would be up for it.”
He later said “I begged for it actually” referencing the role.
“You know he’s a very interesting character Kai, you never really know what he’s about, my sense is he’s very sincere about everything,” Hunnam said.
“He’s got a lot of different faces and actually all of them are true, he’s kind of conflicted, he’s definitely a naughty boy and he knows it, he’s trying to do well in the world.”
Meanwhile British actor Ed Skrein, who plays cruel emissary Admiral Noble in the film, said it was “definitely the most challenging” role of his career because the character was the opposite of him.
“Noble is very different to me as a person, I’m a father-of-three, I’m a teddy bear, a pacifist, out here I’m a hugger, really definitely should be described as nothing other than a hugger so it’s strange,” the 40-year-old told PA.
“It was dark to step into it, it was challenging – definitely the most challenging role I’ve ever done.”
Leading actress Boutella, 41, said she was grateful to director Zack Snyder.
She said: “I had so much fun with it.
“He (Snyder) gave me a character – first of all I don’t take it for granted he picked his lead character to be a woman, I think its important – and I think he not only gave me a character where I got to be a bad ass… but also he gave me a complex story and an emotional journey with a lot of depth which made Kora more interesting to spend time with.”
