Antony Starr Rejects Homelander-Trump Comparisons, Calls It “Low-Hanging Fruit”

Antony Starr, best known for his chilling portrayal of Homelander in Prime Video’s The Boys, has addressed ongoing comparisons between his character and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite overt political parallels in the show’s fourth season, which included MAGA-inspired imagery and a violent coup reminiscent of the January 6 Capitol riots, Starr is not on board with the comparison. He describes it as “low-hanging fruit” and insists his performance was never intended to align with such real-world figures.

Starr on the Controversy

Starr, 49, shared his thoughts on the issue in a recent interview, explaining how the parallels were drawn without his involvement.

“Of course, people could make the comparison, and they did. So it was quite strange getting dragged into a conversation I didn’t necessarily sign on to be a part of,” he said. “I didn’t want the character to be a mustache-twirling villain. It had to be a real person built from the ground up.”

He also rejected the use of the word “psychopath” to describe Homelander, calling it “reductive.” Instead, Starr emphasized his focus on creating a multidimensional, humanized version of the villain rather than relying on simplistic archetypes.

Eric Kripke Weighs In

Eric Kripke, the creator of The Boys and its spin-offs, acknowledged the political undertones of the series, describing it as a “fun-house mirror” of real-world events.

“We’re making this fun-house mirror of what’s going on in culture as much as any show since Veep or The West Wing. It makes me nervous to be in similar company, but we are!”

Kripke has previously stated that the fourth season delves into the darkest and most introspective aspects of the characters’ journeys. For Homelander, this included exploring his traumatic upbringing in the Vought lab where he was raised.

Starr’s Creative Input

Starr’s influence extended beyond his performance, as he collaborated with Kripke to shape key moments for his character. In the fourth episode of the season, titled “Wisdom of the Ages,” Homelander returns to the Vought lab to confront his past. Starr pushed for a nuanced portrayal of Homelander’s emotions during these scenes, departing from the initial script, which portrayed the character as uniformly cruel.

“What was on the page was already good. It just struck a chord in me that I thought we could go in a slightly different direction,” Starr explained.

This collaborative approach allowed Homelander to exhibit a broader range of emotions, further blurring the lines between villainy and vulnerability.

Audience Reactions and Season 5

Fans of The Boys have expressed mixed emotions about Homelander. Starr noted how viewers often grapple with their conflicted feelings about the character.

“People hate the character, love to hate the character, and then there’s this weird thing where they empathize with the character,” Starr said. “It’s really interesting meeting fans. They often feel like, ‘What’s wrong with me? I love Homelander, but he’s so bad.’ I take that as a signal that we’re going in the right direction.”

As The Boys approaches its fifth and final season, Kripke hinted at the high stakes awaiting Homelander and the series’ core characters. The upcoming season will explore the consequences of Homelander taking control of America, with his reign posing significant challenges for those who oppose him.

“It is time you’ve dealt with your stuff, to pull it together and go save the world,” Kripke stated about the characters’ arcs. “What does it look like when Homelander has taken over the country? How do our characters fight against it? I’m excited with what we’re coming up with.”

Expanding the Universe

Even as The Boys prepares for its conclusion, the franchise will continue with spin-offs like Gen V and Vought Rising. Jensen Ackles, another star of the series, announced Vought Rising at Comic-Con earlier this year, signaling that the world of The Boys still has plenty of stories to tell.

For more updates on The Boys, stay tuned to Vviptimes.

Source: Entertainment Weekly