In its first weekend, Captain Marvel soared higher, further and farther than most movies with a global box office haul of $455 million. This makes it the second best superhero debut of all time, behind Avengers: Infinity War, which garnered $630 million in its opening weekend. To celebrate the successful launch, we catch up with Scandinavian actor Rune Temte to find out about his role in the MCU and his iconic Marvel character, Bron-Char…
How does it feel to soar so high at the box office?
Rune Temte: It feels incredible. We had high hopes for the movie, but to hear it do this well is amazing. For me, it’s a joy to be part of the MCU, so I couldn’t be happier.
How was this character described to you when Marvel first approached you about the role?
Bron-Char was described to me as a member of Starforce. He’s an elite solider in an elite force team, but he’s a little different to the comic book version of the character. In the movie, he’s similar in the way that he is incredibly strong and he has the same powers. However, Bron-Char in the comics is not a member of the Starforce. Instead, he’s on a team called The Lunatic Legion.
What research did you tackle when you won the role?
I went back and got hold of lots of old comics. I read everything available. Plus, the MCU movies had to be watched again, of course. This time, it was so much fun to watch them knowing that I was going to be a part of the MCU.
What’s your all-time favourite superhero movie?
Thor. Guardians Of The Galaxy. Basically, all 21 movies from the MCU!
How much training was involved before the film shoot started?
It took about three months for me to bulk up for the role of Bron-Char. I trained five to six times a week and kept a very strict diet. I was also on other film projects at the time, so it was a very intense period for me. We also had to train with weights and spent many hours wrestling, Roman style. Now that’s hard work! To be flexible was the most important thing so I did my stretches religiously. Once we got to LA to start production, we began stunt rehearsals and choreographed fights. I am proud to say that two of the stunts I did were kept in the movie.
What skills have you learned through playing the forceful character?
I have learned to fly – and to make people fly when I hit them! (Laughs) Lifting pinning machines can also come in handy, but I also learned wire work and dead man’s pull. Running in very delicate sand in heavy warrior costumes is also a skill I can master now!
What was your toughest day on the set of Captain Marvel?
I always try to make the most out of every day in front of the camera. I try to enjoy it like it’s the last, but having to fight while making sure nothing went wrong meant that I needed to focus extra hard. Night shoots were challenging, too. We did eight of them.
How long did the hair and make-up process take every day?
It took three hours to get all that on and then an additional 90 minutes to take it off again. They did an amazing job. There are so many talented people in the MCU family, especially Heba Thorisdottir in the make-up department. She has an amazing eye for detail.
What went through your mind when you first saw yourself in full hair and make-up?
I thought, ‘Wow!’ It was amazing. I have a full-size replica of myself that they rolled in as well, so there were suddenly two of us. The attention to detail on set was absolutely incredible, and it was such a hard working crew. The costumes designed by Sanja Milkovic also really helped me and made Bron-Char come alive. It’s been epic.
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