Thanks to an exceptionally strong reception from critics and fans alike, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is rocketing toward a strong second weekend and we were recently granted the exclusive opportunity to sit down with actors Miriam Shor (Younger; The Good Wife) and Nico Santos (Crazy Rich Asians; Superstore) to talk about their villainous roles in the Marvel Studios blockbuster.
Shor and Santos play Recorder Vim and Recorder Theel, respectively, and are two of the High Evolutionary's most nefarious Recorders, who play a critical role in the movie's second half as they find themselves in the center of an epic battle between the titular Guardians and their Creator.
Speaking with them, Shor and Santos elaborates on what backstory they created for their characters, shooting their explosive final scenes, stepping onto a Marvel set for the first time, getting into all of those prosthetics, and a whole lot more!
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ROHAN: Like Rocket, both Recorder Vim and Recorder Theel are creations of the High Evolutionary. What kind of backstory did you create for your characters?
MIRIAM: Well, I mean, I kind of saw her as someone who views herself as an impartial scientist, right? Like an observer, because that's what they are, they record, they're not here to get emotionally involved. They're here for a greater purpose, which is the science of it, right, the creation of it, she's a zealot, and believes herself and her and their mission to be the highest possible order. So, that was kind of my weigh-in, and I don't really believe that about anything except maybe science. So, I was like, okay, if I can view her as someone who really believes in the science of this, then I can sort of get on board with this.
NICO: Yeah. I mean, wonderful answer, all of that was very well said. I think for Theel, I also saw him as sort of a survivalist. He is survival at any cost, and his proximity to power is what he really was, sort of, like getting off on and the fact that he was one of the top henchmen for the High Evolutionary and, and could act in a very evil and malicious way, knowing that, you know, this guy is going to kick everybody's ass, because he's doing his bidding, was sort of like another layer that I wanted to put on Theel because he is sort of just like you can't touch me. This guy's gonna protect me.
MIRIAM: Yeah, exactly. Who’s gonna mess with the High Evolutionary? Nobody!
ROHAN: Nico, your character gets a pretty explosive death scene - can you tell me more about that day and shooting that massive sequence with Chris Pratt and Groot?
NICO: When I read the script, I was like, wow, that is one way to die. It was really just like a death, but I think that day was such a big day on set. We had the scenes with Miriam and Chuk, and Chris Pratt and Groot were there, you had all the recorder guards and the other recorders and the huge set and stunts and explosions happening. It was probably the one moment where I was like, I am in a Marvel movie, because everything that you see in Marvel movies is currently happening right now, and it was really just one of those pinch me moments, sort of like, I cannot believe this is friggin happening. This is so cool. So, I mean, that was mostly what was going through my head during that day.
MIRIAM: Remember that giant fan that day? They brought in this fan and so picture, when I say giant fan, picture a fan, I know you're picturing a giant fan, not someone who enjoys the movies, but like a machine that's like 1000 times bigger than that. And we were like, turn it on! I mean, that is a metaphor for how big this is, for the bigness, the most Marvel-esque of all these moments. It was really that.
NICO: It was like how many Beyonces do we have on set today, because that fan is really huge.
MIRIAM: I remember that, I was just like, wow.
ROHAN: Conversely, Miriam, your character actually chooses to rebel against the High Evolutionary and stages a mutiny of sorts, which also doesn't end well for her. What was your approach to Vim's final moments and her big decision?
MIRIAM: I'm kind of fascinated by what leads people to follow the worst people in the world, in real life, and this was a safe space to ask that question, which is kind of what sci-fi does best is to ask those big questions, and you can have fun doing it, but it is a big question. It is a question we should be asking, because no leader can achieve anything unless there are followers and people who do their bidding, and that's how the worst evil gets done, is with followers.
So, I was curious of that moment when a person realizes, Oh no, I'm going over the edge now, I don't want to. I want to put the brakes on this, like that moment is very intense. Also, the whole movie is questioning what you were created to do, right? Like, it’s about questioning your Creator, and the High Evolutionary is our Creator, so that's kind of the through line throughout the whole movie. This idea of, who made me? Why was I made this way? And, do I have to follow the destiny that was determined by how I was created, you know? And, she tries to alter it… It's a valiant effort.
ROHAN: James Gunn seems like a really awesome person to work for and it seems like his cast and crew genuinely love him. Now that both of you have had a chance to work with him, what can you say about your experience and why he elicits such a strong sense of loyalty from anyone that steps onto one of his sets?
MIRIAM: Yeah, cause it's a dream to work with him. A dream. He was so welcoming. We were new to this. I felt welcomed in, I felt accepted, I felt like he valued what I brought. I felt like he was here to play, you know, the best possible way. He wanted me to bring what I brought, and he respected and appreciated it. On a project this enormous, that's not a given. It's a big ship to captain.
So, it all kind of comes from him. I think that's why everyone is like, yeah, I'll follow him wherever he goes, he elicits that kind of loyalty, because he creates - the way you feel when you're in a darkened theater, and you're a kid, and that screen lights up, and you believe in the possibility of whatever could happen. That's the vibe he brings on set, you can tell he loves it.
NICO: It's a really intimidating set to walk into, because it's such a beloved franchise. James Gunn is a legendary director, the cast is like, I mean, these are all huge movie stars, and so, walking into that type of environment, you just don't know what you're gonna get, and how welcoming people are going to be and, not just with James, but every single person, from Chris Pratt, to Zoe to everybody, like the department heads.
Everybody wanted to make sure that we were comfortable, that whatever they could do to make sure that we were giving them the performance that we needed to give and that we were doing our job correctly. Nobody made us feel stupid for asking for something or asking a question or wondering how we should approach a scene. It was all very, very collaborative, and those experiences, especially for movies as big like this aren’t given. So, to be able to have that experience for a project this huge is mind-blowing and phenomenal.
ROHAN: Both of you are practically unrecognizable in the film - how long was the prosthetics and makeup process? And, how did it help you get into character?
MIRIAM: It was about three hours? Was it a little less for you? Or was it about the same?
NICO: It was a little less for me, we started off, got it down to two and a half and then towards the end of this shoot, it was down to two hours, but it was a process. It was like you gotta get your hair cut. They cut our hair very short, so we could fit in the bald cap. So, there was the haircut, then there was the prosthetics and all the makeup and obviously getting the prosthetics made, we had like that session at Legacy Studios where we had the cast and everything. It was such a surreal experience having to go through these fittings and cast makings and all that stuff. It was wonderful.
MIRIAM: I love it. I love sitting in a makeup chair and seeing yourself at the end and not recognizing yourself and seeing something so completely other than yourself. It's psychologically real strange, but at the same time, I love it. It helps get you into that mindset. You’re supposed to be in another galaxy, and it really helps you get there. You feel other, you feel like you're from another galaxy.
NICO: It's such a definitive way to get into character. I think for other roles that we play, and I don't know if you feel like this Miriam, but I've never really played an alien being before, so getting into character was a different process. But, with this one, going through that process everyday of putting on prosthetics and makeup and then seeing yourself in full regalia, you're just like, oh, okay, then the character seeps into it and you can be ready.
MIRIAM: Everything about it. I love the costume and the makeup, everything that - I come from theater, everything that I can use, to sort of give myself tools to get to feel different, to feel like I can jump into that character, I love. And, being a fan getting to go to Legacy and get a cast done and then go into the workshop and see how they do it. My God, I was in heaven. It was like Willy Wonka walked in, and I was like, oh my god, I'm home!
In Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere. But it isn’t long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket’s turbulent past. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket’s life—a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.