'Masters of the Universe': Casting with two Brazilian women (and an 'honorary') was 'coincidence', say actors and director

The Brazilian He-Man (with heart) in 'Masters of the Universe'
As if the presence of two Brazilian actresses in the cast of "Masters of the Universe" wasn't enough, the new film that adapts the adventures of He-Man has a British actor with a Brazilian heart in the role of the hero.
"I was a huge fan of the Seleção when I was young. Not in a fake way, really obsessed", says, in an interview with g1, Nicholas Galitzine, who grew up with a green and yellow flag in his room.
"I feel like I'm also an honorary Brazilian at this point."
Known for romantic comedies such as "Red, White and Blue Blood" (2023) and "An Idea of You" (2024), the 31-year-old actor shares the screen with the American daughter of Brazilians Camila Mendes ("Riverdale") and with the Rio de Janeiro native Morena Baccarin (from the "Deadpool" films).
g1 has already seen: 'Masters of the Universe' embraces He-Man's cheesiness in a ridiculous and fun adventure
To promote the film that opens this Thursday (4) in national cinemas, Galitzine and Mendes were in São Paulo with director Travis Knight ("Kubo and the Magic Strings").
The launch included an event for fans on Avenida Paulista and a premiere with a red carpet - an unusual treatment to say the least for a major Hollywood production.
On the one hand, it makes sense. Broadcast on Rede Globo in the mornings of the 1980s and 1990s, the classic cartoon reached a popularity in the country that rivaled the character's peak in the United States.
Nicholas Galitzine in a scene from 'Masters of the Universe'
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But the actors and the filmmaker guarantee that the casting of the two Brazilian actresses - and the "adopted" citizen, as Mendes himself classified his colleague - was mere chance.
"I actually think it was just a coincidence," she says.
"I was definitely the only Brazilian who auditioned for the role."
"So, I think when they cast me, they obviously wanted to be smart about who they cast in some of the other roles."
The actress, also 31, plays Teela, a warrior who grew up with the protagonist and who has a relationship not yet explored in the film with Baccarin's character.
"I would like to say it was intentional, but it wasn't", says Knight.
"Teela, our protagonist of the film, we needed someone who was fierce and funny and empathetic and charming. A really great actress. And that led me to Camila, who is all of those things."
Idris Elba, Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Mendes in a scene from 'Masters of the Universe'
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Between nostalgia and a new generation
In "Masters of the Universe", the original name of the franchise best known in Brazil simply as "He-Man", the exiled prince (Nicholas Galitzine) from a distant planet needs to find a legendary sword to return home and defeat a megalomaniac (Jared Leto) and insecure skull-faced villain.
The work finally premieres after years with countless attempts to make a new adaptation, after the ill-fated film starring Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella, in 1987.
For the difficult mission of introducing the characters to a new generation, the While he pleases the original fans, Knight was chosen because he was a great admirer of the cartoon while growing up.
It didn't hurt, of course, that he had on his resume the excellent 2016 stop-motion animation and "Bumblebee", a film with actors derived from "Transformers", another franchise inspired by toys from the 1980s.
"Really, I was never too worried. I remember meeting Travis for the first time.

And I had complete faith in him and what he was doing," says Galitzine.
"He's a guy who completely understands what it's like to make a blockbuster for this generation." and Skeletor's 'fever dream'
For Knight, it was a matter of resisting impulses from a part of the public that said "He-Man has to be like 'The Lord of the Rings'" or a big dark and dour epic.
"That was never He-Man to me," he says
"He-Man was always something crazy, you know? The essence of 1980s excess. It was a fever dream. Weird. Uncontrolled. With a guy with something like a tank for a face fighting another with a skull head and laser guns and battle axes."
To play the "guy with a skull head", the ultimate villain Skeletor, the director counted on the Oscar winner for "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013), Jared Leto.
The actor's absence from the film's publicity campaign raised public speculation about Leto's effective participation in the production - something that Knight refutes completely.
"He was at the recordings every day. The performance we see is him. He wears this incredible prosthetic muscle suit that looks like someone who's been skinned," says the director.
In talking to the actor about the film, Knight quickly learned that the villain was Leto's favorite.
"He's a weird character. He's funny, and insecure and scary, with an interesting look, and he's very theatrical, with a very distinct voice and laugh. And Jared wanted to capture all of those things, but he wanted to do something crazy that was fun and turned him into an iconic villain."
Nicholas Galitzine in a scene from 'Masters of the Universe'
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Source: G1

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