Cassandra Nova and Paradox actors Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen break down their characters’ crucial Marvel Cinematic Universe roles in Deadpool & Wolverine. Phase 5 is getting ready for one of the most crucial chapters in The Multiverse Saga, with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine this week. As Ryan Reynolds joins the MCU timeline, he will be joining forces with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
Two new cast members who will play big roles in Deadpool & Wolverine are Corrin and Macfadyen. Corrin portrays Marvel’s Cassandra Nova, who is canonically Charles Xavier, a.k.a. Professor X’s twin-sibling in the comic book lore, and will serve as the primary antagonist. Macfadyen will be playing Mr. Paradox, who is one of the latest Time Variance Authority agents to be showing up in the MCU, as the TVA will play a major role in Wade’s multiverse storyline.
Screen Rant recently sat down with both Corrin and Macfadyen to discuss their respective experiences of appearing in the MCU as part of the Deadpool & Wolverine cast. Throughout the interview, Corrin looks at their preparation to play Cassandra, especially with their character’s ties to Professor X, and what is the most fun about playing a villain. Macfadyen talks about his approach to being part of Deadpool & Wolverine and being included in something as crucial as the TVA.
Emma Corrin & Matthew Macfadyen Discuss Joining The MCU Through Deadpool & Wolverine
Screen Rant: Emma, you are playing Cassandra Nova, who was Charles Xavier’s twin in the comic. Did you look back at James McAvoy or Patrick Stewart’s performance to help inform your own and were there any particular comic storylines that Cassandra Nova was involved in that you did for research?
Emma Corrin: I did look back at those two performances. I hesitated before I did because I was like, ‘Do I want to get too close? Will I still be able to make it my own?’ But I found it really interesting how they portrayed someone whose power is very internal and telepathic in that telepathic world. I wanted to see if there were any bits that I could use or pay homage to that, obviously, fans would really enjoy.
But in terms of the comics, we very much stay true to the comics in terms of Cassandra’s look, the cap and the costume and the weirdy fingers, and definitely, you’ll see echoes of her origin story and her relationship of her brother are very prominent here in terms of her motivation.
Who Is Deadpool & Wolverine’s Mr. Paradox?
Matthew, Mr. Paradox is who you were playing, he is essentially a replacement for Owen Wilson’s Mobius character a little bit.
Matthew Macfadyen: Like an amalgam of.
Was there any trepidation taking on that replacement of Owen’s character, and how did you feel about filling those big shoes that he played in the TVA?
Matthew Macfadyen: I have to confess, I haven’t seen any of the Loki [show.] I just jumped in and hoped for the best, and yeah, [I] went with what I had.
Tell us a little bit about Mr. Paradox because that’s a character that I’m not super familiar with.
Matthew Macfadyen: He works for the TVA obviously, and I think he’s probably a sort of mid-management, slightly frustrated man. I’m worrying about saying too much. Disney are very strict, but he’s got a sort of weird, angry, ugly energy to him, and he’s quite charming as well, so yeah, he’s an interesting character.
The Future Of Cassandra Nova In The MCU
Cassandra Nova was one of my favorite villains, especially in Grant Morrison’s X-Men run. Are there any X-Men characters that you want to share the screen with that you haven’t already, or even any MCU characters?
Emma Corrin: You know what I’ve got a lot in interviews recently is people saying there should be a film where I played Charles and Cassandra. That would be wild, which I hadn’t thought of, but that is sort of my answer, not that I would play him, but I think to see Cassandra and Charles Xavier meet, everyone loves a bit of family drama!
Does Mr. Paradox Accept Loki As The Guardians of The Timelines?
With Mr. Paradox being a part of the TVA and Loki being a part of the TVA, now that he’s the Guardian of the Timelines, how do you think Mr. Paradox feels about that?
Matthew Macfadyen: Probably not so happy about that. I think if nothing else, Mr. Paradox is a psych control freak.
The Fun Aspects Of Playing A Marvel Villain Like Cassandra Nova
Emma, can you tell us what kind of villain Cassandra is and how did you approach the role? Because this is kind of like a career first for you.
Emma Corrin: It is, I was really excited to play [Cassandra] I think villains have the most fun.
Matthew Macfadyen: Agreed, for sure – who wants to play the goodie?
Potential For Succession Spinoffs
I’m a huge fan of Succession. I think it’s one of the greatest shows that was ever created, and it left a Tom-sized hole in our hearts when the show ended. If there was a chance to reprise that role in a spinoff with Shiv, would you be up for it?
Matthew Macfadyen: I never say never, but I struggle to imagine that. I think part of the lovely thing about the way we finish is that you just sort of leave them. It doesn’t wrap anything up. The camera just goes away and they carry on with their strange and difficult life.
Transitioning From The Crown & Succession To Deadpool & Wolverine
I know both of you have been a part of really highly anticipated projects with The Crown and Succession, but how has it been being a part of something like this?
Emma Corrin: It is a different scale, I think. The greatest sort of thing that I’ve got from the experience of doing the film and doing the press tour, which is so much fun. It’s just seeing how much people care. The fan community is incredible. People who’ve been watching since they were kids, but also films that you can come to as an adult as well for the first time. It’s such a welcoming community. It’s amazing.
Matthew Macfadyen: That’s what art should be. It’s a collective experience and when the fans are so thrilled about it, then inevitably you are thrilled with the chance of making them happy or make them excited and entertaining. It’s a nice thing, it’s a collective endeavor.
The Power Of Shawn Levy As A Director
I want to ask you about working with Shawn, a fantastic director and I think that he is going to do such a great job. Already [with] the footage I saw blew me away. Can you talk about working with Shawn and what his directing style added to Deadpool & Wolverine?
Emma Corrin: I loved working with Shawn. I think I respond really well to people who have such enthusiastic energy all the time, and he’s just never off. It’s incredible and he never really seemed to have a bad day at all. Even though the scale of that set, everything he must have been holding in his head must have been huge. He never felt it, he always had time. He always had patience and welcomed ideas, but he really knew what he wanted. He was very clear in his vision, which is a very comfortable, comforting thing.
Matthew Macfadyen: You have that, and you are not afraid to try stuff, and he’s got the great gift of giving which, as an actor, is all you want really is giving you confidence to have a go or to fail or to try something. It’s wonderful.
About Deadpool & WolverineDeadpool & Wolverine Last Trailer
Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date—”Deadpool & Wolverine.” A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier… reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to—F–k. Synopses are so f—–g stupid.
Check out our other Deadpool & Wolverine interviews:
- Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson/Deadpool), Hugh Jackman (Logan/Wolverine) & Shawn Levy (Director)
- Aaron Stanford (Pyro)
- Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President)
- Wendy Jacobson (Producer)
