From Twilight to Superman: Edi Gathegi's Journey to Becoming Mister Terrific

Actor Edi Gathegi, who previously starred in 'Twilight' and 'For All Mankind', discusses his recent role as Mister Terrific in the current 'Superman' movie in an interview.

James Gunn, co-chief of DC Studios, was the first to stir interest in the lesser-known character, Michael Holt from the DC comics, aka Mister Terrific, through a social media post in 2023. Among the many suggestions for actors who could play the part, Gathegi was mentioned early on. Fascinated by the character's background and complexity, he quickly felt drawn to the role.

Gathegi describes Mister Terrific as a character with "fourteen PhDs, a polyglot, polymath, auto-didactic, a natural for natural aptitudes and an Olympic athlete," yet carrying a profound personal wound. After losing his wife and contemplating suicide, his character is visited by The Spectre who educates him about the previous Mister Terrific, spurring him to pick up the mantle himself.

Despite seeming promising, the expectations of the public began to shift toward more known actors like John Boyega, Daniel Kaluuya, and Michael B. Jordan. Gathegi, however, was no stranger to the superhero realm, having played Darwin, a mutant character in the 2011 'X-Men: First Class'.

When he was finally cast as Mister Terrific, Gathegi was thrilled to be playing a character of high importance in the 'Superman' movie. The movie sees Mister Terrific join a superhero team to help find Superman, who has been locked away by Lex Luthor. He showcases his super-genius abilities and advanced tech in a memorable fight scene.

Gathegi gave his insights on the future of Mister Terrific in the new DC universe, expressing his hopes to be heavily involved should the character continue to be developed, whilst understanding that nothing is guaranteed. He shares how he created an internal system for the choreography during fight scenes and pondered about the mysteries behind the character's mask.

The premieres of the film came with a surprise for Gathegi: that Mister Terrific features in the film's end credits scene. Now, he views this as a symbol of progression in his career, remarking on his transformation from initially being unceremoniously killed off in 'X-Men: First Class' to now being one of the last surviving characters in the 'Superman' movie.