Marvel’s What If…? casts many familiar characters in a new light under very different circumstances, but it also introduces MCU fans to new parts of the multiverse. One character the new Disney+ series will focus on when it premieres on August 11 is The Watcher, voiced by Jeffrey Wright.
Wright spoke to Screen Rant about the research he did for the mysterious role and hinted at the character’s journey over the course of the first season.
Screen Rant: Jeffrey, what was it like joining the MCU in such a unique role?
Jeffrey Wright: Well, it's an invitation that's hard to turn down. They say, "Hey, do you want to be a part of this massive juggernaut that's beloved by tens of millions of people all over the world?" "Yeah, okay. I'll do that." "And you'll be giving voice to a character described as the most dramatic being in all the known universe?" "Yeah, okay. Sign me up."
It's perfect casting, if I may say. Is The Watcher a character that Marvel reached out to you specifically for? Or were you meeting with them for other characters and projects in general?
Jeffrey Wright: No, this was our first conversation. I went back and dug around to find out who and what this character was. Of course, I asked my son; he's grown up in the Marvel years. He's 19 now, so he was 9 or 10 for the first Marvel film - now he's just a total [Marvel] head. I asked him about The Watcher, and he just freaked out. When he calmed down, I told him that they'd asked me to be a part of it. He was really thrilled.
And then I went back and read some of the comics to get a sense of who he was, and it was just a lot to play with. He kind of distinguishes himself from these characters that we know and have come to love because he's got his own unique powers and his own unique place inside the multiverse - or outside even. It was a lot to dig into. And then the opportunity to do it with my voice is something that drew me in. I like doing voice work, and it was a lot to play with.
The Watcher can be a cold character in the comics. What was it like to imbue such a cosmic force with personality?
Jeffrey Wright: I like the idea that he's got a kind of detached thing. Because he's got that power, he doesn't have to get too dug in. He's not to be toyed with; he can handle himself.
But in this case, he's playing a kind of, as I like to call him, Rod Serling. He's what Rod Serling is to The Twilight Zone. He's casting a spell in some ways and luring the audience - who really are watchers themselves. I mean, he's the biggest of Marvel fans, The Watcher, and he's just inviting his fellow watchers into the space and into the room to sit down and take new looks at stories that they already thought they knew.
From what we've seen so far, The Watcher is only acting as an observer. Can you tease how he develops over the course of the season?
Jeffrey Wright: Yeah, I can tease. He watches; he's dispassionate until he's passionate.
But the thing about The Watcher is, he's concerned. He's not just an uninteresting voyeur; he's concerned about the state of things in these various realms. And he has a sense of justice, or just-ness and balance, that he's aware of. So, certain things excite him more than others. We'll see what happens when he gets more excited than other times.
Now, can you talk to me about the collaboration process with Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, writer A.C. Bradley, and director Bryan Andrews?
Jeffrey Wright: Yeah, it's been fantastic from the start. Once I signed on, the initial conversation was about, "What do you want to do? How do you want to bring this guy to life through your voice?" And the ideas that I had [were] about playing music that was specific to me and not trying to emulate something else. Just being true to the times, and trying to bring something fresh and cool and fun. They were totally open to it.
And also making it specifically an American voice of whatever rhythms and notes that I wanted to make, and just bringing it home. So, yeah, it was good. It was great, and it's what we did. What we talked about doing at the start is what ended up in the show, so it's been pretty cool.
COVID happened over the last year and a half or so, but animation is a little bit easier to do in these times. Were you guys already done with this prior?
Jeffrey Wright: No, we had recorded some stuff prior, and then we recorded stuff during. Which involved me getting out of bed, rolling over to my bedroom closet, and setting up a studio - a pants optional kind of thing. Getting in there and doing the business. I appreciated that. Any work that I can do pants-optional is always a good thing.
After playing The Watcher for these 9 episodes, what are your favorite aspects of him and why?
Jeffrey Wright: I like that he has this kind of mystical quality to him. I like that he's of the cosmos because it just gives all kinds of room for acting shenanigans. I also appreciate that he cares. He cares, and he recognizes that there's a balance and there's a harmony to things that needs to be honored and respected. I dig that about him.
What If...? premieres August 11 on Disney+.
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Reviewed by Riyad
on
August 09, 2021
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