Actor Stefan Kapicic has had a pretty big week. Monday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed he has been cast In a recurring role on AMC’s Better Call Saul. Monday was also the New York premiere of Deadpool 2. The Hollywood elite were there, including but not limited to co-stars Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Lewis Tan, Morena Baccarin, Terry Crews, director David Leitch and Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld among others.
The premier doubled as a fan screening and Kapicic said that being amongst the fans was a delight. The X-Men movies now have a canonical Colossus and as a comic book fan, Stefan couldn’t be happier.
Stefan took the time to talk to us by phone about comic book collecting, fan reactions to Deadpool 2 and how Ryan Reynolds and David Leitch lead the team to a successful sequel that hits as hard as The Empire Strikes Back.
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FOG!: Thanks for joining us!
Stefan Kapicic: Thanks for having me, especially coming from last night we had such a spectacular premiere in New York, so I’m still trying to process all the emotions and everything that happened last night.
How was it, were you hanging out with Rob Liefeld?
I was hanging out with everybody, it was the whole cast and we were just going through all the things and talking about filming and everything else, everyone was just so happy because of this crazy success that is happening right now. People are telling is that it is much better than the first one, and I thought, “Nobody can beat the first Deadpool“.
It’s really surreal in that way, because last night at the premier at the same time it was a fan screening and we had the reaction from the true, real fans which was indescribable. This is amazing, I don’t know what to tell you because I am still under this impression.
You’re right, I was lucky enough to see the movie and you’re right, I didn’t know how you could have topped Deadpool, but you did.
I think we are having The Empire Strikes Back effect, you know. The sequel can beat the first one, which doesn’t happen…at all…ever! That’s the beauty of Deadpool, definitely because you just never know what to expect.
I’m reading some of the reviews from Variety and Entertainment Weekly, everybody. These reviews are insane. We are so blessed as a team, but I think it is coming from the other side which is the chemistry between actors and producers. I think the amazing energy that we have between us is just something that goes into the film. And we have Ryan as a team leader in this in every single way. I don’t want to sound cheesy, but it is that love between everybody on the team that makes this movie, the first one and then the sequel and who knows what will happen in the future because this is an unstoppable franchise.
People are sending me social media, so much love, and so many DMs and tweets and texts and Instagram posts about how they felt amazing after the movie. It’s a feel-good movie, something that people need at this moment. It’s something that Deadpool can bring. It really is a specific genre, it is such a specific and brilliant genre (film). If you can make something new, create a new genre in the twenty-first century, Deadpool is definitely that. Because it is really hard to create something like this.
I hear you are a huge comic book fan.
I am!
Colossus front and center in his first appearance
Here’s the thing, when I think of Wolverine, the voice in my head when I am reading comic books and the guy I see is Hugh Jackman. And Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man to me. Now, you are Colossus to me. How does that make you feel?
Oh, Thank you, thank you so much! That means a lot. That’s surreal.
As you said, I am a huge comic book geek. I’m collecting the artwork and I just bought three of the first Colossus appearances, the Giant Size X-Men #1 from 1975.
I found one that is in mint condition signed by Dave Cockrum the original artist of Colossus. You can understand what its like to get an issue like that and to hold it in your hands.
I like to say that playing Colossus is an Academy Award for my inner child, my inner geek!
Its even better, right?
You know, for a lot of actors, doing this job, they aren’t in to comic books. Its like a job, a great role, a career move. But for me, it’s something totally different, because as an actor, I’m so happy because I’m a part of this franchise but I fulfilled my childhood dream.
My dream in general was becoming one of the X-Men. If you asked me 10 years ago what was my dream role, I would say to be a part of X-Men in any way.
The funny thing is, I’m coming from Eastern Europe so my language is really close to Russian language, the same root. You know, I could play an American super hero but there are only a few characters that you can play maybe like one hero which is Colossus. And to get this kind of a lottery in that way, thanks to Fox and Tim Miller who’s idea in the beginning with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to take Colossus from the X-Men and bring him in to the Deadpool world, the stars were on my side in that way.
I was extremely proud of what I did in the first part, but having a chance, especially in the sequel, I am even more a part of it.
You are a bigger part of this movie!
Yes, and the beauty is we made Colossus and Deadpool such an amazing duo. They are totally different as characters but they have an unbelievable chemistry as heroes because we just upgraded their relationship in the sequel. You can see how much Colossus cares and loves Deadpool. Even if Deadpool if is such a specific character to love.
Then again, you can see their relationship which makes me happy as an artist. In this kind of movie it is really hard to get this kind of emotion because we have so many funny and action things, but we did it. We put Colossus as one of the most important characters in the Deadpool franchise besides the Deadpool character. This is a beauty, what is happening in the mansion, and the cameo, you know the one I am talking about!
So great! People will be talking about it!
We can’t talk about it, I don’t want to spoil anything for people but there are some things in this movie that you think you know what you are going to get, because it is Deadpool or whatever but what you get is so much more than you ever expected! That’s really a sort of magic.
Now I also want to also ask you about the relationship you have with Negasonic Teenage Warhead and also why do you think Professor X puts Colossus in that kind of role in the X-Mansion? Why is he the mentor to everybody?
You know the comic world, and a lot of time people are going away from the comics but Colossus is one of those guys that just takes care of everyone. He’s old school super hero, he has such amazing morals and ethics and he believes that everybody has a good heart. He sacrifices himself sometimes in the comic books.
His relationship with Negasonic, in the first part, she was a trainee. He was the guy that brings the best out of people. He is teaching them to be the real old school super hero.
When you think about it, Colossus is Marvel’s response to Superman. He is the ‘Man of Steel’ of course, (laughs) but he is the old-school guy. The guy that does it the real way.
He does the right thing at the right time.
Yes! Yes, that is why he is teaching the youngsters in Xavier’s school. Professor Xavier would trust him with these things. You know that you can always trust Colossus. He doesn’t have any other issues. Its like we have it in the movie, he comes always as a deus ex machina, as a person who saves the day. He’s going to sacrifice himself, he’s going to do it for the team, he’s going to go first. That’s the beauty of the character, he has a pure soul.
I am so proud I have the opportunity to portray this kind of a character, and give him his soul and on this one I did everything regarding CGI and VFX and the face, and you can see my face now because we changed so many things. I have a much bigger job to do in the sequel. That’s why I’m much more proud of my portrayal in this one.
When you are doing the mo-cap and the voice, are David and Ryan there with you?
Always. Always. Both and we have, every actor has a stunt double for the action scenes and there are things the studio just doesn’t let you do by yourself. The thing is, Ryan is always with me and that’s a huge help and those are really long days, and I am thankful for all of the support.
My part is really important for the story and everything else. And Ryan is such a great colleague and friend in that way, he’s always there to give me an idea, something to improvise. He owns his character, of course I did the first part so this is not a new thing for me.
But the new thing was doing so much with the CGI, the effects, all of these cameras in my face, face mapping and all of these things. For all the efforts, all of the fights, it’s really something new for me but I am a theater actor first of all so I was used to doing this in continuity in many ways in theatre, so it was a tough job but it was a beautiful job for me. And the result is unbelievable.
It really is great! Do you think you’ll ever get to do the old “Fastball Special” in one of these movies?
I pray for that! It’s my wish, that’s a trademark of Colossus and Wolverine’s relationship. I think the fans would be geeking out. The fans will geek out when they see the anthology fight that we have in the sequel.
The fights, everything is so great and amped up. Everything looks great in this movie. Deadpool 2 is really soulful and it’s really special. The first movie is really special and this one is too. I think people are really going to be happy.
This doesn’t happen. Things like this, I’m thinking when I wake up in the morning, “Did this really happen, was it possible that we made this?” You start to do the sequel and you know the hype about the first one and then you make such an amazing sequel. I’m thinking, “How is this possible?”
As I said, It’s because we have a great team and everyone is connected. There is not even one bad place not one bad actor in the movie. Every single actor did his job amazingly.
You’ve got new talent, you have Josh Brolin who already had a big comic book movie this summer.
Oh my God, That man is unbelievable!
You said, Ryan owns his character, he really does, he’s responsible for this. You had a great time with Tim Miller last time and with David here, its great to see.
It’s unbelievable and a dream come true for every actor in the movie. For me on the other side, this is really the first time I’m a franchise actor, I’m in two amazing movies in a row and we never know how many more it is going to be, but with these two, there will be lots of good things in the future for every single one of us, especially the main team.
Lastly we have to congratulate you on your Better Call Saul casting news. You are Colossus to me, so when I watch Better Call Saul, I will say, “That’s Colossus” but that is just great news. I really do hope we get to see more, more of this universe, no matter what it is. It is the X-Men Universe after all, I’d like to see Colossus and Deadpool interact with the other characters, it will be great.
I think you can do this three times. At least…
I pray for that!
Deadpool 2 arrives in theaters on Friday, May 18th
Follow Stefan on Instagram @StefanKapicic
