The Suicide Squad actor Nathan Fillion gets candid on working with James Gunn, opens up on his character TDK

The Suicide Squad actor Nathan Fillion has starred in several super hero and larger than life films. In a conversation with Pinkvilla, he revealed what makes James Gunn's The Suicide Squad special. Take a look at the interview excerpts below: 

Did you read comics when you were a kid and if so, did you have a favorite?

I was very Spider-Man/X-Men-oriented, but there were no limits to what we would collect. It was Archie, Richie Rich. I mean, my dad used to take us to the Wee Book Inn. The Wee Book Inn was a secondhand bookstore on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, and they always had a couple of cats in there, sleeping in the window or on the counter. We’d bring in a big stack of comics and trade them in for other secondhand comics. We’d have stacks and stacks of comics every few months, and that was our reading material. That was our escape. I think I got my sense of justice—my overdeveloped sense of justice—from reading comic books as a child.

What was it about this particular project, this script or story that made you sign on to be a part of it?

Everything. Top to bottom. I mean, James Gunn is on that short list of when they call, you just say, “Yes.” Whatever the project is, you say, "Yes, I'll do it. Let's go." On top of that, how could you possibly say no? It's enormous in its scope. It's iconic in its visuals. It's going to be a phenomenal time at the movies, and it's going to live on in people's memories as something special. How can you say no to that?

Tell me a little bit about your character.

T.D.K. I'm not supposed to say what it stands for, but it actually stands for The Dark Knight. Everybody's really surprised who's going to be the next Batman. It's going to be me.

That is a scoop. I'm going to put that out into in world.

That's a big old scoop. That's just for you. [LAUGHS] And I'll tell you something, you talk about how heroes or villains possess powers, possess super abilities. T.D.K. possesses abilities. I just don't know how super he is. If you had a list of superpowers, his would not be the one you'd gravitate towards and say, "Oh yeah, that'll solve all my problems. And boy, the convenience." I think T.D.K.'s ultimate weakness is his overconfidence in his not-so-super abilities. He believes he has a place there. He believes in his own mind that he belongs in a supermax prison because of the dangers he presents to the world at large, but really he's bottom of the barrel. 

James Gunn spared no expense in scouring DC Comics for some characters that are like, "Oh, remember this guy? Why would you ever make this character?" Early DC stuff is pretty ridiculous. The further back you go, the dumber it gets. To pull those ideas out of yesteryear and say, "Now, here in a day and age with a far more sophisticated superhero-literate audience, and a story-literate audience, we're going to throw those guys into this little arena and watch the sparks fly." It's not the first thing I would go for, but there you go. That’s James. That’s James and his weird ideas.

Did you do any particular training or preparation for this role?

I talked to some guys I know. I have the ear of a couple of fellows who have made some bones in this particular arena. So, I called them up and said, "What do I have to be worried about?" The costume's padded, right? So, he goes, "Yeah, but you don't want to look fat inside a padded costume." "Alright. Can I do curls on set? Is that weird?" "Yeah. It looks dumb to everybody watching you, but it looks great for the rest of the time. The film is going to be forever. It's immortalized, so you don't want to worry about it.” So, yes. I was in a sleeveless costume in the same movie as John Cena. You want to pour it on a little bit and get into good shape there. I just, I stopped eating altogether. I actually did some working out and stuff like that. When you're going to have bare arms on a big screen, you think about that kind of stuff.

Everybody always asks everyone who their favorite superhero was, but since we're talking about Super-Villains, I want to know if you have a favorite?

There was one Super-Villain. He was one of Spider-Man's Super-Villains and he was called The Answer. And that was his power, I guess, that he had the answer to every question. And he could fly. He was like the ultimate planner. But I think if you could fly, well, the government would grab you up right away, and they'd dissect you and your life wouldn't be very good, and you wouldn't really have a private moment. So, it's not a very good power to have. But to have the answer to everything, like, "Where did I leave those keys?” Oh my God. “Is there going to be traffic on the 110? Am I going to be able to get there on time? What time should I leave?" If I had these answers, I mean…

Talk to me a little bit about this incredibly enormous international cast that you are part of. James talks about it more like a family than anything else.

It's very interesting because everybody has a story of how they came to this point. Everything in their life has brought them to the same table where we're all now sitting down and having a little dinner meeting with each other, before we embark on this little journey. I really enjoy meeting people whose work I'm familiar with, people whose talent I really admire. And I have questions for them about their journey and things that they've done. Likewise, it's incredible to meet someone from another country altogether where I am not familiar with their work at all, but their path has led them to the same place I am. And suddenly there's this entirely new avenue that I've never had any experience in. I've never known anybody from these countries, or I've never known anybody from that area. And there's so much to learn. So yeah, it is like a family, because you learn about people and you learn about their journey. And now you're a team trying to get the same job done. It is very much like a family. You have to trust the people you're with. You have to be able to rely on them. You have to be able to count on them.

I befriended people. Had you asked me the week before, "Do you ever think you'd be friends with this fellow?" I'd have said, "No. No. I'm probably not his speed. I don't know that he's mine.” Pete Davidson is a perfect example. If you'd said, "Pick a couple of guys you think you're going to get on great with," I don't know that Pete Davidson would be the first guy I picked. But I enjoyed his company so much. That guy, he's got a good soul, and you just have to learn that much about him. You just have to be there to learn it. But, at the same time, none of this would be possible without James's influence. It all happens like that because that's the way he wants it to happen. I think the only way he can do what he does is by doing it with people he cares about and is comfortable around.

I saw a behind-the-scenes photograph of you, maybe not in your costume, but in something else you created especially for this. How often do you wear your James Gunn T-shirt?

You'd be surprised how many places a giant face-of-James-Gunn T-shirt would be appropriate.

How would you describe the Squad and what they’ve been tasked to do?

On paper, it's a suicide mission with a bunch of villains. We're going to send them all in there and they're disposable. But imagine those people, whatever choices that have led you to a life of crime that now you're caught, now you're in prison, your prospects are slim to none, and now you are forced into a mission that you're not motivated by. The only motivation is self-preservation. That's the only thing keeping you there, selfishness. That selfish need. "I want to live through this. And if I do, I'll get 10 years off my sentence. And if I don't, I will be killed. If I'm not killed, I will likely be murdered for not doing it." Those are pretty intense circumstances when you think about. Still, these are human beings, and those are some really intense circumstances to put someone in. That's a real tight corner to be in. What does that drive you to do? How does that make you feel? And what choices does that drive you to make? I think there are some that will fail in that regard, and I think there are some that will rise to the top. And I think everyone being in that same circumstance together is enough to bring them together as a team.

And this is the right time for a movie like this, with theaters opening back up around the world, more or less?

I am going to openly cry when I go to a theater for the first time and watch this movie. I'm going to weep, I know.

ALSO READ: The Suicide Squad premiere: Taika Waititi & Rita Ora make red carpet debut; John Cena wears Peacemaker outfit