O-T Fagbenle: I turned down the Black Widow audition first time around (2024)

Katie Rosseinsky @katierosseinsky7 July 2021

For most actors, joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe means hours of stunt training and action sequences. For O-T Fagbenle, things were rather more laid back. In Black Widow, the long-awaited solo outing for Scarlett Johansson’s Avenger Natasha Romanoff, the British actor plays Rick Mason, a fixer for Romanoff. Mason, also known as The Agent, has cropped up in Marvel comics since the Nineties, but Black Widow marks the character’s screen debut. And unlike pretty much everyone else in the high adrenaline MCU, he demonstrates a commendable commitment to getting his eight hours of sleep in. Whenever we meet him, he seems to be emerging from a sneaky power nap.

“I’m a method actor: when you see me napping, I’m napping,” Fagbenle laughs. “I fell asleep on that set many a time… But it’s like - what has [Mason] been up to before this point? He hasn’t been napping all day, he’s got ships and planes to sell. At one point, Eric Pearson, our beloved writer, was like ‘I really wanted you to be wearing a tuxedo in this scene, because then we’d be like, ‘Where’s he just come from…’That didn’t happen, but Mason’s a man on the move for sure.”

Originally scheduled to come out in May 2020, Black Widow was, like so many blockbusters, pushed further and further back because of the pandemic, and the two year gap between Marvel’s most recent release Spider-Man: Far From Home and Black Widow is the longest in the studio’s history. The film, though, is more than worth the wait, a gripping, genuinely funny action thriller that gives Johansson’s Avenger the showcase she deserves while ushering in a brand new cohort of great characters, from Mason to Romanoff’s sister Yelena, played by Florence Pugh to Rachel Weisz’s Melina, a scientist specialising in mind control (on pigs). Watching the film at Disney’s offices marked “the first time [Fagbenle] had been in a movie theatre for like a year. It was a little discombobulating… but I love that this is going to be one of the first movies that people can get to see out of what we’ve all been through. It’s a nice treat.”

O-T Fagbenle: I turned down the Black Widow audition first time around (1)

Mason is a fixer for Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow

AP

Born in London, 40-year-old Fagbenle grew up between the capital and Spain, training at Rada before carving out a successful stage career with critically acclaimed performances in the likes of Porgy & Bess and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. As well as spending the last few years playing Elisabeth Moss’s on-screen husband Luke in the exponentially doomy TV adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale, he also writes, directs and produces - and when the option to try out for Black Widow came up, he “actually turned down the audition, because I was writing my show Maxxx,” which aired on E4 and Hulu last year. “I was just like, I’m not gonna get this part, I don’t think I’m gonna get it,” he recalls. “Luckily, a special person told me, ‘Look, you should do it anyway, just do it.’ And I said, ‘F**k it, OK, fine’ and did it, then I was like ‘actually, I quite like this…’”

When he eventually landed the role, the filming schedule for Black Widow “clashed” with production for Maxxx. “So there was this big thing of like, ‘what am I gonna choose, my indie dream or my Hollywood dream?’” He felt a sense of “responsibility” to take the opportunity to make his TV show, he explains, because “we talk about representation at the moment, and diversity, and we’ve still got a terrible issue in terms of behind the camera representation, or above the line with producers, directors, writers. So to some extent, as much as it was a personal dream of mine, I also felt a responsibility - and this was an opportunity to work with my brother [Luti Fagbenle] who’s got his own production company.” Luti Media has produced music videos for everyone from One Direction to Nicki Minaj.

“The amount of times in England that a black production company, with a black writer and director, has made a television show… to be honest, I don’t even know if it’s happened [before], maybe once or twice?” he adds. “So for me, it was artistically really important, but also if you genuinely want to be part of a change in the system, then when those opportunities come, you have to take them.” Luckily, “Marvel, God bless them, Cate [Shortland, Black Widow’s director], Channel 4, they all worked it out so I could do both.”

O-T Fagbenle: I turned down the Black Widow audition first time around (2)

With Johansson in Black Widow

Jay Maidment / Marvel

Before joining the Marvel machine, “one of the things that I was kind of almost suspect about,” he admits, was whether the superhero hit factory would be “this big, impersonal behemoth,” but working with Shortland, “this amazing auteur director” and screenwriter Pearson assuaged those doubts. “It really felt… that things weren’t just kind of dictated to you,” he says, adding that he and Johansson had the chance to improvise some of their characters’ screwball back and forth.

“Before the camera starts rolling, I’ll start improvising in the scene. I remember the first time I did that with Scarlett, I was so pleasantly surprised because she didn’t miss a beat.” Johansson’s decade or so with the Avengers (she made her debut in 2010’s Iron Man 2) meant she was “so chilled” about the blockbuster-making process, which she clearly knows inside out. “On one of our last days of filming, I think in August, September, she was like, ‘see you in January for reshoots!’ And I was like, ‘How do you know?’ and then fair enough, in January, it’s reshoots.” With Marvel’s Phase Four now in full swing, bringing with it seemingly exponential possibilities for new films and spin-off series, surely there’s scope to explore Mason’s elusive character further? “I think useful people should be put to use, and Mason is a useful person,” he grins. Very diplomatic.

O-T Fagbenle: I turned down the Black Widow audition first time around (3)

With Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz and Johansson

Getty Images

Fagbenle spent the first half of the pandemic in Tanzania, where his mother now lives, and ended up home-schooling his nephew and niece: “A captive audience,” he jokes. “Most audiences I can’t tell to sit down.” After spending five months filming the latest series of The Handmaid’s Tale, he has just finished “moonlighting as Barack Obama” opposite Viola Davis (“Queen V”) as Michelle in US broadcaster Showtime’s upcoming series The First Lady. “It is a little stressful, I won’t lie,” he says. “Look, if you’re playing some guy who’s been dead for 200 years, people are fuzzy about what he was really like. Barack Obama’s doing press today!”

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To capture Obama’s “really idiosyncratic” cadences, he “started making these audio files of every single vowel sound he makes, and every consonant sounds he makes and every melody that he does, more because I just didn’t know what to do with my time than [because it was] useful.” He “read all of his books again,” too, watched documentaries and interviewed people who’ve known the former President. “It’s funny because he’s been a politician since he was quite young, and I tried to set myself to portray the bits that we don’t see of Barack, because the bits that we do see, we know them, and they’re very polished and lovely. But I’m curious what happens when the cameras are turned off. That was part of the challenge of trying to research him but the fun of playing him.” No pressure then, but, as Fagbenle puts it, “these are the kind of problems I love to have, so I’m not complaining.”

Black Widow is in cinemas now and on Disney+ with Premier Access July 9. Disney+ subscription and additional fee required for Premier Access

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O-T Fagbenle: I turned down the Black Widow audition first time around (2024)

FAQs

Who was originally offered the role of Black Widow? ›

More Stories By Armando. Emily Blunt could've joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, in Iron Man 2. The Oppenheimer star is now opening up about what she thinks of Scarlett Johansson who ended up playing the role across multiple films.

Who was first choice to play Black Widow? ›

The first actor considered to play Black Widow was never even asked to audition. Emily Blunt was the first star to be offered the role. Unfortunately, she was too busy filming Gullivers Travels at the time, preventing her from entering the MCU in one of the series' most iconic roles.

Who almost played Black Widow? ›

Scarlett Johansson is known for her portrayal of Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but other actresses were also considered for the role. Emily Blunt, Angelina Jolie, Gemma Arterton, Jessica Biel, Natalie Portman, and Jessica Alba were all contenders at some point.

Who did OT Fagbenle play in Black Widow? ›

Olatunde Olateju Olaolorun "O-T" Fagbenle portrayed Rick Mason in Black Widow and the Secret Invasion episode Harvest.

Who turned down the role of Black Widow? ›

Emily Blunt reveals the truth about turning down the role of Black Widow in the Marvel series due to contractual obligations for another film. Blunt's decision to do Gulliver's Travels was driven by a need to fulfill a picture deal, not because she didn't want to be a part of the comic book genre.

Who auditioned for T-Challa? ›

Black Panther: Djimon Hounsou & Anthony Mackie Almost Played T'Challa. Before Chadwick Boseman was cast, there were three other actors considered to play T'Challa/Black Panther – and, funny enough, they all joined the MCU at some point.

Who was supposed to play Yelena in Black Widow? ›

Saoirse Ronan was originally approached by Marvel to play Yelena in Black Widow according to Justin Kroll.

Who was meant to be Black Widow? ›

But it's common knowledge among fans that if things had gone in another direction over a decade ago, we would have had a very different Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Emily Blunt was the original choice for the Avenger superspy, who first appeared in 2010's Iron Man 2.

Who auditioned for Hulk? ›

David Duchovny and Jeff Goldblum auditioned for the role. Edward Norton, who went on to play Bruce in The Incredible Hulk, expressed interest in the role but turned it down as he was disappointed with the script. Tom Cruise was also offered the role but he turned it down.

Who almost played Drax? ›

Before Dave Bautista was cast as Drax, the producers auditioned another actor who used to wrestle in the WWE: Shad Gaspard.

Who almost played Thanos? ›

Paul Reubens as Thanos

"Josh was just somebody who came up when we were trying to think of who could play Thanos," Gunn explained to MTV at the time. "Josh was somebody who came up. I'm a big fan of his work, and he was somebody who came up who really had the weight that you need for somebody like Thanos."

Who is the new girl in Black Widow? ›

Yelena Belova appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrayed by Florence Pugh. This version is a sister to Natasha Romanoff and was trained to be a Black Widow alongside her in the Red Room. Pugh first appears in the live-action film Black Widow (2021).

Who is the red guy in the Black Widow movie? ›

Portrayed by

Alexei Alanovich Shostakov (Russian: Алексей Аланович Шестаков) is Soviet Union's first official super soldier under the identity of the Red Guardian (Russian: Красный страж). During his career in the Soviet Armed Forces, Shostakov became an ally of General Dreykov, the head of the Red Room.

Who is the big guy in Black Widow? ›

Debut in Marvel Black Widow (2021) as Ursa Major, mutant that appears in MCU. Olivier Richters is a Dutch-born actor, professional bodybuilder and fitness model. His nickname, "The Dutch Giant" barely does justice to his 7'2" (2.18m) stature.

Who was originally cast as Black Widow in Iron Man 2? ›

Emily Blunt was cast as Black Widow in Iron Man 2, but contractual obligations meant she had to drop out to film Gulliver's Travels instead. Johansson took over, and the rest is history.

Who did Black Widow work for before the Avengers? ›

Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), portrayed by Scarlett Johansson. This version is a former assassin for the Red Room before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and becoming an Avenger.

Who was the Black Widow trained by first? ›

Orphaned as a child, she was rescued during an attack on Stalingrad by a man named Ivan Petrovitch Bezukhov, who looked after and trained the girl. As she grew older, Natasha's talents caught the attention of Soviet Intelligence, soon to be known as the KGB, and was recruited into their ranks.

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