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I was going crazy and I was so excited.
He also quickly realized that he needed to hire a trainer to get into godlike shape.
It must be such a relief to be like, sothisis who Im playing.
It was just really hilarious watching them go on that emotional rollercoaster.
So, in a way, I tricked myself into thinking that Cal could last forever.
I was going crazy, I was so excited.
Then I said, Oh shit, Im going to have to get in shape.
Then I went and got a trainer.
Speaking of, a crucial part of the character is that hes nude all the time.
But I said, Hey look, Black Panther had a suit and Dr. Manhattan has his birthday suit.
For me it was really liberating to play inside of that, you know, to play naked.
I guess theres no other way to say it.
When Doctor Manhattan is blue, how was that accomplished?
He was very patient and understanding and very good partner to Regina.
Cal is a character who leads with his heart.
Doctor Manhattan was a character who led with his mind and his intuition and his intellect.
I wanted Doctor Manhattan to have a different physical vocabulary.
He has very little unnecessary movements.
I thought about his breath control.
He doesnt need a lot so you can get things done.
I wanted him to be someone who was still penetrable emotionally as well.
We knew that we had something really special with Cal and Angela.
We were very delicate and very proactive and making sure that we took care of one another.
How did you approach doing Doctor Manhattans voice?
I identified Steve Jobs.
I often [think] writers write in their own likeness.
It was a closed set, but people had to be there to make it get it done.
Eventually I think it started to trickle out very slowly.
Even after people started to know, I never confirmed anything until it was confirmed in the script.
I think they also respected the privacy of it all, too.
They didnt make me say yes or no.
Were there any great reactions in particular?Regina would just kind of stare.
Thats what she said, Its like, apple-flavored candy.
She was a really good sport.
Did you think about what it meant for a black actor to play Doctor Manhattan?
Then I started to see how other people always see Doctor Manhattan.
Their interactions and their conversations let me know about the power of the image that we put forward.
I really took it at surface value and think that was my job to do that.
But it was so rewarding watching people talk about this online and engaging in these conversations.
Seeing representation means so much, as Ive learned throughBlack Pantherand through playing Black Manta.
My mind was blown.
Angelas mind is going to be blown.
I think that people are going to experience that right along with us.
I think Ill probably be on Twitter laughing again when that comes out.
