Audiences will be introduced to the villainous bonobo Proximus Caesar when Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters Friday — and if he reminds you of Elon Musk, it’s not a coincidence.
In an interview with the Inside Total Film podcast, actor Kevin Durand discussed his character’s connection to the tech titan after the interviewers compared Proximus to Musk.
“That’s awesome! I mean even with the bonobo face, they compare me to Elon Musk,” he said. “I get Elon Musk all the time actually, it’s very funny. People approach me with a look in their eye where I realize they are not meeting an actor that they like, it’s something bigger. But the fact that it comes through even when I’m an ape is fantastic!”
Durand, who has also starred in projects like Lost and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, said that Musk was one of his inspirations as he prepared his simian villain.
“I did look at really charismatic speakers — I watched [life coach] Tony Robbins quite a bit, Elon, Arnold Schwarzenegger doing like his governor speeches,” he explained. “Just these humans who without trying, you just have to watch them as they hold so much power and charisma.”
Like Musk, Proximus Caesar is also a disruptor in the electricity space — in an era when electrical power has fallen away with human society, Durand’s character rediscovers it and uses it to assert dominance over his fellow apes. “
To apes that forgot about all these things, that’s like a magic power,” director Wes Ball told Entertainment Weekly in December. “So they’re experimenting with it. I don’t even think you can call him a villain. I would call him an adversary. You understand him, you can relate to him in a way. It’s an interesting character who isn’t just a mustache-twirling cutout.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place 300 years after the Andy Serkis–starring reboot trilogy, and stars Owen Teague as new chimp protagonist Noa.
“We meet Noa when he’s just entering adulthood, and he and his friends are about to have their coming-of-age ceremony, it’s their ape bar mitzvah, really,” Teague told EW in February. “Then Noa gets thrust into this crazy, unexplored world that he’s been sheltered from his entire life. He has to go on this journey to get his people out of some trouble, but in the process learns a lot about what’s really out there. The kind of driving thing for him was curiosity and this wonder that he feels for all this stuff he’s learning.”
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes swings into theaters Friday.
News
Jennifer Lopez made ‘huge compromise’ on $68M mansion; it was Ben Affleck’s idea to…
Bennifer’s mansion is back on the market for $68M. Sources reveal the purchase was primarily Affleck’s idea, despite Lopez’s discontent with its modern design Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s $60 million marital mansion in Beverly Hills made headlines when the…
Michael Keaton Isn’t Alone: Gigi Hadid, Tina Fey and Tom Cruise’s real names revealed
Many celebrity icons, including Michael Keaton and Gigi Hadid, have ditched their real names for stage names. Keep reading to find out which of your favorite celebs are using an alias. Do you actually know the name of your favorite…
DID YOU HEAR THAT! Jennifer Lopez tells Ben Affleck fan: “Back off, bitch!”
In the ever-evolving landscape of celebrity culture, where the lines between public and private often blur, interactions between celebrities and their fans can become intensely personal and sometimes contentious. This was exemplified recently in a widely circulated video involving Jennifer…
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are actually NOT DIVORCE? A series of hits are clear as day
Sebastian Soto is a YouTuber who shares his thoughts on pop culture and other topics with his viewers. In this video, he discusses his thoughts on Jennifer Lopez’s recent engagement ring. Sebastian believes that Jennifer Lopez is wearing the ring…
Video of Jennifer Lopez CHEATING on Ben Affleck with his assistant goes viral
The video discusses the recent separation of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. It is rumored that Lopez is cheating on Affleck with her assistant. Affleck is reportedly devastated by the news and has moved out of their home. The video…
Jennifer Lopez’s text messages to Ben Affleck after divorce revealed
The video discusses the aftermath of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s divorce. Lopez is reportedly using her outfits to send a message to Affleck. She has been seen wearing shirts with quotes like “She’s In Bloom and unbothered” and “Everything…
End of content
No more pages to load