Edi Gathegi Says He Was Promised Darwin’s Return After X-Men: First Class When He Questioned Character’s Early Death: “Killing the Black Guy First Is So Played Out”

Edi Gathegi was hopeful when he first signed on to play Darwin in X-Men: First Class. The actor had concerns about his character dying early in the film, especially because Darwin was the only Black mutant on the team aside from Zoë Kravitz’s Angel. But he says the filmmakers told him Darwin would eventually return, just like in the comics. That never happened.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter tied to his role in James Gunn’s Superman, Gathegi opened up about that earlier experience with the X-Men franchise.

“I called my agents to say, ‘Hey, listen, I have a problem with the fact that this character is the only Black character in the film aside from Zoë Kravitz’s character. I am also the only mutant who meets an untimely demise halfway through the film,’” Gathegi said. “It was 2009 at the time, and I was like, ‘Killing the Black guy first is so played out. I can’t do this.’”

At the time, producers told him the character’s death was a key moment in the film, meant to push the story forward and motivate the rest of the team. They also told him Darwin’s powers, the ability to adapt and survive anything, meant he could return in a future movie. That gave Gathegi some hope.

“They also fully intended to bring my character back as they do in the comics. [Darwin] can’t die; he regenerates,” he explained. “So we held onto the hope that they would honor their word. When I didn’t come back for X-Men: Apocalypse, I just knew it was done.”

Gathegi said the experience sent a clear message about how characters of color are often treated in big franchise movies.

“With X-Men: First Class, the message that I received as an actor and as a man of color in this world is you can be the most powerful mutant in the world and they’ll never let you reach your full potential,” he said.

That’s why his role as Mister Terrific in James Gunn’s Superman feels like a full-circle moment.

“Whereas with Mister Terrific in Superman, the message that I’m receiving is you can be one of the most intelligent characters in the universe, and you can help save the world,” he said. “It’s a different level of conversation.”

Gathegi almost didn’t audition for the role of Mister Terrific. He was about to go on vacation to Europe and had just landed a part in a show with Robert De Niro. When his reps told him to tape an audition, he hesitated. But then he found out that James Gunn was personally waiting for his tape.

That changed his mind.

He remembered that Gunn had once approached him on the red carpet for The Suicide Squad and said he admired his work. So Gathegi filmed the audition at the last minute, right before flying out.

“The next day, I was in my Uber headed to LAX, and I looked at my Instagram to see a direct message from James Gunn. He was like, ‘Yo, you killed this audition,’” Gathegi said.

While traveling through Milan, he even bought shoes for a premiere that hadn’t happened yet.

“If I actually get this job, I’m going to need an outfit for the premiere,” he thought. He ended up wearing those shoes at the Superman premiere years later.

Gathegi said he didn’t spend his vacation obsessing over whether he’d get the part, but when the call came to do a screen test, he cut his trip short.

In the end, he chose Superman over the De Niro project, saying that the DC role offered a longer future. He also noted that what ended up on screen was surprisingly close to the version of Mister Terrific he had originally auditioned with, even though the filming process involved trying a lot of new things.

“James dances in the spirit of play,” Gathegi said. “You’re trying different things, you’re trying wacky things, and you’re trying wild things.”

Now, his portrayal of Mister Terrific is being called one of the highlights of Superman. It’s a major shift from his first superhero role, and Gathegi knows it.

“It’s a pretty cool full-circle moment,” he said.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!