GODLIKE GENIUS
Screen veteran Kurt Russell reveals how he went from starring in Fast and Furious 8 to being handpicked for out-of-this-world role in hyped sequel to Marvel blockbuster
HE IS past retirement age but Kurt Russell is about to notch up his second $1billion movie of the year.
The Hollywood legend is the new star of Marvel sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which was released days before The Fast and the Furious 8 crossed the 10-figure barrier.
But the 66-year-old Disney child star turned 80s heart-throb – who is also a family man and action star – hadn’t even seen the first hit film, let alone versed himself in the hype surrounding its superhero sequel.
But when word got out that he was director James Gunn’s first choice for Ego – a “Living Planet” and long-lost father of Peter Quill, aka Star Lord – the unflappable actor soon had no choice but to sit up and take note.
Russell said: “I was doing press for Hateful Eight and, all of a sudden, my phone is going off, ‘Oh this is great, are you going to play Star Lord’s dad?’
“‘Are you going to be in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? Wow, you’re the perfect guy for it’.
“I’d never been in that position before, where people were telling me, ‘You gotta do this’.
“But what that told me was that they were expecting something specific.
“So when I read the movie and found out what James was laying out, I had to take a leap of faith.”
Picking up where Guardians Of The Galaxy left off, Vol.2 continues the space adventures of Quill (Chris Pratt) and his gang of intergalactic misfits as they fight to keep their new-found family together, while unravelling the mysteries of Quill’s parentage.
For Massachusetts-born Russell, it made sense why he was handpicked for the elusive character.
He said: “He’s basically a god-like character. He’s created himself and he