Actor embraces Marvel villain in ‘Luke Cage’
Ask actor Mustafa Shakir how he feels about joining Netflix’s streaming Marvel universe with his role in “Luke Cage,” and the actor will talk about having entered his second childhood.
Few things entertained a younger Shakir the way comic books — and the shows inspired by them — did.
Shakir had long held out hope that he would one day land the role of someone “gifted” — but not Bobby Fischer-gifted or Steve Jobs-gifted. He’d been seeking a role that was a little more “super.”
Which is what he got when he walked into the audition that eventually landed him the role of Bushmaster, the unintimidated antagonist by way of Jamaica who makes his debut in season two of “Luke Cage,” which is streaming on Netflix.
“I am happy that I got to be a part of the (Marvel) universe,” Shakir said. “And I love playing the villain.”
When looking to cast Bushmaster, “Luke Cage” showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker had his work cut out for him. He needed someone charismatic enough to follow the performance of first-season villain Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali) but also an actor who wouldn’t be drowned out by Alfre Woodard’s stellar performance in season two as Black Mariah, who goes to war against Bushmaster for the soul of Harlem’s criminal underworld.
Coker said he knew the role was Shakir’s after hearing him deliver his first line.
“You could tell there was something special about him,” Coker said. “His look, his charisma, his physical build — but everything else was just a deeper surprise.
“The way he committed to the (Jamaican) accent, his physical moves — everything about it was just like, ‘Wow, this guy is incredible.’”
Bushmaster isn’t a who’s-who Marvel villain. Hardcore fans of Luke Cage’s comicbook adventures might have been familiar with the character, but Bushmaster wasn’t developed for a liveaction series, so Shakir saw a chance to mold the character in the image that he thought fit best.
Following the acclaimed performance of Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger in “Black Panther,” Shakir is eager to be able to introduce a new black Marvel villain that could yield comparisons to Jordan’s accomplishments.
“It felt like an extension of ‘Black Panther’ in that it widens the scope of the story of the African diaspora,” Shakir said. “You’ve got Wakanda and you’ve got this African nation and you’ve got Oakland, and it expands to the Caribbean and Harlem and Brooklyn.”
The fights between Shakir’s Bushmaster and Luke Cage (Mike Colter) have the feel of a heavyweight boxing match. Cage spends so much time showing off his super-strength and invulnerability that seeing him taken to the ground by anything or anyone is jolting.
Shakir is the villain, yes, but he gets to be just as super. Bullets don’t kill Bushmaster, and he’s too fast at times even for Cage.
Having had a chance to show off his villainy, Shakir said he hasn’t ruled out going after a role that’s a little more heroic.
“For me, the point of acting is ... to have as many experiences in other people’s shoes while not actually having those experiences,” he said. “Being a hero would be great.”