Serinda Swan takes on ‘hairy’ role in ‘Inhumans’
Serinda Swan has become well aware of the challenges that face an actor when they take on a new role, from playing the pagan god Veritas on “Supernatural” to the tough DEA agent on “Graceland.” All of the obstacles the Canadian actress dealt with in previous jobs pale compared to the massive amount of demands put on her to portray Medusa in the latest comic book inspired TV show, “Marvel’s Inhumans.”
The series, scheduled to debut on ABC at 8 p.m. Sept. 29, got some early exposure as the first two episodes were combined into a feature film that were shown at IMAX theaters earlier this month.
“Marvel’s Inhumans” explores the story of the Inhumans who have been living a peaceful life on the moon for centuries. They are ruled by Black Bolt (Anson Mount), a leader who has the power to wipe out an entire army with a single whisper, and his wife, Medusa. Members of the royal family must escape to Earth when there’s a military coup.
For Swan to play Medusa, there’s the basic acting elements of deciding how the character should walk and talk, a task complicated because the Medusa of comic book lore has a nearly floor-length locks that she can use like an extra pair of arms or legs. Much of her super powers are created after the filming with computer wizardry.
“I think there was software that had to be built for it. There were definitely days shooting in Hawaii with a four pound, red wig down to my shins that felt like a very warm cat snuggling my head, one that I was probably allergic to, where one gust of wind went from real cute to an emergency,” Swan says. “It was interesting because you feel kind of Cher-like and fabulous, but then it also changes her stature.”
Hair care was just one area of concern. As she has done with all her past TV and film roles, Swan would spend the night before filming learning her lines. The extra demand of “Inhumans” is that Medusa is the translator of what Black Bolt can only say with his hands so she also had to learn what would have been Mount’s lines if his character could speak without causing so much damage.
The other test for Swan was how to make Medusa more than just a loving wife who tags along as a communicator. Originally, Swan had no idea she was testing for a super hero role, but once she got the first script, there was no doubt in her mind this was a role she had to play no matter what was thrown at her. Swan’s research into the character – who first appeared in the pages of Marvel comics in 1965 (19 years before Swan was born) – showed her that Medusa has always been about change going from bad to good to bad again. “That’s what makes her and all the Marvel characters so timeless. You get to see all the sides of these perfectly flawed characters,” Swan says.