For director Bryan Singer’s return to the X-Men franchise, he brought both the original cast and the new cast together for the time travel-infused X-Men: Days of Future Past. But as if that wasn’t a big enough challenge, for the follow-up film X-Men: Apocalypse, Singer decided to introduce younger versions of even more iconic characters. The 80s-set sequel finds the First Class cast squaring off against the vengeful centuries-old villain Apocalypse, but at the same time, young versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Angel are being brought to the big screen for the first time, seemingly opening up even more possibilities for the X-Men franchise going forward.
Last summer I was lucky enough to visit the Montreal set of X-Men: Apocalypse along with a handful of other reporters, and during our second day on set we traveled to a giant field just outside the city where a large number of X-Men were filming a crucial scene. Two of the actors involved were Tye Sheridan and Kodi Smit-McPhee, who play the younger versions of Cyclops and Nightcrawler respectively, and in between takes we got to talk with the actors about their experience on the film thus far.
McPhee was decked out in full Nightcrawler makeup, which was a sight to behold, while Sheridan passed around his rudimentary Cyclops glasses (Ray-Bans, naturally) for us to take a closer look. The two seemed excited to be part of such a massive franchise, and one that they’d both grown up watching no less.
During the course of our conversation we touched on Cyclops’ relationship with his brother Havoc (Lucas Till) in the film, how the actors feel about stepping into the shoes of James Marsden and Alan Cumming, Nightcrawler’s makeup process, the improvisational nature on set, the camaraderie with the cast, and more. It was a fun conversation with two actors who will no doubt be sticking with these characters for many years to come. Check out the full, lengthy interview below. X-Men: Apocalypse opens in theaters on May 27th.
Question: So it’s got to be wild growing up watching these films and then years later playing younger versions of the same characters you’ve seen before.
KODI SMIT-MCPHEE: Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head there. Yep. (laughs)
TYE SHERIDAN: Yeah, it’s incredible and it’s an honor.
SMIT-MCPHEE: A lot of people would ask if we looked to their performance for any inspiration, but I think the beauty in it was being able to refer to the Marvel Universe itself and what fans love so much about the characters and being able to bring back the younger versions of them, I think it’s a great place to expand to and actually you’re going backwards, so that’s pretty cool.
Tye we’re told that your Cyclops is kind of a different version than the one we’ve seen before.
SHERIDAN: It’s just the younger version. I mean, everyone’s a different person when they’re younger. You evolve as a human being with knowledge and attitude and challenges and obstacles in life and so, I feel like the younger—it’s the younger version of Cyclops; why is he the way he is in the first two or three movies that he’s in? What made him that guy? What obstacles did he go through to get to that point? And that’s kind of what I get to explore in this.
What can you tell us about where we first meet Cyclops in Apocalypse?
SHERIDAN: I can say it’s the middle of America and he’s…a normal kid, but starting to have, uh, strange…not visions, but mutant feelings, basically.
So, this film will also have Havoc as well, who is Cyclops’ brother. Have you guys been able to bond and build that rapport as brothers?
SHERIDAN: Oh yeah. Lucas and I are currently living with each other. (laughs) No, literally. He wrapped and so now, he’s like “All right, dude, I want to stay in Montreal until you guys finish,” but he doesn’t have his apartment anymore, so he’s living at my apartment with me. Anyway, so, yes, to answer your question, yes, me and Lucas have gotten on just like actual brothers and he’s actually got a younger brother in real life. He’s like, “Dude, you remind me so much of my younger brother.” And there are a few really, really good scenes between Havoc and Cyclops in this one and I feel like I can definitely feel it while we’re shooting.
Does that become your best connection to the character then?
SHERIDAN: Oh, of course, because it’s true and it’s honest and you can feel it.
Kodi can you tell us about your Nightcrawler and what the beginnings of this guy are for you?
SMIT-MCPHEE: I believe we kind of get to see the side of Nightcrawler that we love so much in the comics. The more vulnerable, swashbuckling, joyous, random personality that we love, but also so grounded in his faith at a young age as well, as we went with the choice to still have the designs on his skin. So, it’s a mix of ideas, but something that I believe is pretty faithful to what the fans enjoy and something that I can kind of relate to as well.
Did you get to use the sword?
SMIT-MCPHEE: Unfortunately, with this…I think the sword was an aspect that was added to spice up Nightcrawler a little bit at some point, but we stuck with his intentional meaning, I think in the Marvel Universe.
SHERIDAN: Which is cool, but it’s kind of that way with each character.
SMIT-MCPHEE: Exactly.
SHERIDAN: Each younger version of the character has something missing in this movie that they do have later on.
SMIT-MCPHEE: Yes. Could be a plan there for options later. Like I said, within this movie I think it’s explored that I get to be myself, but I realized in some of the X-Men: Evolutions for instance, Beast made him a watch in which he could change back to himself. These are all things that are left there that could be added at any time.
SHERIDAN: Yeah, and it’s all about the progression of these characters’ arc and it’s all about the first phases in the characters’ arc.
SMIT-MCPHEE: Now we have the two pieces of the polarity of where they end up and when they start, but we still have a whole gap to fill if we can.
So, how’s wearing the feet and hands (prosthetics)?
SMIT-MCPHEE: So, the feet…they’re molded in all different ways and there’s l a bunch of different feet, so I had to choose which ones were comfortable. But, the hands aren’t too bad. It’s when you have it all together and you realize how limited you are to doing anything. Like, the contacts, the hair, the teeth, the hands, and the feet. Everyone’s seeing me...
SHERIDAN: You can’t type on your phone…
SMIT-MCPHEE: Yeah, I’m like, ‘Hey dude, can you do my phone, can you do this…’ (Laughs) Everyone’s a great help.
SHERIDAN: But, those are the only three parts, your ears, your hands, and your feet are silicone, right?
SMIT-MCPHEE: Yeah, I practice meditation a lot, a big part of my life, so I take it all as a challenge for that, which is a perfect one, because you actually just want to be outside of yourself all the time. (laughs)
Your hair is much different than before. What was the thought behind the hairstyle?
SMIT-MCPHEE: I believe that was more of the creative ideas of Felix and the hair team themselves. I like it, I see it as more of an anime touch, which I’m not sure if it’s going to be seen or received as well in America, it might look a little bit gothic or something. Hopefully it’s accepted. I believe with his characteristics and hopefully what I give to his personality you can look past his hair (laughs) And see his heart.
How much time are you spending in the make-up chair?
SMIT-MCPHEE: In the morning I come in three hours before crew call. So, sometimes I’ll be here like 3:30 and I’ll sit there for three hours and then eventually in my trailer I’ll l go get my hair done, then I’ll put on my muscle suit, cause I’m actually just a little anorexic boy underneath (laughs) and then I just get my clothes on on set, so it’s quite the process, but I’m into it now.
Did you have any input into the make-up design?
SMIT-MCPHEE: No, I really just went with everything that they wanted to reboot. I’m sure if I had anything to say I would’ve, but I was actually just more fascinated throughout the whole process and now I’ve gotten used to it.
Both of you are playing roles that have been played by other actors before. Did either of you get the chance to talk to Alan Cumming or James Marsden?
SMIT-MCPHEE: I would love to meet Alan Cumming, cause like, he’s just in a lot of the movies I watched growing up, I mean, he’s a legend, but I haven’t met him, no. As I’ve said, I mean, I think because as an actor we’re just a fresh canvas for also ourselves to place whatever we want on it, so I think since we’re aimed in the same direction, character-wise, all you have to add to it is youth. I guess that was up to me, that part on the end, so it feels, if anything, good to be doing more of a collaboration for the character.
What was the experience like jumping into a well-oiled machine like X-Men with all of these actors that have been here before?
SHERIDAN: Comfortable.
SMIT-MCPHEE: Yeah, really, it is. It is the big machine and it’s quite different than what I’m like used to doing, like indies and things like that, but, the drive is passion and that’s great to see that that’s still there and there’s still genius ideas always involved and just watching Bryan work in the moment, it’s great that it’s still a natural process. Improvisation. So, yeah, it’s amazing.
Singer was talking about how he and Simon had completely reconfigured the prior day’s entire scene and been able to do that on the day.
SHERIDAN: It’s common.
SMIT-MCPHEE: Yeah, that’ll happen. Usually, if it’s quite an important scene we’ll go through a bit of a talk.
SHERIDAN: There have been many times where, either we were talking about it the day before, talking about the night of or even the day of, we’d be doing a scene and we’d just come up with an idea and run with it. And just create so much more depth to the scene.
SMIT-MCPHEE: And the one who, I think, inspires it and does it the most amazing is as you say, Bryan. He literally says, ‘Let me just run with it’.
SHERIDAN: He’s not afraid to hold back…
SMIT-MCPHEE: You’ll just see him break down what he has blueprinted so well, mentally, and, y’know, puzzling it all together and right on the spot he’ll, as he said, adapt something new.
Tye, you and Sophie have an integral part to this film, the beginning of the Scott and Jean relationship. Can you talk about how that’s developed in this film?
SHERIDAN: Yeah, it’s developing, for sure, but it’s still, y’know, like I said earlier, you still want to leave some space for these characters to develop and…later on down the road…(laughs) Or just to kind of to mesh into who we know them as in the previous films.
So, you guys are more like a young love discovering kind of thing…
SHERIDAN: Yeah, it’s that, but also there’s a lot of action in the movie and so you can’t just drop a line in the middle of an action sequence and be like, “Hey baby…” (laughs)
The Cyclops of the previous films was kind of the no-nonsense, no time to play around kind of character and you mentioned he’s starting very far away from that, does he still need to learn those lessons in this film the hard way?
SHERIDAN: Y’know, I think he’s still sharp, but has a dull sense of humor, but has an inner anger and there’s just so many things he’s trying to overcome and conquer. And you kind of see that struggle.
Kodi, Nightcrawler’s powers are something we all know and are easy to visualize. Are there any specifics that you have to do as you’re working that on set?
SMIT-MCPHEE: Um, yeah, just physicality wise, obviously know the whole process of painting and facing the background and all that stuff, but…y’know, all I really have to do is stand on my tippy-toes and then, uh, just drop in…I realize that it’s just going to be a lot cooler over there. I always walk around and I’m like “I’m just gonna BAMF away” (laughs) It looks a lot cooler in the movie.
Have you seen any temp realizations of the CG stuff?
SMIT-MCPHEE: Only the closest thing that I’ve seen was when they released my picture for the character and someone just designed a cool little BAMF brimstone smoke around it.
Are you doing an accent?
SMIT-MCPHEE: Yes, I’m doing the German accent with the big fangs in my mouth and my inch-thick contacts. No, but I say it’s all justified, all the labor that goes into it, the heat, the sweat, blood, sweat, and tears, it’s X-Men. It’s amazing.
Tye, had you talked to James Marsden at all?
SHERIDAN: I’ve never talked to him in person. We were at Sundance at the same time this year. Never met him before, but I was there when I got the news, so, I found out one night and I had so many other things that I was doing and I didn’t even have time to really comprehend that it was all happening and that I’d been vat. And someone was interviewing me or I went at a party or something and someone asked me, ‘How does it feel that you’re gonna play the young James Marsden?’ And, I thought, ‘Oh My God, I am? I’m playing the young James Marsden!’ So, he was at Sundance and I was hoping that I was gonna run into him, and then a week after someone sent me this link and it was to a YouTube video and it was James saying how thrilled he was that I was being cast. And I just thought it was the nicest thing ever. So, I thought, jeez, I gotta write this guy a letter. And, so, my friend’s roommate was going to a Super Bowl party that he was going to be at and I wrote him a handwritten letter just telling him how big of a fan I was of his work and how much I loved him in X-Men and how honored I feel that I get to play him. And, I just put my e-mail down below and, like, within a few hours he responded, like ‘Aw, dude, so stoked.’ When I went in to get my face casted once I was like “Getting my face casted” (laughs) And he was like, “Yeah, one of the weirder things you’ll do for this role.”
Apocalypse is obviously the big villain. How do your characters feel about Apocalypse? What’s their reaction to him coming into the movie?
SMIT-MCPHEE: I’m sure Nightcrawler, he’s kind of scared of his own shadow at this point, so he’s probably pretty terrified. Through everything he does in this movie it’s kind of, as we say, the stepping stones of becoming the brave hero he is.
We found out that Nightcrawler has a scuffle with Archangel. What can you tell us about that relationship before he becomes a horseman.
SMIT-MCPHEE: I’m not sure I can tell you much, but they do have a little bit of an ongoing scuffle and it’s very entertaining. (laughs)
We saw you on set rocking the thriller jacket. Is there going to be a Michael Jackson homage at some point?
SMIT-MCPHEE: Y’know, I’m not gonna lie, I did dance a little bit at one point, so we’ll see if they pop that in there and the jacket did inspire that a little bit. (laughs)
Obviously, you guys get into the action. Are there any sequences in the film where the elder X-Men are training you?
SHERIDAN: Yeah, absolutely. It’s pretty much about mentors and students. The older generation is kind of teaching the younger generation how to become them basically and all these things are explored throughout the movie, especially in the third act.
SMIT-MCPHEE: Beast is like a grandpa, “Eh, back in my day..” (laughs)
Tye, in the comics Professor X and Cyclops have a very close mentor-leadership role, is that something we’ll see developed in this?
SHERIDAN: Yeah, I think so. It’s hinted and definitely being introduced.
While talking to Bryan, he stressed the importance of handing the creation of the Scott and Jean relationship itself. Do you get a sense of that on set?
SHERIDAN: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
SMIT-MCPHEE: He’s always kind of paying attention to that.
SHERIDAN: He’s always coming up with better ideas to complement…
SMIT-MCPHEE: He’s very enthusiastic about placing the prequel type ideas here as the little Easter Eggs…
SHERIDAN: But in a way it’s like just filling in the blanks pretty much, because basically you know where you end up and some people say the hardest part about storytelling is knowing what happens in the end and he’s already done that so, in a way, he’s just having fun with it.
Nightcrawler has a very different fighting style in X2. Did you have to go through any specific training to match that?
SMIT-MCPHEE: I haven’t as of yet and I don’t believe I will. I can kinda probably pull off some difficult things, but obviously we do have stunt doubles and things like that, that also suffer the three hours of make-up, but don’t be seen unfortunately, but they’re making me look awesome, I’m sure. I believe that unique style is still kind of utilized here.
Will there be any all-CGI versions of your characters for certain action sequences in this?
SMIT-MCPHEE: They scanned our faces and I’m sure they just do that for certain franchise films where in case a stuntman’s face is seen, but rarely…
SHERIDAN: But rarely, yeah, I would agree. Maybe for driving in a car or something.
We were joking earlier about the idea of you guys going to the mall as kind of being a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off reference…
SMIT-MCPHEE: They definitely explore that ‘80’s kids genre movie, which I totally realized I made two of my dreams. ‘80’s kids mash-up movie and Egyptian awesome esoteric apocalyptic movie. And X-Men, just on the top.
And Bryan Singer had talked earlier about this having a kind of a John Hughes vibe to an extent.
SHERIDAN: Well, I think so. Anytime you’re doing a film that’s set in the ‘80’s that’s a sort of tone that you relate to.
SMIT-MCPHEE: I was just gonna say, I purposefully don’t pay attention to cinematography and things like that until it’s all a beautiful art form and that.
How do you navigate your way through the green screen effects and imagining what’s required on set in shooting without the rendered effects?
SMIT-MCPHEE: That’s the novelty, the bit of fun to it, that obviously as actors that’s something we can harness pretty well, I believe…
SHERIDAN: Yeah, creating and imagining something that’s not there…
SMIT-MCPHEE: Illusions, projections and then seeing that all come to power with everyone else’s lanes in the end.
SHERIDAN: I’d say the toughest one is, like you kind of touched on, when you have to shoot lasers out of your eyes and you’re just like ‘Arrrgggghhhh’
Is there a specific physicality to that? (laughs)
SMIT-MCPHEE: It all looks pretty not super when we’re shooting it. Sometimes we’ll have people on the mic, like, when we can’t yell all day, like, we’ll have someone there like, “Arrrggggh.” (laughs) It’s a pretty funny thing if you look outside the box of it.
Can you talk about the tone of the film, because the Apocalypse stuff is very dark and dour, but it seems like your characters get to have a bit of fun.
SHERIDAN: Yeah, right. Yeah, sure, I think the younger generation brings a lot of light to the film. But also, like, the film is a superhero drama at its core, I think, and there are a lot of funny elements and light moments, but for the most part it’s intense and it looks badass when we go to Comic-Con and saw the reel. It’s so cool. And, uh, yeah, I’m super proud to be here and be a part of all of it.
SMIT-MCPHEE: It’s really well balanced, yeah, with the dark side and our group itself is an archetype for the vulnerability and growing.
Was that Comic-Con experience the first time you saw that footage?
SMIT-MCPHEE: That was. It was on the big screen and…
SHERIDAN: The sound and the audience…
SMIT-MCPHEE: That was crazy. It’s very surreal, but it’s like so amazing to have a little appetizer taste of what’s to come.
For more on X-Men: Apocalypse, peruse my other set visit articles below.
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Over 75 Things to Know about the Epic Superhero Sequel
- 'X-Men: Apocalypse': Alexandra Shipp on Storm's Mohawk, Black Panther Connection, and More
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Evan Peters on Topping the Quicksilver Sequence, Magneto and More
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Simon Kinberg on Shared Universes, Telling Scott and Jean’s Origins, and More
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Olivia Munn on Psylocke’s Powers, Provocative Costume, and a Potential Spinoff
- Bryan Singer Reflects on ‘X-Men 1′, Talks the Evolution of the Superhero Genre
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Evan Peters Describes New Quicksilver Sequence as a “Sequel” to the First
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': New Timeline Explained by Bryan Singer and Simon Kinberg
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Bryan Singer on the Villain’s Powers, Costume, and Casting Oscar Isaac
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': How Did They Decide Which Mutants to Include?
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse': Michael Fassbender on Working with Oscar Isaac, Becoming a Horseman
