The Big Picture

• Patrick Stewart surprises audiences with his terrifying role in the suspense thriller Green Room.
• Stewart's portrayal of Darcy Banker adds to the film's sense of anxiety and showcases his range as an actor.
• Stewart's performance as a reprehensible figure highlights the real and relevant evil that exists in society.

Patrick Stewart’s voice immediately conveys warmth and comfort. He is just an inherently likable actor, and he’s played some of the most iconic heroes in pop culture history. While he has over 150 credits to his name, Stewart is best known for the two major franchises he’s been a part of: Star Trek and X-Men. He faced an uphill battle when he was cast as both characters. Star Trek fans had to accept a blunt, reclusive U.S.S. Enterprise captain, who was essentially the complete opposite of Captain Kirk (William Shatner). Similarly, Stewart wasn’t just playing an iconic comic book character when he was cast as Charles Xavier; he was starring in one of the first major Marvel adaptations ever.

It’s safe to say that both roles turned out in his favor. While Stewart has done a lot of other notable work, it’s mostly been as heroic characters, or in more light-hearted fare. Whether he’s voicing FBI Director Avery Bullock on American Dad! or starring in a sitcom like Blunt Talk, Stewart always seems to bring good vibes. However, this doesn’t mean that he can’t bring out his dark side. Stewart played one of the most terrifying villains in recent memory in Jeremy Saulnier’s suspense thriller Green Room.

What Is 'Green Room' About?Green Room follows the young punk artists Pat (Anton Yelchin), Sam (Ali Shawkat), Reece (Joe Cole), and Tiger (Callum Turner), who are headed toward an upcoming gig. After the show is abruptly canceled, the band, known as the “Ain’t Rights,” is in desperate need of money. A radio broadcast introduces them to an intriguing opportunity; a bar in Portland, Louisiana is looking to add an act to their nightly programming. The Ain’t Rights show up with the hopes of scoring a new job, but discover that the bar is populated by Neo-Nazi skinheads. With no other opportunity, Pat reluctantly arranges to perform after meeting with the skinheads’ leader, Darcy Banker (Stewart).

Seeing Stewart as such a reprehensible figure is initially jarring. It’s almost surreal to hear Stewart ramble off crude, xenophobic remarks. However, bringing in Stewart for Green Room was more than just stunt casting. It was a brilliant decision by Saulnier that added to the sense of anxiety that the film is so good at maintaining. Darcy has many of the same qualities that Professor X or Captain Picard have; he makes logical decisions, commands a sense of authority, and is highly respected by his followers. The only difference is that while Xavier and Picard use their skills for good, Darcy represents the absolute worst of humanity. He transforms his inherent warmth into terror.

Patrick Stewart Is Terrifying in This Surprising Role

You can tell that Stewart is an accomplished stage actor based on the intimacy that he brings to the role. With the roles of Picard and Xavier, Stewart always brought an emotional authenticity that even his most talented co-stars couldn’t match. While Darcy is absolutely terrifying, he sadly represents a very real form of evil. Green Room debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015 and hit theaters in early 2016. Sadly, its subject material is more relevant now than ever before. Stewart shows why someone like Darcy has been able to thrive on the edge of society; he takes ruthless measures to make sure that no information about the bar’s activities is leaked. During his first meeting with Pat, Stewart does a great job at emphasizing the key details that Darcy is leaving out.

Similar to Xavier and Picard, Darcy acts decisively. Before the show starts, Pat and the band meet two young women, Emily (Taylor Tunes) and Amber (Imogen Poots), who appear to be just as terrified as they are. After Emily is stabbed to death by one of the skinheads, Amber and the Ain’t Rights barricade themselves in the green room to escape the angry mob that’s forming outside. Darcy knows that if the Ain’t Rights are allowed to leave, it could lead authorities to his bar. He sternly informs his top lieutenants that all the witnesses will have to be killed. Stewart is soft-spoken amidst the violent outburst. This makes it even more disturbing; it’s clear that he’s been in this type of situation before.

As the Ain’t Rights try to determine how they can make it out alive, they communicate with Darcy through the door. Darcy presents himself as a reasonable voice. While he makes no secret of his fascist values, he tries to suggest that he’s at least somewhat willing to accept reality. This is incredibly effective for heightening the band’s terror — despite Darcy being pure evil, he truly believes that his actions are called for. They are scared and have no idea what to do, and it seems like Darcy already has a plan: They’re in unfamiliar territory, and Darcy is on his home turf.

As Stewart is celebrated once more for his recent acclaimed role on Star Trek: Picard, and has X-Men fans clamoring for his return, it’s easy to forget that the actor has a plethora of other fantastic performances. He's a universal popular culture icon, but that doesn’t mean that Stewart can’t keep showing us his new skills. Green Room wasn’t Stewart catering to fans by reprising a familiar part; instead, he unlocked a sense of villainy that we had never seen from him before.

Green Room is available to rent on Amazon in the U.S.

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