Meet Wong: An Exclusive Interview with Benedict Wong
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I was invited on an all-expenses paid trip with Disney for the opportunity of meeting/interviewing the cast and attending screening events. All opinions are my own.
I have one word to describe Benedict Wong – HILARIOUS! Absolutely hilarious! I don’t know how he held back his hilarious personality and only let it peek through in the MARVEL Doctor Strange film because he can cause some serious infection laughter! He wasn’t afraid to be silly or embarrassed – he was so open and really owned his character.
Interview with Benedict Wong:
Q: What was your favorite moment behind the scenes?
A: I’m very thrilled to be a part of this incredible cast, this magnitude of Marvel. We’re really embarking on this incredible journey together. I just feel like really ecstatic. I was just looking over the incredible costumes as we were walking into Sanctorum again. Sometimes they’re just beautiful moments and you just get that warm fuzzy feeling. I think it was just a warm fuzzy Actor Production feeling. It’s culminated into something really wonderful and it’s sort of childhood dreams to be in the Marvel Universe.
Q: Did you feel a lot of pressure from such an iconic role?
A: Yeah. I use to collect a lot of Marvel Comics. My 3 go to Comics were “Amazing Spiderman”, Spiderman 1, Spiderman. I’ve got the #1 copy which I’m thrilled about and you know. You’d often read and then it would sort of be like a little subheading of you know, go see Fantastic Four copy blah blah blah but I could never afford them. So I would always be at a Comic Book Store which is no longer there out in Manchester. God Bless His Soul- Odyssey Seven. I’d just be mining through these stories till you get sort of chucked out. I never really knew much about Dr. Strange if I’m honest. And so when I saw Chiwetel for lunch one time I asked what he was up to. OK, you’re doing this Dr. Strange. Let’s just have a little tit tat. And then I saw this picture, it was Dr. Strange. And then there was a Wong Character. I was like what? I was always so crestfallen that there were no Asian Superheroes, like where are the Super Asians. It’s like I have to simply get this by birthright, you know. Like my Ancestors will not let me live this down. Bit by bit, the kind of stars aligned and they kindly moved the dates and we straight into filming.
Q: Do you have a favorite line that actually made the cut of yours or another Character?
A: I don’t really have favorite lines to be honest. Cause I love all my children. I love all my lines. As long as we’re telling, I’m this cog. I just feel like I’m a cog in a part of these amazing machines. And everyone’s in it as well and special effects and the writing teams and everyone and the crew. Everyone’s just putting so much energy into this and uh, I’m just there to be a part of that really and then I can’t wait to see it and just see what we’ve come up with.
Q: Do you have anything quirky you like to do on set?
A: I never actually went to Drama School and I’m always kind of sort of always doing sort of little funny voice warm up exercises. You’re bending over and you’re letting your tongue hang out and you say– We could all actually do it if you fancy– If you bend over, I’m gonna do a little voice workshop Mary Had a Little Lamb Whose Fleece Was White as Snow and Everywhere That Mary Went, the Lamb was off to go. Mary Had A Little Lamb Whose Fleece Was White. So that’s what we do, but there was a side thing. There was one time where I was doing that, practicing my lines and I think it was like, I think it was with a film with Tim Robbins. And it was my scene with Tim Robbins. I’m practicing my enunciation and then the Director walked past and tapped me on the back going yes, do it like that. And I go what? I was going No No No! It was just, it was a vocal warm up! So you’ll see me doing it in a scene with Tim Robbins like Daffy Duck or something like that or Porky the Pig.
Q: If you could have any super powers in the world, what would it be in real life?
A: This place really needs the power of understanding. I think I’d forego that from flying around and being invisible. Unifying that we’re all one.
Q: In developing the character of Wong for yourself, what sort of research did you do?
A: I’m always looking for a flow. What can we do to promote a positive role model And the fact that I feel this kind of stoic strength of Wong that is serious but he’s very serious about the severity of what is about to happen really and these forces that we do not know. And obviously with the story of this arrogant neurosurgeon becoming a broken man coming to find himself being humbled that he has a place that is bigger than himself and I’m thrilled to play this role.
Have you seen Doctor Strange yet? Let me know what you thought!
