Zack Snyder’s world is full of sequences that hardly meet with criticism from even the toughest of the critics in Hollywood. In his latest upcoming production, ‘Rebel Moon‘, actor Staz Nair seems to be making the best of the golden opportunity he has bagged.
Known for his role as a Dothraki warrior on ‘Game of Thrones’, Nair plays the lead character in the movie. The story narrative of the film revolves around Tarak, a former prince, and his journey from being an enslaved soul on Hickman’s ranch on Neu-Wodi, to the lead of the rebellion against Admiral Noble’s hostile takeover.
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‘Rebel Moon’ Narrative Is Full Of Twists And Turns
Like any other hero, Tarak comes across several adversities. To secure his freedom, he has to tame a wild Bennu, a mythical bird-like creature, in a sequence aptly named the “Flight of the Bennu”. The story offers a visually stunning experience, at the end of which our hero also meets his lady love Kora, played by Sofia Boutella.
Nair recently opened up about the making of the movie and his experience being the lead of the project. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nair delved into the narrative of the film and the importance that Bennu’s character holds in it.
“The bird represents a life long gone. It’s another tether to his homeworld, and when he gets the opportunity to free the bird, he gets an opportunity to free himself, literally and metaphorically. So the symbiosis between himself and the bird is not just because they’re from the same planet; it’s because they’re in the same position,” he said.
Snyder, as a director, is known for his commitment to physical fitness in the films he makes. So naturally, he required the ‘Rebel Moon‘ cast, including Nair, to be in an ideal shape. Nair said the actors underwent rigorous training sessions to meet the director’s expectations. During the interview, the cast said that the training turned out to be a great bonding exercise for them.
Speaking more about the film’s narrative, Nair revealed that it takes a dramatic turn when Kai, Charlie Hunnam’s character betrays the rebel cause. As the cast bonded, Nair said his betrayal on screen felt personal to most of the cast members.
“The team made jokes about the fact that in the extended cut, there may or may not be a line where [Kai] goes, ‘Well, if you think I’m handsome, you should see my twin brother, ’” Nair joked, trying to explain how close the cast had gotten with each other.
“So we forged this wonderful bond, collectively. I even had some of the actors come to my wedding. Charlie and I really got along very well … And so [Kai’s betrayal] really did suck. I know everyone says, ‘Oh, the cast is amazing! I love them! They’re the best! We really bonded,’ but I know it reflects in our behind-the-scenes … and in the relationships that exist on screen,” he added.
In case you missed it: “The Stakes Have Risen”: Zack Snyder Gives An Update On The Second Part Of Netflix’s ‘Rebel Moon’
Staz Nair Says He Got Lucky With His Big Break With ‘Game Of Thrones’
In the film’s trailer, the audience could see Tarak at a royal funeral and on a battlefield hinting at some deaths and sad moments in the film. Nair confirmed such scenes and clarified that they will be part of the ‘Part Two‘ of the movie and will majorly impact the storyline.
Though the splitting of the film into two parts has been a bit frustrating for the cast, Nair said that both “Part One” and “Part Two” and their extended cuts perfectly and elaborately capture the rise and fall of Tarak. As Nair puts it, “This was Netflix’s way of giving us two Snyder Cuts by splitting it all in half.”
Reflecting on his journey in the film, Nair spoke about his personal struggle from being a nearly homeless actor to landing a role in ‘Game of Thrones‘, and now in ‘Rebel Moon‘.
“I started off working as a child actor back in the day…But my first big break, I lucked out. I was actually living on my friend’s floor when I booked Game of Thrones. So that was a bizarre turn of events, and it was very surreal to go from sleeping on the floor to a job and a project as magnanimous as Game of Thrones,” the actor said.
As ‘Rebel Moon’ fans eagerly await the director’s cuts, Nair has assured that the film will be everything and more that the fans are expecting from it.
You might also like to read: “Rebel Moon Is A Love Letter To…”: Zack Snyder Lists Films That Inspired His Netflix Sci-Fi Film
