German viewers can currently experience Hollywood legend Michael Douglas (78) in the latest Marvel work “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” on the big screen. Alongside leading actor Paul Rudd (53), Douglas plays the moody scientist Hank Pym. In the third “Ant-Man” film, the group of protagonists end up on the subatomic quantum level – a strange, imaginative world in which countless adventures have to be mastered.
In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the two-time Oscar winner reveals what he was able to learn from his co-star Rudd during filming, how his work on the set has changed due to the extensive use of special effects, and whether the main character Ant-Man finally earning the respect of Hank Pym.
Michael Douglas: Paul is the best. I just follow him. In fact, I learn a lot about comedy by watching him. He makes it look so effortless. We also talked a lot about American football during filming, because Paul is a passionate fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, who also just won the Super Bowl. So, of course, Paul is a very happy man right now. That being said, I will always cherish the time we worked together. He probably doesn’t realize how much I’ve used him in my method to learn a little more about comedy.
Douglas: Kathryn is already doing her own thing. Not only is she a very impressive young actress, but she is also a great athlete. She did a lot of her stunts herself and I think audiences will be very excited about her action scenes.
As far as mentoring goes, though, Hank Pym may not have given Cassie enough guidance. ‘Cause she’s the one who’s causing us all the trouble. It triggers a small event that sends us on this whole wild trip down to the quantum level.
Douglas: Quantumania is my third Ant-Man film and I’m very happy about that. Because if this had been my first, I would have been completely overwhelmed by the number of special effects required. Because 90 percent of the film is set in this other world, the quantum realm, and there’s actually a lot of computer graphics, CG design, involved. During filming, we as actors certainly wondered what the end result would be like.
It was then a pleasure to see the finished film where everything is complete. And I think the audience will have a real pleasure exploring this crazy world. When working as an actor, however, it doesn’t look like that at all. You only see a fraction of it. So how are you supposed to play it? That’s why you have to be able to trust your director in a special way – even more than usual.
Douglas: Hank Pym will always have concerns about Ant-Man. As long as Ant-Man is interested in my daughter, he will never be acceptable (laughs).
