When people learned that Alan Cumming will reprise the role of Nightcrawler in Avengers: Doomsday this sent a shock of excitement through the fan community. However, to the actor himself this reclamation of the character, of Kurt Wagner, was not entirely something of the past. Cumming has called the performative experience that proved to be so healing in a recent interview, something he compared to the miserable experience of shooting 2003’s X2.
The grueling experience was the initial time-consuming process of becoming the blue-furred mutant with up to five hours in a makeup chair. Twenty years later the more efficient process and a good on-set experience have changed his way of seeing the character, enabling him to approach a role he enjoyed without the encumbrance of a painful shoot.
Technological Advancements and the New Look
A significant factor in this positive change has been the development of the technology of film. It is in testament to just how state of the art visual effects and makeup artistry has become that Cumming disclosed that at Doomsday, his time in the makeup chair has decreased to a simple 90 minutes. One of them is hand-drawing the intricate tattoos of Nightcrawler that were previously time-consuming and now are implemented by using the computer.
Prefabricated applications, a game-changer by comparison, are now commonplace and thus greatly reduces the physical demands of metamorphosis. Such a modification is not only more efficient but also creates some sort of freedom that would enable the actor to concentrate in his performance.
A Positive Production Atmosphere
In addition to the technical upgrades, Cumming has raged over the on-set atmosphere on Avengers: Doomsday, terming people to be, “really nice.” His own dealings with X2 were full of challenges a story that he has told repeatedly (and in his memoir). Arriving at a set where people work cooperatively and respectfully have enabled him to get his bearings fully, and take on the role and his fellow actors, including among the returning stars of the X-Men.
When he is 60, he is ready to challenge himself by taking part in stunts and moving back to superhero genre, which shows that positive working environment can indeed renew any creative process. The health side of his homecoming reminds viewers of the value of good health, and the help of others, even on the biggest of blockbuster movies.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
