Brie Larson talks Captain Marvel, women’s empowerment and why she’s not into make-up
- The Oscar-winning star of the hit superhero film says she can’t get enough of complicated female characters
If Brie Larson ever considered the manner in which she would move from Hollywood’s resident indie darling to mainstream movie star, she might not have imagined that such a leap could be executed in as stylish manner as she has managed over the past five years.
Since her acclaimed under-the-radar turn in 2013’s Short Term 12 , Larson has put her name to a string of intriguing projects. From the small-time but hugely successful Room, for which she won an Academy Award in 2016, to the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island alongside silver-screen staples such as Samuel L Jackson and Tom Hiddleston.
“Maybe I’m being naive, but I don’t feel any different,” says the fresh-faced 29-year-old. “I’m happy to be getting all these offers and having the chance to work with very talented people, but when I finish shooting a movie, I still lead the same life. Every morning I take the trash out, and every day I walk my dogs Bowie and Jonathan, and scoop up their droppings off the sidewalk.”
This is probably the most dynamic character that I’ve ever played … I’ve had to go through every emotion possible with her
Relatable Larson may well thankfully remain, but her latest project is sure to catapult her into another stratosphere of stardom. Just as countless actors have followed in Robert Downey Jnr’s armour-clad footsteps since his debut as Iron Man in 2008, so too has Larson become the latest figure to join the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe as Carol Denvers, aka Captain Marvel. The film opens in Hong Kong on Wednesday March 6, and the United States on March 8.
“I’m really proud of this movie and I hope that all the hype and anticipation will be worth it,” she beams. “This is probably the most dynamic character that I’ve ever played … I’ve had to go through every emotion possible with her. And a lot of this movie, although it has great comedy in it, there’s also real depth to it and emotion. That’s what I want: I want to see complicated female characters.”
And with the memories of Gal Gadot’s groundbreaking leading appearance in the stand-alone Wonder Woman still fresh in comic-book fans’ minds, Larson is hoping Captain Marvel will tune into the current zeitgeist of strong women on-screen. “When the opportunity came to play Captain Marvel, this symbol of feminism, I saw it as an opportunity to play this empowering role for women,” she nods. “I saw this role and this film as an important step, and I wanted to be a part of it.