"Twilight" actor Edi Gathegi will play a biracial mutant named Darwin in "X-Men: First Class," an individual familiar with the project has confirmed to TheWrap.
Darwin has the unique power of "reactive evolution," which allows him to physically adapt to any situation or environment. Try to drown him and he'll grow gills underwater. Try to burn him and his skin will become fire-retardant. Turn off the lights and he'll gain night vision. He sounds unstoppable, but I find myself wondering whether he can breathe in outer space.
Matthew Vaughn directs the superhero prequel from a script by "Kick-Ass" collaborator Jane Goldman. Gathegi joins an impressive ensemble cast that includes James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Alice Eve, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till and Kevin Bacon, who will be playing an unknown villain.
Gathegi and Bacon previously worked together on "Death Sentence."
Gathegi first came to my attention as crime lord Cheese in Ben Affleck's "Gone Baby Gone." He played the evil vampire Laurent in the first two "Twilight" films, and recently wrapped production on Paul Johansson's indie adaptation of Ayn Rand's classic novel "Atlas Shrugged."
Gathegi is represented by Paradigm and Framework.
