During the climax of “Superman,” one of Lex Luthor’s henchmen turns to Mister Terrific and asks him if he needs help. “I don’t need help. I’m goddamn Mister Terrific,” Edi Gathegi proclaims, and indeed he is.
As the first comics-accurate Mister Terrific brought to live-action, Gathegi’s portrayal has become one of the highlights of the hit movie, generating the kind of buzz that launches actors into the zeitgeist. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, Mister Terrific and Jimmy Olsen are being eyed for possible television shows, putting Gathegi in a unique position: a breakout superhero full of charisma and swagger that will help shape the future of the new DC Universe.
“I’m levitating,” Gathegi said with a smile. “I’m pretty much levitating 24/7.”
Gathegi’s journey to becoming Michael Holt, aka Mister Terrific, began long before “Superman” started filming. It traces back to the premiere of “The Suicide Squad,” where he met James Gunn on the red carpet. Gunn, already a fan of his work on shows like “The Blacklist,” made an impression.
“When I saw ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ I promised myself I’d do anything I could to work with that director,” Gathegi said.
When his agents later told him Gunn was casting for “Superman,’ Gathegi submitted an audition tape and left for Europe. A direct message from Gunn came through while Gathegi was en route to the airport: “I checked my Instagram, and there’s a DM from James, and he’s like, ‘Yo, you killed this audition, bro. You killed it,’” Gathegi said. “So now I got to go to Europe for two months, wondering if I’m actually going to potentially be in the new Superman movie.”
A screen test followed, and while waiting to hear back, Gunn, producer Peter Safran, and DC Studios executive Chantal Nong summoned Gathegi into a bungalow. Their offer: play Mister Terrific.
Whether and wherever Mister Terrific shows up next, Gathegi places full trust in Gunn’s storytelling. “If they feel like the best way to continue telling this story is with Mister Terrific, then I’ll be grateful. If it’s not, then I know it’s for the better of the story.”
Gathegi beat out over 200 other contenders for the role. “I was like, thank you so much for not making me wait 10 days,” Gathegi said. He joked that he needed a minute to think about it. “Their faces dropped,” he added. “They were like, what the hell is this guy talking about?”
Mister Terrific is one of the most intelligent characters in the DC Universe: a tech genius, Olympic-level athlete and holder of 14 PhDs. For Gathegi, the challenge was embracing both the brains and the brawn the role demanded.
“I felt there was a huge opportunity to push myself to the limits,” he said. Gathegi trained for five months in combat and underwent a body recomp with elite trainers, including Paolo Mascitti, who also trained “Superman” headliner David Corenswet.
Gathegi also noted he went the natty route for his transformation. “I might be playing this character for 10 years,” Gathegi told his trainer. “I want to do what’s sustainable. I want to do it naturally.”
He added: “I did some Southeast Asian martial arts training in Kali and Silat with a brilliant martial artist Enelē Ma’afu Tauteoli and for the strength training I worked with one of the best trainers in the world – Paolo Mascitti – who pulled results out of me I didn’t know existed to the extent that they did.”
Gathegi transformed his body by trading fat for lean muscle without altering his weight, but his physical preparation was only one part of the puzzle. There was also the emotional core stemming from the character’s personal tragedy: the loss of his wife and unborn child. That wound, Gathegi said, “is what fuels his brilliance.”
“He’s not defined by his loss, but he doesn’t ignore it either,” he added. “That’s why he’s so adamant about the ethical use of AI and just ethics in general. He’s got a code that rivals Superman.”
Gathegi praised Gunn’s intelligent, fresh approach to “Superman,” noting the film’s take centering on the Man of Steel’s vulnerabilities. “You start with him being the most vulnerable. You depower him a little bit,” Gathegi said. “James understands story and character.”
As for donning Mister Terrific’s iconic “Fair Play” jacket and T-mask? Gathegi said the costume went through multiple fittings before everything finally clicked.
“When we did our camera test, I looked in the mirror and was literally staring at somebody that I felt could save the world,” he said. “It blew my mind.”
The mask was molded to his face to allow full expression. “James loves to play,” Gathegi added. “There’s stuff we did that will never make the movie — outlandish things — but the mask allowed for that.”
Following a brief and underwhelming appearance as Darwin in “X-Men: First Class,” Gathegi views Mister Terrific as a second chance and a role that can make an impact.
“There’s an opportunity to create new norms for kids — Black kids, but also all kids — who are told they’re too smart, or nerdy, or quiet,” he said. “Mister Terrific inspires them to feel like they can be themselves. It’s their intellect that’s powerful.”
Gathegi sees Mister Terrific as “the embodiment of cool” not because of flash or bravado, but because of how grounded and self-assured he is. “He knows exactly who he is, and he uses his brain. You don’t need to be a god to make an impact.”
When asked about the rumors of his own Mister Terrific spinoff show, Gathegi played it cool, but hopeful.
“I’d love to step into his shoes again. I’ve fallen in love with this character,” he said.
“Superman” is currently playing in theaters.
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