Peacemaker's Chukwudi Iwuji Is Having the Time of His Life Working on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Exclusive)

01/11/2022 12:03 am EST

This week will see the debut of Peacemaker, the first live-action series set within the DC Films universe. Not only does the James Gunn-led project feature the return of Christopher Smith / Peacemaker (John Cena), but it introduces a number of new characters and actors into his orbit. Among them is Chukwudi Iwuji, who portrays new character Clemson Murn across the series. Even before Peacemaker's premiere, it was revealed that Iwuji and Gunn would be collaborating once again in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the actor being cast in a major, mysterious role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn confirmed the news on social media this past November, calling Iwuji "one of the best actors" he's ever worked with.

While speaking to ComicBook.com ahead of Peacemaker's premiere, Iwuji spoke about the "wonderful" creative partnership he has formed with Gunn, and teased that their work together in Vol. 3 is pushing him "much further" as an actor.

"This has been quoted to me a few times and it does make me blush," Iwuji said about Gunn's previous comments. "I blush purple. The fact of the matter is, I don't know why James feels that way. It's not really my job to investigate what that is. What I do know is that when someone puts that amount of trust and belief in you, your responsibility, your only job is to make sure it's requited. So I feel James and I have a great collaboration, even on the project we're doing now, which stretches me even further. And he really does stretch me. I feel we have this wonderful combination of him trusting my choices, but him also seeing my choices and recognizing when I can go much further, and surprising me with how much further he can make me get. It feels like a wonderful reciprocal collaboration and I'm having a ball. The time of my life."

While Vol. 3 is still a ways away, Iwuji spoke about the approach he had to playing Peacemaker's Murn, and cited Gunn's writing as being a significant source of inspiration.

"I read these sides, and at first I didn't want to do it, because he seemed like that grizzled, very macho, alpha, Lance Reddick sort of character," Iwuji explained. "I just saw him doing it. I was like, 'Well, I'm never going to get this.' But then I read the sides, and [what was] on the page was just hilarious. I immediately knew, rhythmically, how this guy should speak. Emotionally, how he keeps everything in check. All the clues were in the writing."

"My wife and I did a tape together, and it was the first take, because it was very clear to me from James's layout and how he wrote it," Iwuji continued. "And James loved it. Whatever the ideas, or the sort of characteristic of that kind of character in the comics are, all I know is — I gave what I, instinctively, felt James was asking for on the page. I just loved playing [someone with] so much emotion being in check, and I loved flashes of extreme anger and violence. They were just fun to play. But really, I was led by the script. Good writers tend to direct you that way through the dialogue."

The first three episodes of Peacemaker will premiere on Thursday, January 13th exclusively on HBO Max. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released in theaters on May 23, 2023.

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