Aquaman: Patrick Wilson Believes Orm's Mission is 'Perfectly Understandable'

CBR

By Jason Cohen

Published Dec 21, 2018

Aquaman star Patrick Wilson talks about how Orm is a relatable character, explaining audiences might actually sympathize with him.

Actor Patrick Wilson plays Orm, the main villain in Aquaman, and the titular character's half brother. While at a press junket for the movie in New York City, the actor discussed his character, and how he's not the one-note villain you might expect in a superhero movie. Audiences might even come to sympathize with him.

"His fight is perfectly understandable," Wilson said about Orm's reasoning for wanting to attack the surface world. The actor then made reference to Aquaman's long history as an environmentalist, a fight that he's happy Ocean Master takes up in the movie. While Aquaman doesn't focus a lot on humanity's relationship with the ocean, it does inform Orm's motivations.

According to Wilson, the way human society has generally treated the oceans "enables you to have a real violent response." In regards to Orm's attack on the surface world, Wilson admitted, "I think there's something sort of cathartic in an audience watching that," which then allows fans to understand the character more.

When it comes time for Ocean Master to rally his armies against the surface world, "Everybody goes 'eh, I get it,' joked Wilson. He remarked that it's a fun way to get the audience to sympathize with the character, because Orm is one filled with conflict.

As the ruler of Atlantis, he has a responsibility to his people, but also he's clearly damaged from his relationship with his family. "There's all that very Shakespearean, complex emotion that he's dealing with," which can really grab an audience.

"You start him from a very organic place, then you can go as big as you want to. Which we do," Wilson concluded. So when you go see Aquaman, don't be surprised if you end up feeling something for the film's bad guy.

Directed by James Wan, Aquaman stars Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Amber Heard as Mera, Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Temuera Morrison as Thomas Curry, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus and Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna. The film opens on Dec. 21.