Moon Knight star Ethan Hawke explained why he wanted to play the villainous cult leader Arthur Harrow in the Disney+ series.
"I liked the idea of playing a cult leader, you know, I always find those kinds of figures fascinating," Hawke said in a fan Q&A conducted by Marvel Entertainment. "Someone who thinks of themselves as a spiritual guru, someone who considers themselves enlightened beyond the rest of humanity."
Prior to Moon Knight's premiere on Disney+'s, Hawke said something similar when discussing what exactly drew him to the role of Arthur Harrow. "Your gut leads you," Hawke said. "The uber-rich villain mastermind isn't interesting to me. I love the ones who believe that they're a good person and that's why they have to kill you. That, I find really terrifying."
Created by Alan Zelenetz and Chris Warner, Harrow debuted in Marvel Comics with 1985's Moon Knight #2. A Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Harrow crossed paths with Moon Knight when the vigilante confronted him for performing illegal experiments on humans. In an August 2021 interview, before it was confirmed that he would be portraying Arthur Harrow, Hawke described the villain as having "a real David Koresh vibe," comparing him to the leader of the Branch Davidians religious cult, who were famously involved in 1993's Waco siege.
Moon Knight will consist of six episodes, in which Isaac will portray multiple characters. This includes mercenary Marc Spector and Moon Knight's alter-ego, as well as British gift shop employee Steven Grant and his alter-ego, Mr. Knight, a more subdued version of the hero. Along with Isaac, Moon Knight also stars Hawke as Arthur Harrow, the series' primary antagonist and villainous cult leader, who seeks to enact the "justice" of the Egyptian goddess, Ammit, upon the world.
Created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin, Moon Knight debuted in 1975's Werewolf by Night #32. In the comics, Marc Spector is a mercenary who is given a second chance when the Egyptian god Khonshu gives Marc the opportunity to redeem his violent life. Khonshu makes him the bearer of the god's powers on Earth, or "the Fist of Khonshu," instructing Marc to use his new powers to protect and avenge the innocent. Marvel Studios president and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige described the upcoming series as "brutal," saying that it will push the boundaries for other Marvel content previously released on Disney+.
New episodes of Moon Knight premiere every Wednesday on Disney+.
Source: YouTube