Brief Summary
This episode of the official Marvel podcast features three segments: an interview with casting director Sarah Halley Finn about her work in the MCU, a conversation with Marvel digital design lead Ann Marie Lombardo about the Marvel Unlimited app, and a character study of the Hulk villain, The Leader.
- Sarah Halley Finn discusses her journey into casting, highlighting key moments such as casting Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther.
- Ann Marie Lombardo shares insights into her role at Marvel, focusing on the Marvel Unlimited app and offering advice for aspiring digital designers.
- The podcast explores the comic book history of The Leader, detailing his transformation and his ongoing rivalry with the Hulk.
Sarah Halley Finn on Casting the MCU
Sarah Halley Finn, the casting director behind many MCU shows and movies, discusses her early career in theater and how it prepared her for casting. She emphasizes the collaborative nature of casting and recalls her first job as a casting director. Finn reflects on casting the original Avengers, noting the focus on finding the best actors to bring the characters to life and building the ensemble. She shares the story of Robert Downey Jr.'s screen test for Iron Man, highlighting his undeniable ownership of the character, and Samuel L. Jackson's casting as Nick Fury, which was a bold move at the time. Finn also recalls memorable auditions, such as Pom Klementieff's for Mantis and Chadwick Boseman's insistence on an African accent for Black Panther, which influenced the language of Wakanda.
Finn believes that actors bring essential qualities to their roles, citing Downey's wit and Chris Evans' initial reluctance to play Captain America as examples. She advises aspiring actors to be prepared, hone their craft, stay open to different roles, and make themselves visible. Finn also mentions that the visual development team can influence casting choices by creating mockups of actors in costume. She finds it rewarding to see actors return for multiple MCU projects and feels proud when the stories positively affect people's lives. Finn admits that casting can be challenging, particularly when there is pressure to get it right, and recalls the difficulty of casting Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy.
A Chat with Marvel Digital Design Lead Ann Marie Lombardo
Ann Marie Lombardo, Marvel's digital design lead, discusses her role in creating graphics for Marvel Unlimited's marketing team, including ads, social media posts, and Comic-Con visuals. Lombardo shares her journey from being an X-Men cartoon fan to becoming deeply involved with Marvel after working on partnerships at WWE. She recounts her transition from historic preservation to digital design, driven by her interest in using computers for creative projects. Lombardo describes a typical day as managing a team of designers and contributing to various digital marketing efforts.
Lombardo recalls feeling overwhelmed on her first day at Marvel but quickly realizing the importance of Marvel to people, especially through her father's enthusiasm. She expresses pride in working on the Marvel Unlimited app and creating walls for San Diego Comic-Con. Lombardo highlights Marvel Unlimited as a comprehensive digital comics library with over 30,000 comics, including exclusive content. She advises those interested in digital design to be passionate, invest in themselves, and be prepared to work as part of a team. Lombardo shares a memorable "pinch me" moment of watching Endgame with the entire company, emphasizing the collaborative effort and emotional impact of the film.
Character Study: The Leader
The segment explores the origins and history of Samuel Sterns, also known as The Leader, a prominent villain of the Hulk. Initially a high school dropout working at a government research lab, Sterns is exposed to gamma radiation, which transforms him into a green-skinned genius with an enlarged head. Driven by his newfound intellect, he adopts the moniker "The Leader" and embarks on a quest for world domination, assembling armies and constructing secret lairs. The Leader's plans often involve stealing advanced technologies, leading to repeated clashes with the Hulk, who thwarts his schemes.
The Leader's rivalry with the Hulk becomes personal, even disrupting Bruce Banner's wedding. He is also a member of the Intelligencia, a group of evil geniuses, including Mad Thinker, Egghead, Wizard, Red Ghost, and MODOK. The Intelligencia creates a Red Hulk, manipulating General Ross, but Ross later drains the Leader of his gamma radiation. Despite setbacks, the Leader's strategic mind is sought after by Ross for the Thunderbolts team, but he betrays them and returns to his life of crime, remaining a persistent adversary of the Hulk. The segment concludes by noting that the Leader's green appearance reflects his envy and desire to prove himself superior to Bruce Banner.
