Chris Hemsworth on Becoming Optimus Prime for Transformers One (Exclusive)
Exclusive: Chris Hemsworth tells us what it was like bringing a new take on the iconic Transformer to life.
This article appears in the new issue of DEN OF GEEK magazine. You can read all of our magazine stories here.
Transformers One sheds light on the earliest era of Cybertronian history fans have seen yet. Set billions of years prior to the films, on Cybertron before it was ravaged by the Autobot/Decepticon Civil War, the story follows young miners Orion Pax and D-16, two best friends who are destined to become the bitter rivals we now know as Optimus Prime and Megatron.
Adopting an American accent that renders him virtually unrecognizable on first listen, Chris Hemsworth lends his voice to the movie as Orion Pax/Optimus Prime opposite Bryan Tyree Henry as D-16/Megatron. Stepping into the iconic role and effectively sharing the reins with the great Peter Cullen is a tall task, but there are few actors better equipped to handle this kind of pressure than the MCU OG.
Hemsworth spoke to Den of Geek magazine about assuming the role of Orion Pax/Optimus Prime, what’s at the heart of the film’s story, acting with an American accent, the importance of family entertainment, and much more.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
DEN OF GEEK: You have a lot of experience working within long-running franchises with huge fanbases. What is it about properties like Marvel and Transformers that make them enduring?
CHRIS HEMSWORTH: I think what we connect to through all great storytelling, whether it be comic books, film, even Shakespeare, is that there’s a mythology to it. And there’s allegory and hidden messaging in there, too. It’s baked into the story. When I was watching Transformers as a kid, there were moral questions posed—right and wrong, good and evil, cause and effect. Your choices have consequences. And I think there’s a nobility to Optimus Prime that kids look up to.
Audiences and critics often dismiss kids’ movies as somehow unimportant or unworthy of prestige. How do you value family entertainment when compared with the more “serious” films that dominate awards shows?
Family films are essential. I think when a movie is joyful, fun, and entertaining, we think of it as not being serious. People think more serious movies are more important. But you can be fun and entertaining and still be sincere. Look at Toy Story, Shrek, and now Transformers One—there are life lessons for all ages in animated films.
What life lessons are we going to find in Transformers One? And what drew you to the project?
This being an origin story is what appealed to me. It isn’t a remake; it’s not a reimagining. It shows the early years of these characters, whom we only knew later in their lives. This film delves into friendships and relationships you have with people when you’re vulnerable and afraid. It talks about what bravery really means and how good and evil aren’t as simplistic as they might first appear. We make mistakes, and we learn from them. But ultimately, we are defined by the decisions that we make.
Orion Pax and D-16 are faced with the same conditions, but their opinions on certain things change drastically throughout the film. What I like about this version of Optimus Prime is there’s a brashness and recklessness to him that needs to be tempered. He’s exposed to things that make him question everything he believes in.
As audience members, we’ve become incredibly familiar with your face and voice. You’re super famous. But seriously, what’s interesting about a role like this is that we don’t see your face, and you have an American accent. Was it liberating to truly let the work stand on its own?
I’m comfortable with the transformative nature of acting—pun intended—and being able to wear a mask and play a character that’s really different as opposed to playing a character that’s more similar to me, which makes me self-conscious.
For Transformers One, you don’t see my face at all, which allowed me to not have to think about my physical presentation at all. In a sense, you have to do more work with your performance. The animators do a good job of filling in the gaps, but when I’m in the booth recording, it’s just me and my voice. I loved the creative adventure that it provided. And I loved having a second, third, fourth, fifth take as well. On film sets, you get to do reshoots occasionally. But with this movie, we got to do the entire film a few times. We got to test it with family and friends, to see what resonated, what worked, and what didn’t. It was really fulfilling and collaborative.
What can longtime fans expect from Transformers One?
As I’m sure you’re aware, these characters mean a lot to fans. I feel a huge sense of gratitude to the fans for this opportunity. I’m deeply aware of the passion for this character and this world. It was as nerve-racking as it was exciting. It’s good to do things that scare you, and
on the creative side, I had to dig a lot deeper. I came at this project as a fan. What excited me was that these are sides of these characters we’ve never seen before. And we’ve never seen Cybertron like this before. It’s a hugely entertaining movie, but there is a darkness to it as well.
Transformers One is released in theaters on Sept. 20.
Written by
Bernard Boo is a writer and geek enthusiast living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Movies, TV, video games, and comics are constantly rattling around in his brain,…