“I was a bit bummed…”: ’Superman’ Star Edi Gathegi’s Tough Decision to Ditch Robert De Niro For Mister Terrific Fame Literally Changed His Life

The star had to make a choice between Superman and another promising project, where leaving the other one made him upset.

While David Corenswet may have been the titular protagonist of James Gunn’s Superman, Edi Gathegi, the star who plays the role of Mr. Terrific in the film, has also been in the same limelight.

But for this opportunity, he had to leave his role in Robert De Niro’s political thriller mini-series Zero Day (via The Hollywood Reporter). He said:

I was a bit bummed because working with De Niro was definitely a bucket-list thing, and I know and love the director, Lesli Linka Glatter.

He also added that leaving the project was not an easy choice, but it was a choice that he had to make, taking into consideration his future in the industry.

Thus, he chose a revamped and underdeveloped franchise in which he can find long-term success, unlike his previous role as Darwin in X-Men: First Class.

Edi Gathegi Had To Leave Robert De Niro’s Zero Day For His Career

Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific in a still from Superman | Credits: Warner Bros.

Life is a sum of choices that we make, and those choices define our future. For the Kenyan-American actor Edi Gathegi, those choices have brought him to the world as Mr. Terrific in James Gunn‘s Superman.

Since the film’s opening day, fans and cinegoers alike have been singing praises of the star’s performance, and for very good reason.

But this was not a coincidence, as Gathegi had to leave a bucket-list project of his to become part of the DCU.

In the interview, he revealed that he was involved in Robert De Niro’s recent Netflix project, Zero Day, when it was in its initial stages.

But due to the extended SAG-AFTRA strikes, the production was in constant limbo.

At the same time, he was presented with the opportunity to become part of the DCU in its very first entry with Superman alongside David Corenswet as the titular protagonist.

Weighing his options in both these projects, the star made the calculated choice to go ahead with DC Studios, stating that his decision came down to which had the potential for a longer life.

Now, he can say for certain that he made the right choice.

Gathegi’s Recent Superhero Rodeo Changed His Life Forever

Edi Gathegi as Darwin in a still from X-Men: First Class | Credits: Marvel Studios

For many, this first DCU film might be their first introduction to Gathegi’s performance, but in the past, specifically in 2011, many may have forgotten his role as Darwin in X-Men: First Class, and they cannot be blamed for it.

During the introduction of many long-term franchise characters in the first film, Darwin was made out to be a key player, the way he was brought into the fold.

But in a couple of moments, he was taken out of that fold when he met his demise, and was never brought back in any capacity, in a way, making his contributions completely pointless.

But now, he has a fresh start that has seen him grab the audience’s attention despite being a supporting member, which means James Gunn might have big plans for Gathegi’s character in the future.

Movies
Character
Rotten Tomatoes
IMDb

Superman
Mr. Terrific
82%
7.7/10

X-Men: First Class
Darwin
86%
7.7/10

Twilight
Laurent
48%
5.3/10

The Harder They Fall
Bill Pickett
88%
6.6/10

Caged
Dr. Harlow Reid
67%
3.9/10

What do you think about Gathegi’s choice? Tell us in the comments below.

Superman, screening in cinemas worldwide.