Nicholas Hoult "kind of cackled" after being cast as Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s ‘Superman’.
The actor, 34, will star as the iconic villain in the 58-year-old director’s upcoming DC blockbuster and has reflected on the moment he found out he would be taking on the role.
During an appearance on the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast, he said: "There was a little inkling part of me that was like, ‘Oh, I think you would have fun playing Lex.’
"And I kind of didn't say anything, and then when James called me to play Lex, I did kind of cackle - I think is how I’d describe it. I didn't say anything."
‘The Menu’ actor added he felt like he was destined to play the villain when he first read the script for the movie.
He explained: "I think he said, ‘We want you to play Lex’, and I just laughed, because I think there was something in my instinct, when I first read the script, where I was like, ‘I think that’s more what I should be doing in this story.’"
This wasn’t the first time Hoult had auditioned for a DC role as he had also tried out for the titular superhero in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ before Robert Pattinson ultimately landed the part.
He recalled: "Your imagination does not know … you are aware on a practical level: ‘I know I am auditioning against Rob.’ And Rob is fantastic in that movie.
"That was the right decision. But you get excited by the prospect. Matt [Reeves] is a fantastic director and the script. It’s a cool movie and I want to be a part of it. It’s a brilliant character.
"There’s a weird period before you can get to the acceptance and see the movie and be like that was the right choice, you go through the period of, ‘What could I have done different? Why not me?’ You run through all those things."
