Chatting with Superman's New Enemy, Nicholas Hoult
The Main Idea in a Nutshell
- In a fun and casual chat, the hosts of the "SmartLess" podcast talk with actor Nicholas Hoult about his life, a recent basketball injury, and what it was like preparing to play the famous villain Lex Luthor in the new Superman movie.
The Key Takeaways
- A Grumpy Sports Fan: Host Will Arnett is in a bad mood because his favorite hockey team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, lost a huge game, and he jokes about becoming a "free agent fan" and cheering for a new team.
- An Actor's Real Life: Guest Nicholas Hoult talks about living outside of Hollywood to be near family, dealing with his son's trip to the emergency room, and getting his own serious injury.
- Becoming a Supervillain: To play Superman's enemy Lex Luthor, Nicholas had to shave his head completely bald to match the character's classic look from the comics.
A Modern Bad Guy: In this new movie, Lex Luthor is a powerful tech billionaire, which the hosts agree is a perfect and believable type of villain for today's world.
Fun Facts & Key Numbers:
- Fact: The Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team hasn't won a championship since 1967.
- Fact: Nicholas Hoult recently tore his ACL (a ligament in your knee) while playing basketball, an injury the podcast describes as common in "middle-aged people who play jumping sports."
- Fact: Nicholas has two sons, who are 7 and 2 years old.
Important Quotes, Explained
Quote: "> I'm considering free agency."
- What it Means: In sports, a "free agent" is a player whose contract is up and can sign with any team they want. Host Will Arnett is joking that he's so upset with his losing hockey team that he's going to stop being their fan and "shop around" for a new, better team to support.
- Why it Matters: This is a really funny way of showing how seriously fans take their teams. It kicks off the episode by showing how emotional and frustrating it can be when your favorite team keeps losing.
Quote: "> It's it's it's the appropriate thing nowadays, right? To make the the villain a tech billionaire. But that that kind of lines up. You go like, it's not a stre— you don't go like, what? You go, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right."
- What it Means: Host Jason Bateman is saying that making a movie's bad guy a super-rich tech company owner feels completely believable in today's world. It's not a surprising idea; it just makes sense.
- Why it Matters: This comment points out how movies often reflect what's happening in real life. Since people today sometimes worry about the power of giant tech companies, making a villain a tech billionaire makes the story feel more modern and relevant.
The Main Arguments (The 'Why')
- In this casual conversation, the hosts and their guest make a few interesting points:
- First, they show that being a sports fan can be an emotional rollercoaster, where losing feels personal and makes you want to give up (even if you're just joking).
- Next, they talk with Nicholas Hoult about his life, showing that famous actors deal with everyday problems like raising kids, getting injured, and wanting to live in a normal, non-Hollywood environment.
- Finally, they discuss what it's like to physically become a character, like shaving your head for a role, which gives a cool behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into making a big movie.
- In this casual conversation, the hosts and their guest make a few interesting points:
Questions to Make You Think
Q: Why did Nicholas Hoult have to shave his head to play Lex Luthor?
- A: According to the podcast, the character of Lex Luthor has "traditionally been bald-headed" in the comics and other stories. To look like the classic version of the character that fans recognize, he shaved his head completely clean.
Q: Why does Nicholas Hoult live in Long Beach instead of a place like Hollywood or Beverly Hills?
- A: The text says he lives there for two main reasons. First, his wife's family is from there, which gives them a good support system. Second, he says Los Angeles can feel "edgy" and is an "industry town" (where everything is about the movie business), and he enjoys living in a place that has other things going on.
Q: What kind of injury did Nicholas Hoult get?
- A: He tore his ACL, which is a key ligament in the knee, while playing basketball. He says he's currently doing rehab to get it stronger before he has to film stunts for his next movie.
Why This Matters & What's Next
- Why You Should Care: This conversation is a great reminder that the actors you see in huge movies are also just regular people. They get super into sports, they have to deal with family life and unexpected injuries, and they make big career choices just like anyone else. It's a fun peek behind the curtain at the person behind the famous characters.
- Learn More: If you want to see Nicholas Hoult in action, check out the movie X-Men: First Class. He plays the brilliant scientist Hank McCoy, also known as the superhero Beast. It’s a great way to see his work before he shows up as the villain in Superman.