Monarch: Legacy of Monsters showcases the talents of Anders Holm and Mari Yamamoto, who bring depth and uniqueness to their roles in a narrative where mythical kaijus are a startling reality. Their approach to character development and performance highlights the intricate balance between personal interpretation and the larger-than-life context of the Monsterverse.
Anders Holm: A Distinct Approach to Each Role
Anders Holm, known for his diverse roles, discussed his method for ensuring each character he portrays stands out. His approach is rooted in finding joy and a unique angle in every script. Holm elaborated on this, emphasizing the importance of fun and engagement with the material:
“I just want to have fun and find something in the script that I can really sink my teeth into and then just do that. There’s nothing worse than getting to set with a script and being like, this is so bland. I kind of now I got to do all sorts of legwork to like invent what I think this is. Like when we got the scripts, you see what everyone’s angle is. You see like the relationships and like obviously everybody brings things to the script. Right. But that just takes it like to the next level.”
-Anders Holm, Bill Randa in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters–
This philosophy allows Holm to consistently deliver fresh and distinct performances, even when tackling roles that might seem familiar on the surface.
Mari Yamamoto: Embracing Curiosity in Character
Mari Yamamoto delved into the essence of her character, focusing on the trait of curiosity as a driving force. She emphasized the importance of understanding and exploring the world, which informs her portrayal. Yamamoto explained this focus in detail:
“I didn’t really think that she’s smart… I think I was more focused on how curious she is about everything, about the world, about what she’s doing. And also she’s just constantly trying to understand the world herself, the people around her. I think that is what drives her. So there’s like a hyper focus on whatever she’s doing. And yeah, I think being smart comes from that as a result, you know, just the need to know, the want to know.”
-Mari Yamamoto, Dr. Keiko Miura in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters–
This focus on curiosity rather than just intelligence adds layers to her character, making her portrayal more nuanced and relatable.
The Challenge of Bringing Kaijus to Life
Both actors also touched upon the unique challenges of working in a world dominated by colossal creatures. Yamamoto expressed her surprise at seeing the final product, having concentrated on the human aspects during filming:
“Seeing the completed show was such an incredible surprise of, oh, this is what I was working on.”
-Anders Holm, Bill Randa in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters–
Holm highlighted the creative process behind the monster designs, starting from a basis in reality and expanding into the realm of imagination:
“We always started our monster design from some grounding in the real natural world… You start from the real world and then you go out from there.”
-Mari Yamamoto, Dr. Keiko Miura in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters–
In Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Anders Holm and Mari Yamamoto’s distinctive approaches to their roles add a rich texture to the narrative, blending human depth with the grandeur of the Monsterverse. Their insights into character development and the challenges of filming in a world where myths come to life offer a glimpse into the creative process behind this anticipated series.
Season One of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is now streaming on AppleTV+ with new episodes releasing on Fridays.
