How Omari Hardwick Became Vanderohe for ‘Army of the Dead’

Omari Hardwick was unsurprisingly stoked when his team handed him internet pages for a new screenplay from Zack Snyder. The revolutionary director was environment up an authentic motion-packed heist film identified as Army of the Useless that associated zombies getting in excess of Las Vegas, and required Hardwick for the job of Vanderohe. The only capture was his character didn’t have a line of dialogue in the script.

“I was a little perplexed, but when I received on the cellular phone with Zack, he described it all to me,” Hardwick tells Men’s Journal. Through that discussion, he learned his castmate Dave Bautista was originally meant to engage in Vanderohe, but was composed into the part of Scott Ward, who functions as leader of the motley crew, as an alternative. “But what he did assure me was he was going to be a character I didn’t want to cease enjoying.”

The re-compose also gave Hardwick an prospect to help formulate the identity of a chainsaw-wielding, zombie-killing philosopher. We spoke with the actor about generating his character from the floor up, hanging with the solid in New Mexico, and putting on 20 lbs of muscle.

How Omari Hardwick Turned Vanderohe for ‘Army of the Dead’

Men’s Journal: The release of this motion picture has been large, but in a distinct context than most blockbusters. What is the experience been like?

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Omari Hardwick: The reception has been very humbling. A great deal of men and women have been achieving out—childhood friends, good administrators, producers, even Shaquille O’Neal. I most likely sense how Gerard Butler felt during 300 as considerably as generation and functioning with Zack [Snyder] goes. Going into the roll out of this movie, I’ve assumed about my colleagues like Chadwick [Boseman], Michael B. Jordan, and John David Washington. It is a funny minute for me because not like those fellas, my films are coming out at a strange time and I’m not equipped to rejoice in entrance of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Confident, we really don’t have a gangbuster rollout, but the film by itself is likely to be that gangbuster. I assume it’s form of wonderful that in some ways this release will be a very little extra intimate. This is not an introduction of Omari Hardwick, but it’s unquestionably a reintroduction. There is a significant component of my fanbase who would like to see me perform Ghost for the relaxation of my occupation, but I believe these movies have created it clear to them I’m spreading my wings and I have a good deal of methods in my bag.

What have been your first views on how Zack put this movie together and the world he created?

Athletics have been these a foundational put for me, and mainly because of that I usually consider of the staff previously mentioned the “I’. In regards to Army of the Dead, it really works mainly because there is these kinds of a large workforce, these kinds of an remarkable ensemble. Zack did this sort of a good task of producing each human being their very own unique character. He gave nuances and attributes that were being exclusive just to them. That was extremely special. So from a manufacturing and storyline standpoint, going into this task I knew it was incredibly particular. The way Zack explained to this tale is so attractive. The zombies are form of the backdrop. At the forefront of the motion picture are these broken people who are not only in research of cash but in research of by themselves. Which is even so for Zeus, the alpha zombie performed by Richard Cetrone. Go away it to Zack to generate these a planet.

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Do you keep in mind wherever you ended up when you 1st read the script?

I was on holiday vacation in South Florida at the time, and it was Mother’s Day. My agent informed me he genuinely wished me to get a glance at a little something. He told me Zack Snyder was at the helm. You know he experienced me at “Zack Snyder.” [My wife] Jae explained to me to go for it. She arrives from the world of producers, so she appreciates what it means when a person states a script requires to be go through. But there’s not just one trace of my character in the script at all. I suggest I’m at site 75 imagining, I guess he will come in a very little later.

Considering that there was not considerably on the page at the time, how did Snyder explain Vanderohe to you?

Snyder said Vanderohe was simply just an individual I’d never ever want to enable go of—that after I performed this person, I was going to want to keep on to him. Does that necessarily mean a sequel? I do not know. All I know is he was appropriate.

That chainsaw is very epic. What was it like keeping it?

I received to established a number of months after that dialogue, and I realized the chainsaw was component of the contact sheet. I felt like it was a cast member. I imagine it will be implanted completely into the minds of not just zombie geeks, but all people else. You’re not going to ignore that chainsaw.

Speaking of get in touch with sheets, what was it like doing work with this solid?

Connecting with Bautista, it was like two athletes chatting about their life with sporting activities. He shared with me that he didn’t occur up with the foundation I experienced, getting played soccer as a child. He explained he came into becoming relaxed with his overall body and utilizing it effectively later on in life. Even although he was this huge determine in the wrestling earth, he didn’t feel genuinely comfy until finally now. I noticed the vulnerability that came with that, and also respected his capability to get open with a man he just achieved. I recognized that is why he’s so interesting on monitor, due to the fact of these traits.

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It was appealing to go from functioning with Theo [Rossi] on American Skin to performing this movie correct soon after. Theo and I stored chatting about our futures and what it appeared like. It was fascinating receiving to have that kind of dialogue even nevertheless we’ve recognised each and every other for a while. I highly regarded the maturity and course of Garrett Dillahunt. He was that solid member that truly built me truly feel anchored. He just has that. I really don’t know exactly what it is, but he just has it.

And of study course I cherished finding to know all of the remarkable ladies. I realized Ana [de la Reguera] previously from Electricity, but it was wonderful getting to fulfill Ella, Nora, and Huma, who sad to say I did not get any scenes with. But Zack genuinely set alongside one another a crew I enjoyed receiving to know, and not absolutely sure if we would have been brought jointly in a further circumstance.

Coming from a sports activities track record, did that variable into how you geared up for the position?

I received 20 pounds for the job. I feel I may perhaps have carried out myself a disservice, due to the fact now persons are asking if I’m ok due to the fact I did it like that. Now I’m back to my actively playing fat. I like that persons are setting up to know me for building characters from the inside of out. But for the initial time, I also concentrated deeply on that exterior component for Vanderohe, and designed the determination that this male demands to be a lot bigger.

Some of that was so Dave Bautista didn’t really feel like an odd person out, due to the fact he’s these kinds of a significant dude. I understood I could get my arms significant, for the reason that they never genuinely go any where. My arms are inclined to continue to be major, but I just wanted to get all the things else massive. I communicated with Phil Heath, 7-time Mr. Olympia, about how to place on the sizing. I told him I didn’t want to acquire any nutritional supplements. I wasn’t intrigued in that method. He just advised me I had to eat like crazy, and that it wasn’t heading to be relaxed. I utilized him as a director for that element of my lifetime, as considerably as Zack Snyder was directing me in the motion picture. He would give his blessing as extended as I was eating the volume of food items I wanted to and having in the right caloric intake.

I was taking in so a lot pink meat to enrich my pure creatine. He also experienced me decrease the cardio. Due to the fact the temperature was more than 100 degrees in New Mexico, that was going to support. He advised me to maintain going for walks on the treadmill as an alternative of sprinting. I received to where by I needed to be in just about 20 days.

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Did that training occur on established far too?

Undoubtedly. There ended up unbelievable armed service men and special functions crew that came with Zack and were being there to make absolutely sure we had been carrying out items thoroughly for the duration of those people gun fight scenes, as considerably as getting into a place, clearing the room, and exiting. That was great work out and motion to be discovering. Amongst that get the job done I would do pushups with the weighty chainsaw on my back again. Everyone was helping me out. Matthias was bringing me foods. Nora was telling me it was time to take in. Ella was undertaking the similar. But that’s what it will take to attain ambitions like that.

Military of the Useless is now offered on Netflix.