Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji is opening up about the exciting but nerve-racking experience of making the jump from DC to Marvel, comparing it to similar feelings that arise when one is navigating the uncertain world of dating.
During a recent roundtable press discussion (via TheDirect), Iwuji said that he didn’t want to “screw anything up” in his performance as squad leader Clemson Murn in the DC series, helmed by James Gunn, after accepting an invitation by the director to join him for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
“It was definitely don’t go and try to do anything else. Don’t screw anything up. Just shut up. You know in the days of dating when the date’s going well, and you think it’s going well and then you just start talking, and you can hear yourself overtalking and you’re like, ‘stop talking, you’re good. Stop that.’ And you can’t stop yourself.”
Iwuji went on to explain that in order to not put his foot in his mouth, something we can probably relate to at some point during a first date gone wrong in our lives, he just wanted to focus on the task at hand portraying Clemson since the Guardians shoot was still several months off at the time.
“[M]y focus was Murn, and I have this journey to do with Murn. So I’m gonna just keep doing it. So I didn’t allow any pressure to come on me.
Considering the first time Iwuji met Gunn — when the Slither director accidentally butt-dialed the actor — could itself be the makings of an epic meet-cute in a romantic comedy, it’s only that much more appropriate that the thespian would use a dating metaphor to explain his high stakes feelings about the transition from DC to Marvel.
Shortly after Iwuji was confirmed for the Marvel role back in early Nov. 2021, Gunn called him “one of the best actors I’ve worked with.”
You can watch Peacemaker on HBO Max now and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in theaters on May 5, 2023.