Nico Santos on being part of the Marvel universe in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'

Fil-Am actor Nico Santos of "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Superstore" fame still couldn't believe that he became a part of the Marvel universe through "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." He portrays a scientist, Recorder Theel, one of the henchmen of the High Evolutionary (portrayed by Chukwudi Iwuji).

The 44-year-old actor, who is originally from Manila, talked to us virtually about why he wanted to join the Marvel gang led by Chris Pratt, portraying a villain scientist, working with the star-studded cast, director James Gunn, his reaction when he first saw himself bald-headed, and his next projects.

Congratulations on being part of the Guardians of the Galaxy universe! What made you want to be a part of this and how was your audition process if you had to audition?

I was a huge comic book fan growing up. When I was a kid in the Philippines, I would collect comic books. I played Dungeons & Dragons. I was like this big dorky nerd. And so being a part of a Marvel movie is a bucket list thing for me. It's one of the first things I wrote in my notebook when I moved to LA was, I wanted to be in a Marvel movie. So, the fact that it actually has happened is insane.

But I went through the normal audition process. I got an email from my agents about this project, and I saw the material that was given to me, and I was kind of like, "What is this?" I was like, I didn't know. Because they always sort of create fake dialogue for these projects when you audition. And I kind of was like, "What am I auditioning for?" Then I found it out what it was and just really sort of hoped for the best. Because you have no control over these things, whether you get chosen or not. But then I got a call from my agent saying that "We think there's an offer coming." I'm like, "You think, or you know? Because those are two very different things, and I don't want to get my hopes up." But it eventually came true. So, I'm just really, really happy to be a part of the project.

From a store clerk (Mateo Liwanag in Superstore) to a Crazy Rich Asian (Oliver T'sien) to a scientist, can you tell us more about your character?

So, I play a character named Recorder Theel, who is one of the henchmen of the High Evolutionary and is the main villain of this third Guardians movie. It was such an amazing character to play. Obviously, this is my first time being a part of the MCU. It's my first time being a part of a genre like this. So, I was really just sort of looking forward to playing such an evil character.

I've played unlikable characters before, but this is on another level of unlikable because he is a pretty bad guy. But I really did love putting on all the prosthetics. It really helps you get into a get character in a way, and I feel like it is a lot quicker than just when you're playing a "normal character" because you sit in that hair and makeup chair for two, two and a half hours, and then you finally open your eyes and you're like this different creature and then all of a sudden you're just able to sort of embody that person right away because then you're like, "Oh my God, I look so crazy."

How does it feel being bald-headed?

Oh my God, I have been threatening... Actually. I really have wanted for so long to shave my head, but I've been like, "Oh, I don't know if it'll look good." And I wish that I kind of just shaved my head for this movie, but they did ask me if I wanted to just go ahead and shave my head, or maybe they'll just do a really short haircut underneath the bald cap.

And I chickened out and decided I think I want to keep a little bit of my hair and decided not to go bald. But it was really fun. I mean, I look at pictures of myself in that costume and I'm just like, "Oh God, it looks so creepy."

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

How was it being a villain for a change? Who are your favorite villains whether it be on movies or television and why?

It was fun. No, I love playing unlikable characters. It just gives you a chance to exercise this part of yourself that you're not allowed to.

I am not by any means as evil as Recorder Theel, but when you step onto a set and that's asked of you is to be this evil person and you're just given the freedom to really play into that and lean into that character trait, it's a lot of fun.

How was it working with the cast members – Chris Pratt, Chukwudi Iwuji (as the High Evolutionary)?

Oh my gosh. I was not prepared for that scene. I read it on the page, and I was like, "Oh my God, that's so cool." And then when we had to film the scene on the day, there's all these wires involved and all that, and I had never done anything like that.

So, I was really, really excited but also very scared. But yeah, it was just a really exciting scene to shoot because I know I always love new experiences and especially this being such a huge new experience, it was just a lot of fun.
And working with Miriam Shor (as the other assistant scientist of the High Evolutionary, Recorder Vim), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax) and Vin Diesel (as Groot) and Pom Klementieff (Mantis)?

Oh my god, Chuk and Miriam, so for those who haven't seen the movie are my two main scene partners. Chukwudi plays the High Evolutionary, who is just the most despicable villain I think the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever seen. And Miriam and I play his hench people, and it was just really amazing to be on set with them because you sort of visualize and prepare and sort of shape your character as much as you can before stepping into set, but something happens when you're finally acting alongside your scene partner, and you see what they're bringing to the table. And with Miriam and Chuk, they're both such incredible actors, such talented, talented actors that you couldn't help but sort of up your game because you're acting with such incredible artists.

So that was really the fun part was that you went into the set with this version of the character in your head, but then once you're acting alongside them, you see what other places you could go to with a character. And it was really fun to have this back-and-forth with these actors.

James Gunn is one of the best directors I've ever worked with. I had one scene with Dave that was a really short day for me, so we didn't really get a chance to talk much. Vin Diesel voices his character, so he's not really on set for that. But I was able to spend a little more time with Dave at a cast dinner that we had when we wrapped.

It was really neat to be around another Filipino in this really huge movie. It's an opportunity and an experience that I don't take lightly. It's just incredible how I ended up here knowing that I was just this kid who grew up in the Philippines, didn't know I was going to end up in America and now I'm in a Marvel movie. It's insane.

That's my next question. How was it working with director-writer James Gunn? Was it your first time working with him?

First time I've worked with James, of course, I've heard all the stories about how wonderful he is, and it all lived up to the hype. He's such a wonderful, wonderful person, very collaborative and very open. There was such a sense of play and fun on set, even though we were handling such dark themes at times. But every one of us who were newcomers to this franchise and this production, we were just welcomed with open arms.

We were never made to feel like we were dumb for asking a particular question about how the scene worked or if there was something we needed for our characters to be able to portray the character better. We were given whatever we needed. James really had such respect for everybody on set, no matter what their job was. Nobody's job was too small or too big. He knew the importance that of what everybody had to play related to the movie. And it was just a really welcoming space. It was like being welcomed into somebody's home. It's great.

Photo courtesy of Irvin Rivera

The other Saturday, Gold House celebrated a lot of Filipino Asians, AAPI. Why do you think representation is so important in Hollywood, and how far has Hollywood gone regarding this?

Representation has definitely come a long way in recent years. We know specifically talking about Asian representation, we know what it looked like before "Crazy Rich Asians" and what it looked like after. And I'm so proud to be part of "Crazy Rich Asians" and what that movie did to move the needle for representation in Hollywood. But the thing about representation and fighting for diversity and fighting for visibility in this industry is that it's not a one-and-done thing. It's not like, "Well, we did 'Crazy Rich Asians,' we solved racism. It's done."

It's a fight that you have to keep fighting over and over again. It's always going to be two steps forward, one step back, because there's always going to be something that you're going to have to go up against. So, I just hope that moving forward we are able to just tell more stories that reflect what we actually look like and our experiences.

I think what we really need to be fighting for is not diversity in front of the camera. I think diversity behind the camera, the gatekeepers, the people who green-light the projects, that's where we need to create more diversity because once that is diverse, then obviously more diverse stories are going to get green-lit and be approved and all that. So, I'm hoping that the diversity battle is being waged on both fronts behind and in front of the camera.

Filmmaker Gunn made these Guardians films for the outcasts, the misunderstood and the broken among us, never conceding his vision. At what point in your life did you feel like an outcast or misunderstood and how did you overcome it?

I am a brown immigrant who moved to the United States at age 16. So being an outcast, being othered, and being different is something I know a whole lot about and have experienced. And that's why I really, really love this movie, Volume Three, in particular, is that it really speaks to me and my experience as a Filipino immigrant.

The movie is about finding family, your chosen family, what lengths you would go through to protect that family and save them, and doing everything in your power to make sure that they are safe and that they're loved and taken care of, trying to protect them from a force or this being that doesn't want things to be the way they were, who was trying to change things all the time, who can't accept things at face value.

That speaks so much to the queer and immigrant experience. So, when I read the script, I really was truly moved because that's been my experience coming to America and what I walked through in life as a queer person as well. So being able to be a part of this story and just having a small part in telling it just really means a lot.

When was the last time you were in the Philippines and when do you plan to go back?

It's been so long. The last time was I there was in 2017 when we were filming "Crazy Rich Asians." I had a two-week break between Malaysia and Singapore. And when I got to Singapore, they actually were like, "You have two weeks off. You can travel around Asia but not go back to America because it's too far away." So, it's like, "Well, now's my opportunity," so I went back to the Philippines. And before 2017, the last time I was in the Philippines was 1998, 1997, or something like that.

So, it had been a while. I'm sure this has happened since then, how much it has changed. I remember going to Makati and walking around Greenbelt and when I was a kid, this is where the local movie theater was when Makati Supermarket and Landmark, and I'm walking around Greenbelt, I was like, "My God, there's a Louis Vuitton here? It's so fancy. Oh my God. Makati Supermarket is now the Raffles Hotel. What is happening?" It's become so huge and cosmopolitan.
You know what I miss the most is the food. You can get Filipino food here, obviously, it's good, but nothing compares to eating back home. It's really just so good. I miss it so much.

Can you tell us more about your next project, "The Re-education of Molly Singer"? Are you going to be part of "Crazy Rich Asians 2"?

The sequel to "Crazy Rich Asians" is still in development. I know nothing about it. So hopefully it'll all be moving forward soon because I know everybody in the cast and the crew is sort of eager to work together again because we had such a wonderful experience the last time.

What's next for me is I have two other projects coming up. I have a movie coming out with Netflix alongside Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes. And I'm very excited for that movie. It's called "Happiness for Beginners." And it is where Ellie Kemper plays a newly divorced woman sort of trying to reset her life. And so, she goes on this very intense hiking excursion for three weeks where you hike the Appalachian Trail. I play one of the people in the hiking group who doesn't really want to be hiking, but that was a really fun project to film. We filmed that in Connecticut for seven weeks on the actual Appalachian Trail and all these wilderness locations.

And then the "Re-education of Molly Singer," which is this wonderful indie comedy that I filmed with Britt Robertson and Wendie Malick. And that one is a back-to-school journey, like that old movie "Back to School" with Rodney Dangerfield. It's kind of that movie but with a female protagonist. I play her affable best friend that she brings back to college with her.

All three of these projects, I filmed these right when "Superstore" ended, and I was really wondering what was going to be next for me. So, these three projects I found were just really special. I really enjoyed working on them. They're all very different characters from what people have seen me play before. A lot of people just know me as Mateo from "Superstore" and I think especially for "Guardians," it's such a different character for me to play.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News