“Ender’s Game was a great movie and I’m looking forward to the world seeing it.”
In a recent interview with Ebony, Ender’s Game actor Nonso Anozie talked about his casting as Sergeant Dap. We learn that Dap has a first name, James. It’s also interesting to note that Anozie reveals he has no scenes with Viola Davis, who plays Major Anderson. Read the Ender’s Game part of the interview below:
EBONY: Speaking of the Big Easy, you recently filmed the upcoming sci-fi movie Ender’s Game there, tell us about your role in that project.
NA: Ender’s Game is set 60 years from now, earth has been attacked by aliens and we are preparing a preemptive attack on the intruders, the formic race. Kids have been recruited because they’ve got the fastest reflexes and can learn quicker and Sergeant James Dap, my character, is training them using war games, which the kids think are fake but they’re real. Sergeant Dap trains young Ender, a genius little kid with the opportunity to save earth from an attack of formic aliens. My character sees something special in Ender from the start so he’s extra hard on him. At first, the audience will think that Dap’s really mean but then, they’ll see it’s for a reason and he and Ender build a good relationship. Ender’s Game is fantastic and I’ve gotten to see quite a few bits and I love the way it’s turned out.
EBONY: Viola Davis and Harrison Ford also star in Ender’s Game, what was it like working with the Academy Award nominees?
NA: Viola Davis is a lovely person and we’d talk offset. I don’t have any scenes with her in the film but I’d come to set on my off days to watch because I enjoy all facets of movie making. Harrison Ford invited me to fly on his private plane to Los Angeles, and he’s great to work with. He’s really down to earth and we got to know each other quite well. Ben Kingsley is also in the movie and we worked together on another film so we’ve been great friends since then. Ender’s Game was a great movie and I’m looking forward to the world seeing it.
EBONY: What’s been most surprising about your role in the fim?
NA: Originally, it wasn’t written for a Black man, Sergeant Dap is a white guy in the book. But the casting staff liked me so much that I got the part and I get quite a few roles like that. As soon as I started acting in England, I got unusual roles. Although I’m 6 foot six and agents might standardly cast me in tough guy roles or the big guy in the back, I’ve been very blessed to do roles that makes them think twice about how they’re gonna cast me.
Click here to read the full interview.