Angel Studios' new Western Angel and the Badman is now playing in theaters, and ahead of the film's release, we caught up with leading man Zachary Levi to preview his latest project and discuss the challenge of stepping into John Wayne's shoes.
The film is a remake of the 1947 John Wayne classic of the same name. Its official synopsis reads, "When feared outlaw Quirt Evans staggers onto a rancher's land with a bullet in his back, he expects a quick death, not mercy. But Penny, the rancher's daughter, offers him a chance at something he’s never had: a life beyond violence. However, the past doesn’t forgive. With the marshal closing in and an outlaw gang ready to burn the ranch to the ground, Quirt must decide what kind of man he’ll be when the world demands blood."
In our conversation, Levi walks me through putting his own spin on Quirt Evans and the unique hurdles of shooting a Western. He also touches on the dynamic between Quirt and Penny—comparing it to Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in Tangled—and shares how portraying this dangerous new character differed from playing Chuck Bartowski.
The cast features Zachary Levi (Chuck; Shazam!), Neal McDonough (Captain America: The First Avenger; Minority Report), Tommy Lee Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger; Men in Black), Meg Fraser (Wildcat; Transparent), and Jean Louisa Kelly (Top Gun: Maverick; Mr. Holland's Opus).
Julio Quintana (Blue Miracle; The Hill) directed the film, with a screenplay from Kevin M. Townsend, Christopher Tuffin, and Jaime Hernandez.
Angel and the Badman is now playing in theaters!
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ROHAN: You're taking over the role of Quirt, who was famously played by John Wayne. So, were you looking to his version to shape your portrayal, or did you kind of want to go in your own direction?
ZACHARY: No. If you're ever taking on some kind of remake, a reimagining if you will, I find it in everyone's best interest to try to do something fresh and different and new, because you really—I believe you want to honor the original, honor John Wayne, honor that film, and everyone that was involved in that. If we just try to go remake that beat-for-beat, shot-for-shot, trying to emulate John Wayne—which I would do a horrible job of, "Pilgrim," you know, whatever that's going to be—I'm like, "No, no."
And fortunately, Julio, our director, made that clear from the beginning. The story, the general beats of the story are the same, but this is a very different version of that movie, allowing the original to remain unsullied and be what it was. And then for us to get the opportunity to retell, reimagine this really wonderful story with wonderful messaging, wonderful heart, faith, and redemption. Ultimately, that's what it is; it's a beautiful redemption story.
ROHAN: As a performer, what do you find to be the more interesting challenge? Taking a hardened bad guy like Quirt and pulling him toward redemption, or taking a good guy like Chuck Bartowski and bringing him more toward the darkness?
ZACHARY: I think they're both interesting in their own different way. With Chuck, which was such an incredible adventure to go on and really helped launch my career, it's different because that was five years. It's a longer evolution. We had 91 episodes for Chuck to go from point A to point B, and everything that happens in between. Also, the tone of that show was entirely different, or mostly different, than Angel and the Badman.
With Angel and the Badman, we've got 90 minutes to give you that arc, give you that story, give you that evolution of the various characters and their journeys. Again, the tone of this film is different than Chuck. So, I don't know—I love any kind of character growth in any direction. I think that's what makes it interesting.
ROHAN: I feel like being in a Western is on almost every actor's bucket list. Between the guns and the horse riding and everything else, what did you find to be the most surprising or challenging aspect of filming a Western??
ZACHARY: Honestly, we shot here in Santa Fe, which was beautiful, on this beautiful ranch where many other wonderful Westerns have been shot, no doubt. But we really tried our hardest to not shoot in a place that was going to be cold while we shot it, and we ended up here in January and February in Santa Fe. We got some snow days. That was the hardest part of all of it.
As far as what it means to be in a Western, we had some awesome costumes that were really period—actual period pieces of clothing, or if not, created to look and fit the way that those classic old clothes would. You don't realize just how good we have it with all of the modern technologies and ways that we have clothes now, right?
So that was interesting, but it's not like a challenge; it helps you kind of get into the character, like this is what they would be feeling like. My cowboy pants with my holster and everything made it a little extra difficult to get on and off of my horse. But other than that, man, it was a fantastic ride.
ROHAN: Considering the core dynamic between Quirt and Penny, were you able to liken it at all to the dynamic shared by Flynn and Rapunzel in Tangled?
ZACHARY: Oh, 100%! Flynn and Rapunzel, Quirt and Penny, Han and Leia—there are these types of relationships that are evergreen. There's nothing new under the sun; they're all based on these great archetypes that we've seen in storytelling for thousands of years, really.
So yeah, it's very similar in that dynamic. It's a ruffian that has a moral compass—obviously he's better than Laredo's—but he's just on the side of good, right? And then you see the love of a good woman and her family—and really, that's God's love through them—just keep pushing him to being a redeemed human being that's not self-centered, not out for himself, not out wanting to do his bandit activities, but rather build a life and do good in the world. I love it.
When feared outlaw Quirt Evans staggers onto a rancher's land with a bullet in his back, he expects a quick death, not mercy. But Penny, the rancher's daughter, offers him a chance at something he’s never had: a life beyond violence. However, the past doesn’t forgive. With the marshal closing in and an outlaw gang ready to burn the ranch to the ground, Quirt must decide what kind of man he’ll be when the world demands blood.