There are many facets of filmmaking that we as an audience don't often recognize. To create a big-budget film like Godzilla: King of the Monsters, you not only need a team of talented actors, directors, writers, and whatnot but it is imperative to have a creature actor that can bring the monsters to life.
This goes not only for the famous Godzilla himself but also for all of the fearsome Titans the Kaiju has to face-off against. These include the upcoming King Kong, Mothra, and the towering King Ghidorah who made his presence known in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Alan Maxson is one of the three creature actors under those scales, and we were lucky enough to chat with him about what it was like to bring the monster to life. While chatting the talented actor up about his latest turn as Blade in the newest Puppet Master flick we couldn't pass up the opportunity to understand a little more about what goes on behind the scenes with a Godzilla film.
Maxson was a thrill to speak with and was happy to share with us about his experience playing in the movie as well as some other general tidbits about creature acting. Take a look at the exciting things we learned below!
Literary Joe: What was it like to perform as King Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters?
Alan Maxson: Ghidorah was an absolute blast to perform! That was one of the most fun jobs I've ever had. As you know, there are three heads to Ghidorah, so the director (Michael Dougherty) hired three separate actors (Jason Liles, Richard Dorton & Alan Maxson) to bring him to life. He gave us different personalities, tied us together, and had us fight Godzilla (TJ Storm)! It couldn't have been more fun!
Literary Joe: How does your approach differ when creature acting versus a regular role?
Alan Maxson: The way I approach acting for creature roles vs "human" roles are almost the same. My character still has intentions and backstory that motivate my actions, but there is one major difference.
Usually, creature roles involve a large amount of movement while under heavy prosthetics, makeup, or a full bodysuit, which is something I have to take into consideration when performing. Will my movement look the same through my prosthetic? Do I need to over or under exaggerate my movement based on how thick my suit is?
A lot of times, a director will ask me to practice and study a particular type of movement, but once I'm in the suit, it all goes out the window based on the limitations of that specific costume. Improv and quick thinking are crucial for the many unknowns of creature acting. Sometimes it goes 100% according to plan, other times, I have to get creative on how to portray a character.
Literary Joe: Would you return as Ghidorah or another titan in a future Godzilla movie such as Godzilla vs Kong?
Alan Maxson: I'd absolutely love to return as Ghidorah and I know Jason & Richard would too!
Literary Joe: Can you share any trivia from your time working on Godzilla: King of the Monsters?
Alan Maxson: We filmed all of our scenes in only three days. That was pretty impressive! There's some great behind the scenes videos online somewhere if anyone wants to see how we did it.
Literary Joe: Is there a creature or monster that would be a dream come true for you to act as?
Alan Maxson: I have two! I want to be an ape in a Planet of the Apes film, and an alien in a Star Wars film! Those would be dreams come true.
What do you guys think of these comments from creature actor Alan Maxson? Sound off in the comments and be sure to check out his latest performance as Blade in the newest Puppet Master feature, Blade: The Iron Cross!
For decades the fans have been clamoring for it, and now Full Moon delivers with the first standalone feature debut of one of its most beloved (and most frightful) characters; the hook-handed maniac puppet, BLADE!
Charles Band's Puppet Master series continues as an unspeakable evil from Blade's past emerges in the form of a murderous Nazi scientist named Dr. Hauser. As Hauser's heinous crimes are discovered, the psychic war journalist Elisa Ivanov awakens Blade, and together the bloody journey of revenge begins. It's Herr Hauser's reanimated undead army versus a possessed doll and a beautiful vengeance-seeking clairvoyant!
Who will win, and how will it affect the Full Moon Universe? Find out in Blade: The Iron Cross!
Blade: The Iron Cross is now available with a subscription to https://www.fullmoonfeatures.com/Full Moon Features.