With two thrilling installments in the bag and episode three on the way, we were able to sit down with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star Erin Kellyman to chat about her scene-stealing role as Karli Morgenthau, a.k.a. Flag-Smasher.
Throughout the first two episodes, Flag-Smasher has more or less served as the primary antagonist of the series, and while Kellyman doesn't necessarily consider Karli Morganthau a villain, she can see how her character could possibly empathize with a major Marvel baddie like Thanos (Josh Brolin).
Like Karli, the Mad Titan really believed that what he was doing was right, even though he did wipe out half the population in the entire universe.
"It’s tricky because I feel like Karli is - she’s quite different from your typical villain. I really think that she, and I guess Thanos, as well, had a similar thing like he was trying to do a good thing, he didn’t need to get rid of 50% of the world’s population, but in his head, that was the right thing to happen in order for people to have a good community. He had to get rid of half of the world’s population."
However, Kellyman does note that Karli isn't trying to redo the Mad Titan's "Blip," emphasizing that she's definitely not seeking to wipe out 50% of the planet again. But her ultimate goal of a better, higher-functioning society is relatively similar to his vision for a perfectly balanced universe.
"So, I guess it’s quite similar in that the root of what Karli’s doing is for a good thing and it’s for a good cause, but I do think it is a bit different because I feel like her's makes a little bit more sense. She’s not trying to get rid of 50% again, she’s just trying to make things work more smoothly and have more equality in our society."
Check out our full video interview (which includes mild SPOILERS) with actress Erin Kellyman below, and please don't forget to like and subscribe!
Marvel Studios’ “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier. The pair, who came together in the final moments of “Avengers: Endgame,” team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience. Directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman serving as head writer, the series also stars Daniel Brühl as Zemo, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker.