X-MEN: DOFP: Peter Dinklage And Bryan Singer On 'Bolivar Trask' And Hitler Comparisons
Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage and X-Men: Days of Future Past director Bryan Singer discuss the similarities between Hitler and Bolivar Trask, as well as how the actor's size factors into the role. The former also recounts a sweet tale about Jennifer Lawrence...
"I wouldn't go so far as Hitler," Peter Dinklage told Empire Magazine in a recent interview when asked whether that real life dictator is a good comparison to the fictional X-Men: Days of Future Past villain, Bolivar Trask. "I sympathise with the man, having played him, and I don't know how one does that with Hitler...Trask does actually believe that what he's doing is going to save the world." However, the comparison to the Nazi leader is one that director Bryan Singer relates to, especially after the opening scene of X-Men an comparisons between the plight of the Jews and mutants in those two movies. "Trask is, ultimately, a peace lover. He feels that humanity will go on fighting each other unless they find some common element to unite against. Perhaps as Hitler used the Jews as a scapegoat to bond the darker parts of Europe, he's doing the same thing with mutants."
As for how Dinklage's size factors into his casting, Singer added: "I'm a huge fan of his. But there's also something interesting about his size. I'm sure he went very underestimated throughout life. Trask comments on that - I don't know if it'll be in the final picture - but he says, 'I was underestimated, so do not underestimate these creatures.'" That's a statement echoed by Dinklage, and it's here that the comparisons to Hitler once again come into play. As it turns out, Trask's size will definitely come into play in the movie. "I am this guy who's four and a half feet tall, but my life doesn't constantly address it. With me playing that role, I had to think about that stuff. I'm not going to play my violin, but with my dwarfism, I'm a bit of a mutant. I can't move metal or anything, but I thought of it as self-loathing. Deep down, Trask can be quite sensitive about that aspect of himself. And sorry to go back to Hitler, but he wasn't a six foot, perfect blond Aryan. He was a short, funny looking fellow. And talk about a moustache!"
Finally, in case you weren't already in love with American Hustle star Jennifer Lawrence, the Game of Thones star had another quirky tale to recount about the beautiful actress. "Jen Lawrence is quite a fan of Game of Thrones. She and her friend would grill me for information, then cover their ears saying they didn't want to hear any of it! I wasn't going to tell them anything anyway, but it was fun to play around..."
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