Black Widow: O-T Fagbenle Confirms Taskmaster Audition Before New MCU Role

by

O-T Fagbenle has disclosed fresh insights into his initial involvement with Black Widow, explaining that he originally tried out for the part of Taskmaster. However, he eventually became a cast member as Rick Mason. The actor spoke candidly about the early concept of the villain and how the role transformed throughout the movie’s production process.

O-T Fagbenle could have been Taskmaster in Black Widow

During an interview with The Direct, O-T Fagbenle revealed he initially tried out for the Taskmaster role in Black Widow. Fagbenle expressed pride over his audition, stating, “I first gave it a shot for Taskmaster… it was actually a remarkable monologue I delivered.” He further explained that his portrayal of the character would have had an African accent and would have been more maniacal in nature.

Fagbenle shared that he was among the last two prospects for the role, but the specific portrayal he had showcased during auditions ultimately got dropped. He further explained, “Apparently, that version of Taskmaster was abandoned,” and then continued, “And then they approached me casually and asked, ‘Hey, would you like to play a character named Mason?’

In the movie version, Olga Kurylenko played Antonia Dreykov (previously known as Taskmaster in Marvel Comics), a role that was changed from the original male character, Anthony Masters. This new character’s background, as presented in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), differs from the comic book version, where Taskmaster was once an agent for SHIELD and had the unique ability to copy any opponent’s fighting style.

Fagbenle played Rick Mason, a former SHIELD agent with a rebellious streak who collaborated with Natasha Romanoff. He briefly reappeared in Secret Invasion alongside Nick Fury in 2023. When questioned about future roles, Fagbenle responded, “Well, I told Eric [Pearson], ‘Why am I not included in Thunderbolts, man?… I did return… Mason was there.’ So yes, if they call me, like a true superhero, I’m ready to leap into action.

Apart from what he’s already done, he showed enthusiasm about potentially showcasing his take on the character, Taskmaster, in future projects. In his own words, “There may be another chance for me to unveil that madcap character and bring it to life on screen.

Black Widow is currently available to stream on Disney+.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.

Read More

2025-05-08 08:03