Mickey 17: Bong Joon-ho & Mark Ruffalo Deny Donald Trump Inspired Villain

Mickey 17’s director Bong Joon-ho and actor Mark Ruffalo have dismissed speculations linking the film’s antagonist, a fascist politician named Kenneth Marshall (played by Ruffalo), to the current U.S. President Donald Trump. They emphasized that Kenneth was not modeled after any real individual.

Bong Joon-ho and Mark Ruffalo deny that Mickey 17 villain is based on a real person

On Thursday, February 20th, Joon-ho and Ruffalo attended a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, where they made it clear that the character Kenneth Marshall was not based on any real-life person. This statement was issued to counter rumors suggesting a connection between the character and Donald Trump.

According to Joon-ho, as the movie shows different political struggles and representations of dictators, it seems that audiences often relate these characters to events from their own past. (via K-VIBE)

To emphasize his point, the Academy Award-winning director brought up a past event. At the current Berlin International Film Festival, during the premiere on February 15th, an Italian reporter questioned Joon-ho about if Benito Mussolini served as the model for the character of Marshall.

Joon-ho not only helmed the movie but also authored its screenplay, adapting it from Edward Ashton’s science fiction novel Mickey7. This intriguing sci-fi comedy takes a grim look at a future where Robert Pattinson’s character, Mickey Barnes, is a desperate soul yearning to depart Earth. He finds employment as a disposable clone laborer in the human settlement of Niflheim. In this colony, he expects a fresh body each time his current one perishes. However, things take an unexpected turn when Mickey 18 miraculously survives even though Mickey 17 is still alive. Marshall, portrayed by a sinister character, is the politician of Niflheim with malicious intentions for the colony. Ylfa, skillfully played by Toni Collette, is Marshall’s power-hungry spouse.

Regarding his character, Ruffalo concurred with Joon-ho. He labeled him as a typical small-time tyrant. “We’ve encountered this type of leader repeatedly throughout the last century,” he stated. “They all share common traits — they are arrogant, delicate, self-absorbed, and selfish,” Ruffalo further commented.

In an interview, the actor from the Marvel Cinematic Universe mentioned that he used different people as inspiration to create his character. At the same occasion, Joon-ho pointed out that Ruffalo delivered a powerful and relatable performance, skillfully combining diverse aspects into his character.

Mickey 17 premieres in the U.S. on March 7, 2025.

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2025-02-20 16:10