ZEGNA top, DIOR MEN pants, and 7 MONCLER FRGMT HIROSHI FUJIWARA shoes.
and care to advance his performance. “It’s been three years since I’ve last played Billy, and he is nothing like the character I played in the first film,” Angel shares. “He’s an every- day kid, and he doesn’t know what’s going to happen when he turns 18—he is just trying to figure it out. I made sure to deep dive into the feeling of not knowing what the future holds. That’s how I feel right now.” As Angel looks back, he tries to settle on the pivotal moment that acting became second nature. Was it acting opposite Jes- sica Chastain’s debut in Jolene ? Influential, but not the critical point of acquiescence. In truth, Angel’s point of entry into acting was through the theater stage. It was there where, he reckons, an immediate connection began. And soon after, he took a flight to Los Ange- les for a pilot season and booked guest star slots and a lead role on Disney Channel’s, Andi Mack . “When people look up at the big screen and relate to you—that’s your goal as an actor,” Angel says, “It’s okay to have inse- curities and embrace them. Because we’re all human, we all have flaws. For all the people who see themselves in my peers and I, we see you and we love you.” It may help that wherever Angel goes, his family is always there too. He jokes that his dad might become the star of the family, as he does a “pretty good job” at bouncing around lines with him. His family tethers him to the ground no matter where his job takes him. In addition to acting, Angel now sees himself playing a larger role at the production compa- ny he has started with his parents. Angel emits a laugh when we chat about how his 16-year-old self donned the cap of the unreliable narrator, a lovestruck teenag- er, with the romantic love variable gone awry,
that the arc of a story happens within the eye of the storm. Amidst the crescendo of action, a character comes into their own, begging questions like: who can they be- come beyond the ordinary? Or, do they dare risk their lives for the sake of the world? Any explosive crescendo needs its humble tap root, of course, its origin story. The origin story functions as the calming device before the chaotic whirlwind—it reveals the humble foundation of the titular superhero, the elements that make the superhero the most human, the most in sync with us. Actor Asher Angel’s origin begins in the here and now. An incandescent twenty-year-old from Phoenix, Arizo- na, Angel’s demeanor espouses his enthusiasm. Discussing his recent projects, the actor is all ever-present smiles and animated hand gestures, eagerly including details about his production company. Most notably, Angel has garnered applause for his performance as young Billy Batson in Shazam! , which has enjoyed positive reviews. Soon, he will star as James in Hulu’s young adult fantasy exclusive, Darby and the Dead . Amidst all that is going on, it is clear that Angel finds it within himself to not turn from the tempest, but to embrace it. “It would be cool to see, 10 years from now, where I am and how my per- spective has changed and grown,” he says. “The unknown of what the future holds is what some people call scary, but it's equal parts exciting.” For most of the Shazam! storyline, Angel’s character Billy Batson counters the childlike wonder in Zachary Levi’s portrayal of the boy-turned-adult superhero. Un- like Billy Batson’s clumsy grasp on his newfound abilities, Angel captains his time FABLES AND SUPERHERO FILMS ALIKE TELL US
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