Homelander is perhaps one of the most diabolical characters in The Boys. Not only does he pose a physical threat to those around him (he can shoot lasers out of his eyes), but his temperament and lack of emotional control are also incredibly dangerous. You just never know when he’s about to blow a fuse and kill someone. Suffice it to say that Antony Starr really gets into playing his character, and he recently explained how he’s able to do “the most evil things” as Homelander.
Season 2 of The Boys has seen Homelander’s position challenged by Stormfront, the Seven’s newest (and scariest) member. Elsewhere, Homelander is still up to no good and has made attempts to maintain his control. Despite Stan Edgar belittling his position, he continues to take matters into his own hands.
However, without the blonde hair and the Supe’s cape and costume, Antony Starr looks a lot less like his evil counterpart. But Starr acknowledged that the blonde hair is among the elements that brings Homelander to life. Here’s what he told TVLine about it and how long it takes to get Homelander's look:
The hair is an ongoing process that needs touching up quite a bit, because my hair is relatively short on the back and sides. So that needs some bi- to tri-weekly attention. They have to dye my hair. It’s my hair, and by the end of the season, it’s so damaged that I basically just shave it off at the end of every season, which is great from my perspective, because then I do look relatively different. I haven’t had anyone wanting to beat me up for being the most horrible character in the show, so that’s a plus. But the suit and the cape and the boots and everything, once it’s all on, it really helps to shift your perception and gets you in the right mode to go out and have fun doing the most evil things you can think of.
I think it makes a lot of sense that the costume and hair treatment help to get Antony Starr in the “right mode” to play Homelander. I can only imagine how hard it would be to embody this character if he was wearing civilian’s clothes, as a big part of Homelander’s terrifying nature is conveyed through the way he poses and carries himself. That said, I think Starr does an excellent job of playing the evil character -- hair, boots, and all.
Speaking of Homelander’s costume, Antony Starr went on to say that he and The Boys team have nicknamed the eagles on the shoulder of the outfit as Dolph and Klaus. The actor said he’d love it if one day Homelander just shoved someone’s face onto the sharp points of the emblems and I can honestly see Homelander doing such a thing.
The Boys Season 2 is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. For more on what to watch this fall, be sure to check out our 2020 TV premiere schedule for options.
