TAGGED AS: Comic Book, DC Comics, Superheroes, The CW
The Supergirl episode “Luthors ” ended with the introduction of a different sort of villain. Mr. Mxyzptlk is not the kind of troublemaker like the Luthor family, of whom Lex and Lillian want to destroy Superman and Supergirl. Mxyzptlk is more of a nuisance who ties up superheroes with putting out his fires.
In his original appearance in Action Comics, Mxy (for short) faked his death for both paramedics and Superman himself and gives the mayor of Metropolis a donkey’s voice. So, like a four-year-old who got a laugh once and then won’t stop making a scene.
Peter Gadiot (Queen of the South) materialized as Mr. Mxyzptlk in Kara-Supergirl’s (Melissa Benoist) living room professing his love and interrupting her hookup with Mon-El (Chris Wood). The teaser for his full episode shows Mxy put Kara in a wedding dress, Mon-El in his skivvies, and himself in a Superman costume, albeit with the letter M instead of S. Mxy thinks of himself as a comedian, but maybe he’s more of a heckler.
Gadiot spoke with Rotten Tomatoes about his take on DC Comics’ weirdest character and what trouble he has in store for TV’s Supergirl in Monday’s episode “Mr. & Mrs. Mxyzptlk” — and possibly beyond.
Fred Topel for Rotten Tomatoes: When you got the role or Mr. Mxyzptlk, was the first task learning how to say his name?
Peter Gadiot: It was, it was. There’s actually more than one pronunciation. So I learned how to say it one way which I thought was cool, and they were like, “Yeah, that’s awesome, but we want you to say it like this.” So I had to learn more than one version. It was quite amusing obviously, especially the table read, listening to everyone stumble through, but we got there.
RT: How were you saying it at first?
Gadiot: The way they wanted me to say it was “mix-ee-spit-lik.” That was the final pronunciation. I was putting more SPIT-LIK on it, because I thought that it was a pun on the fact that you struggle to say it. So it was like you spit and then you lick because all this saliva comes out.
RT: Since his weakness is you have to get him to say his name backwards, did you have to learn it backwards too?
Gadiot: Well, we tried, but fortunately that wasn’t a big requirement at the time. I learned to say it backwards, forwards, in between, and lots of other different ways so I’m good. Whatever they want to throw at me, I’ll prepare for.
RT: The TV spot for Monday’s episode shows a lot of Mxyzptlk’s tricks. Does he have more tricks they haven’t revealed yet?
Gadiot: Absolutely. My goodness, he has so many tricks, and some of them are really, really quite funny. The writers Sterling [Gates] and Jessica [Queller] came up with some hilarious things. So yes, he has many, many fun little tricks and quirks. Poor Kara, she’s bewildered by all of it. She does her best to get things done in a good way.
RT: What was it like wearing the Superman suit with the M on it?
Gadiot: It was super cool. I took many a selfie, but was sworn to secrecy until the right moment. Very few people get to wear a specially made Superman suit. It was told to me that I was the first to wear it with an M. So any time you do a first in such a well-known popular universe like the Superman/Supergirl universe, it’s a treat. I was super stoked about it for sure.
RT: Was it fitted just for you?
Gadiot: It was. I had six fittings for it because it’s a work of art really. They have to hone it for lots of different specific parts of you. They did specifically tailor it to me.
RT: How does Mr. Mxyzptlk know Kara to be so smitten by her?
Gadiot: Essentially they crossed paths in the universe. As she was on her way to Earth, Mxy spotted her. When someone so attractive as her, not just physically but in terms of her energy, crosses anyone’s path, then they very much stay there. How could he not? He falls for her, and he thinks, “I need to find out more and find this girl.” He just goes for it.
RT: Does he see Mon-El as a threat?
Gadiot: A threat not in terms of someone who is dangerous, but more of an annoying obstacle I would say. Mon-El is strong in many ways, but he’s just no match for the powers of Mxy. Mxy tolerates him, and I think Mxy’s desire for trouble is stoked by Mon-El’s ability to rise to the bait. So they have some fun duels and fights. I think Mon-El’s very serious about it, and Mxy’s a little laissez-faire, but they do essentially have the same goal. That is to be with Kara.
RT: Is stripping Mon-El down to his underwear really a punishment when he looks that good in his underwear?
Gadiot: [Laughs] I guess maybe it’s Mxy’s playful side. I think the question is: Is it going to embarrass Mon-El to suddenly appear where he does in his underwear? Probably. He just wants to emasculate him and say, “Listen, you think you may be able to get in my face, but I can do whatever I want to you.” I think that’s a little slap in the face somehow, just saying who’s boss.
RT: Was getting to do the introduction scene at the end of last week’s Supergirl a great way into the character?
Gadiot: Yeah, for sure. I kind of gave so many different options because, with a character like this, he’s so extreme, you want to give them the ability in the edit room to bring up different levels in the performance to shape the arc. I did a completely different thing in each take. I did a more naturalistic subtle take and then I did more wacky, crazy, out-of-this-world takes. So I’m actually very curious to see how they shape this character, because they could have gone many ways.
RT: I don’t think they used the naturalistic takes.
Gadiot: You’re probably right.
RT: Mxy is a character in the comic books who keeps coming back, so is it open for you to return for more trouble on Supergirl or other DC shows?
Gadiot: Yeah, I think it’s very much open. I don’t know any concrete plans at all. I certainly hope so because it was so much fun. It was a really great experience so we’ll see. The door has definitely been left ajar. We’ll just have to see what they come up with.
Supergirl airs Monday nights at 8PM on The CW. Also read our interview with Chris Wood here.
