In Chloe Zhao’s Eternals, Don Lee makes the move from Korean superstar to Marvel superhero
Don Lee is a huge movie star in his homeland. But in Eternals, he breaks out in Hollywood opposite Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek.
Don Lee said no to Hollywood for years. The Korean actor, who has made more than 50 films and a handful of television shows, is an action star revered in his native country for his brawn – he’s often compared to Dwayne Johnson or Sylvester Stallone. Unsurprisingly Stallone is set to produce an American remake of Lee’s biggest movie, a Cannes Film Festival success story called The Gangster, The Cop and The Devil.
The 50-year-old is a marquee idol at home, where he goes by his Korean name Ma Dong-seok, beloved for his Johnson-esque ability to blend burliness with a light comedic touch.
One of his movies, 2016’s Train To Busan – co-starring Squid Game’s Gong Yoo – was seen by an astonishing 10 million people in Korea. Another, a comedy called Champion, sold more than a million tickets. And though Hollywood kept calling, offering project after project, Lee continued to say no. Until Marvel came along.
“I’ve been getting proposals from Hollywood for the past five years,” Lee reveals.
But it wasn’t until he was approached by Sarah Finn, the legendary Marvel casting director and the woman who has found every superhero in the Marvel stable – from Chris Hemsworth to Scarlett Johansson to Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu and the late Chadwick Boseman – that Lee finally committed to his first American film.
It helped that he is “a big fan of Marvel movies”, Lee adds, speaking via translator, relaxed and friendly in a black T-shirt on a Zoom call from South Korea. (His favourites include Guardians of the Galaxy and the original Avengers film; Lee likes an ensemble flick.) When he met with Finn, she pitched him on an exciting new character and film series, already confirmed to be directed by an art house darling and peopled with an even more all-star cast than usually seen in a Marvel movie.
The project was Eternals: an epic and ambitious ensemble movie, directed by Chloe Zhao, then best known as an indie filmmaker who was about to embark on a little passion project called Nomadland.
In all the annals of Marvel Comics, nothing comes close to Eternals in regards to mythology and scope.
Originally launched in the 70s, Eternals was the creation of Jack Kirby, legendary Marvel comic book artist and co-creator of characters including Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and The Hulk.
In the 70s, Kirby defected from Marvel to its competitor DC – purveyor of Batman, Superman and the like – where he began working on a story about immortal beings called New Gods. When he was later enticed back into the Marvel fold, Kirby revisited that same well, dreaming up a series about a disparate crew of godlike creatures drawn from real mythology, whose powers were at once both mythical and futuristic.
Called Eternals, the franchise was an instant hit.
That Marvel is telling the Eternals story now, in what is promising to be its biggest and most star-studded film yet, is telling of the studio’s grand ambitions.
The story is a huge one, following these mythical superheroes who have witnessed the progress of humans for 7000 years – never once becoming involved in our world – until the events of the film (which are being kept tightly under wraps, as is the Marvel wont) force their collective hands to save the planet.
The worldbuilding in Eternals is grandiose, even by Marvel’s standards. And the cast is even more so.
Lee joins an ensemble that also includes Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff and … Angelina Jolie. And there’s an end credits appearance from Harry Styles. It doesn’t get bigger than that.
Lee is playing Gilgamesh, a character whose reputation within the Eternals is as a kind-hearted protector.
It’s a role that uniquely suits him: Lee looms large, but his bulk translates onscreen as shieldlike, rather than threatening. “Don is a legend in Asian cinema and I’ve always admired his work,” enthuses Zhao to The Australian. “He is an amazing actor. He commands your attention when he appears on screen – powerful, relatable, funny and deeply sincere.”
It was after just one meeting – via video, in the pre-pandemic days when that was a novelty and not the norm – that Zhao offered Lee the role.
“That was it,” he recalls. “I got the result afterwards, and that’s how I got here.”
Zhao immediately saw in him the blend of strength and humanity that Marvel always seeks out in its heroes.
“I can’t imagine anyone else who could bring the level of power, charisma, sincerity and fun that Don brought to Gilgamesh,” Zhao says.
“He is going to make you laugh and pull your heartstrings at the same time. I can’t wait for the world to meet him.”
Both Zhao and Lee are aware of the crucial role that Eternals is playing in the push for greater representation on screen. Eternals will feature some of Marvel’s most meaningful inclusion in the franchise thus far. Ridloff, a deaf actor best known for her work on The Walking Dead, will play a deaf superhero. There will be a same-sex relationship depicted between Phastos (Tyree Henry) and his partner onscreen. And the cast is incredibly diverse, with actors of East Asian, South Asian, African-American, Hispanic and Middle Eastern descent comprising Zhao’s Eternals ensemble.
The film follows on from the release of Shang-Chi, Marvel’s first all-Asian superhero film, which Lee “absolutely loved”. He enthuses: “It was a whole new different world, a different universe, and I loved the acting of the cast.”
But for him, Shang-Chi should be only the beginning. “Still, I feel like Americans think of Asia as a land of mystique,” Lee reflects, “somewhere a little bit far from them.”
Movies are one way to “bridge that distance”. “We need more Asian heroes to appear in those movies like Eternals … It’s important for films to inspire the kids and make sure that they can dream big and really think about what they can do in the future.”
And not just superheroes: Lee notes with pride the phenomenal success of Korean cinema and television, which recently has spanned everything from the Oscar-winning drama Parasite, directed by celebrated filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, to the gory Netflix thriller Squid Game. The latter is the streaming platform’s biggest series ever, bigger than Bridgerton, Stranger Things, The Witcher, The Crown and Emily in Paris, watched by more than 140 million households since launch. “I’m most definitely proud,” Lee says. One day, he’d love to work with the man he reverently calls “Dir. Bong”. “Korean content (is) loved by many people around the world,” Lee adds. “I’m excited for more talented Korean actors and directors to be introduced to audiences … and in turn, for more global content to be produced.”
For many audience members, Eternals will be their introduction to Lee. The film will see him more than hold his own opposite megastars including Hayek – whom Lee describes as “like an older sister to everybody” in the sprawling cast – and Jolie, whose character Thena is closely aligned with Gilgamesh.
At one point in the film, the pair are exiled to Australia, recreated on a backlot at London’s Pinewood Studios, where blockbusters such as James Bond and Star Wars have been made.
“It was an absolute joy to work with Angie,” Lee says.
The pair had never met before this film. “Our sphere was on the opposite side of the world,” he explains.
“But of course, I was a fan, right?” He means it. Lee eagerly shares a story about how “Angie” – “she is a star,” he enthuses – was quick to compliment his work on set. We didn’t have much time to rehearse, we had to go on shoot, but immediately it felt like I was working with someone I knew for a very long time.
“The chemistry was very good. And Angie herself was very happy, and she always expressed how happy she was, how satisfied she was, and how proud she was about my acting … I was very touched, and very thankful for that generosity.”
But it’s director Zhao who earns Lee’s highest praise.
Eternals will be the Chinese filmmaker’s follow-up to Nomadland, her quiet and introspective film about van dwellers that swept the Oscars in early 2021, winning best actress for star Frances McDormand, best director for Zhao and best picture.
Zhao made the movie just before she commenced production on Eternals, and was juggling editing both over the pandemic. But it was Zhao’s earlier film The Rider, about a rodeo cowboy living with a brain injury, that Lee remembers piquing his interest.
He walked out of the cinema and hoped to one day work with Zhao, a director he believed had great “vision”. “She is one of the greatest filmmakers and greatest visionary in our cinematic history,” Lee stresses.
And you’ll see all of that vision on Eternals, Lee reveals.
“She’s very smart, she’s very wise, she’s not afraid of trying new things. She doesn’t want to do anything conventional,” the actor says.
“This film is another superhero film, but then it’s not another superhero film, do you know what I mean? She focuses on the internal drama, the internal conflict of these characters, and her approach to this film is just different to any other superhero films … She is a very special storyteller and filmmaker. I was very honoured to work with her, and all of her talents and vision and approach have been reflected in this project.”
The respect is mutual. Zhao points out that Lee is a filmmaker and producer himself, and therefore “always saw the bigger picture and understood why I chose to make the film the way I did,” prioritising practical effects and filming on location over the usual overzealous application of green screen that is the norm on blockbuster productions.
“Don is also a very generous and intuitive person. He cared about everyone, cast and crew, on and off set. Always so gracious and kind,” Zhao shares.
“I’m very grateful for his endless support and encouragement throughout this journey.”
Eternals is in cinemas on November 4.