Exclusive: Jeffrey Wright on voicing The Watcher from inside his closet for Marvel's What If?
Now playing on Disney+ is Marvel Studios’ “What If…?,” the compelling series that reimagines famous events from films in the MCU. Creating a multiverse of infinite possibilities,
“What If… ?” features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist. Marvel Studios’ first-ever animated series launches on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 11.
Marvel’s What If…? will feature the late Chadwick Boseman, who was able to reprise his role as T’Challa, also known as the Black Panther, for the show. His episode will revolve around T’Challa being abducted by the Reavers that took Peter Quill (Star-Lord) in The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Every story in the show will be non-canonical, as the stories will feature some wildly different outcomes from their actual events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jeffrey Wright’s character The Watcher, who in the comics is an alien named Uatu, is the narrator of the comic stories and the series, observing the alternate timelines from above the Earth.
Wright is best known for his role as Bernard Lowe and Arnold Weber on HBO’s Westworld (as well as his recurring gig as as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Basquiat, Felix Leiter in the James Bond films Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and No Time to Die, Valentin Narcisse in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, and Beetee Latier in The Hunger Games films. He's also a Tony award-winning stage actor (as well as the winner of an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Belize in the Broadway production Angels in America and its acclaimed HBO miniseries adaptation.
Wright is set to portray Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon in the superhero film The Batman (2022) by Matt Reeves.
BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales spoke to Wright about his role as The Watcher and how he did his work from inside his closet.