Dan Trachtenberg’s latest film in the Predator franchise is now playing in theatres!
Predator: Badlands follows Dek, a Yautja who is trying to prove his worth to his clan. However, because he’s a “runt,” he’s an outcast from his clan, and on his travels to a treacherous planet, he makes an unlikely ally with a damaged synthetic named Thia (Elle Fanning).
The film stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who delivers an incredible, effortless performance as Dek. Ahead of the movie’s release, I had the fantastic opportunity to chat with Schuster-Koloamatangi about his work on the film, bringing his Samoan and Tongan heritage to the role, and much more.
Check out the interview with Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi below:
The Predator’s costuming is always so cool. When you first saw yourself all decked out in the costume, what was your reaction?
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi: Oh, man, I felt like a badass. It felt so cool. I’m not even gonna lie, it was hot. The first time I had to put it on was in the Wētā Workshop, because they were the ones that were creating the prosthetics and the tunic or the armour. So the first day was a tough day, because I used to have long hair before we started shooting, so my brain was like getting squished. But when I looked in the mirror, oh my goodness, I felt invincible. It was amazing.
You do such a fantastic job as Dek throughout the movie and make it seem so effortless, but what would you say was the most challenging part of playing the character?
Schuster-Koloamatangi: Thank you. I appreciate that. There were quite a lot of challenges that came with it. Like, I think I accepted that these certain things were going to be hard, you know? I was told it’s very hot in the suit, which I found out very fast. I had to wear contact lenses that blurred my vision. So I’d have to block out scenes beforehand without them in, so I can know where I’m stepping and what I’m actually doing. Then we put them on and just go. Yeah, the suit restricts your movement a little bit, but I don’t know, you just have to deal with it in the moments that it comes up and use it, you know, to inform your character a little bit more.
He’s a bit rageful at the beginning. So that feeling of uncomfortability in the suit was helpful because, you know, it just keeps you tense, it keeps you ready. And that’s that kind of Yautja mentality anyway. Yeah, a lot of the things, it’s just you work around and hope for the best. But yeah, I was, I was really happy with how it came out.
You have Samoan and Tongan heritage. Did you bring any aspects of your cultures to your portrayal of Dek?
Schuster-Koloamatangi: Yeah, it’s so cool that you say that. So in Polynesian culture, we’re kind of known as warriors. You know, we’re from a warrior heritage, pretty much. So, I never really thought about it consciously while we were filming, but I’ve been asked this question before as well. And yeah, it really did play a role in how I portrayed him, and I even think Dan had picked up on it in the auditions when I wasn’t even trying. So it’s, I don’t know, for us, it’s just embedded in who we are. You know, we’re fighters at the end of the day, and it plays so well into the Yautja culture, because they’re from a lineage of hunters. And yeah, the similarities there, I was able to bring forth with Dek and show that warrior spirit and bring out that kind of, you know, fight or flight aspect of who he is, and he’s always going to choose to fight.
What do you hope that audiences resonate most with when it comes to Dek?
Schuster-Koloamatangi: I hope they resonate with his resilience. I hope they see that in themselves. You know, whatever you’re going through, none of us is perfect. When we meet Dek, he is broken, essentially. You know, he and Thia are broken characters trying to piece each other together. But, you know, he keeps fighting. He’s like a dog with a bone. He has something to prove, and his purpose kind of shifts from the beginning to the end, but it has the same kind of theme.
You know, he’s proving himself, but instead of proving himself to his clan, now he starts proving himself to himself. So that’s something that I hope audiences can kind of take away, just to have that resilience and the kind of mindset to, you know, get yourself out of whatever it is you’re going through. And, yeah, care about your connections you make on the way.
Thank you so much, Demetrius, for your time. You are so fantastic in the movie, and I hope everyone goes to see it this weekend!
Schuster-Koloamatangi: I really appreciate that! Thank you so much.