The Defenders' Elodie Yung has weighed in on a fantasy match-up between Elektra and the character her co-star Sigourney Weaver made famous in the Alien saga. While Yung's acting resume includes such hit films as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2011 and G.I. Joe: Retaliation in 2013, the French actress's true breakthrough role came in 2016 with her kick-butt turn as the lethal martial artist Elekta Natchios in season 2 of Daredevil alongside Charlie Cox.
Although Elektra met her tragic demise at the conclusion of Daredevil season 2, she's experienced a rebirth as the Black Sky in the Marvel/Netflix miniseries, The Defenders - where Daredevil teams up with Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and the Iron Fist (Finn Jones) to battle the Hand and its seemingly immortal leader, Alexandra Reid (Weaver). This time around, though, Elektra/the Black Sky is under the control of villainous Alexandra, which required Yung to be in several scenes with her iconic co-star.
Related: Alexandra Reid's Origins Explained
In an interview with Screen Rant, Yung (who can also currently be seen on the big screen in The Hitman’s Bodyguard) says she "felt taken care of" by Weaver throughout the shooting of the series, and no doubt felt that the opportunity to be in scenes with the five-time Oscar nominee made her a better actor.
Screen Rant: Your scenes with Sigourney Weaver – do you look at them now and think to yourself, “I think I unconsciously upped my game just by being around her”?
Elodie Yung: “I was very respectful of her – I have so much admiration for her because she’s such an icon. In all my scenes with her, I was thinking, ‘Oh, I hope I don’t mess this up.’ But she just takes you into her world. She’s generous and tries different things every single take. I remember our first big scene together and I struggling. I placed a lot of pressure on myself, but she just put me at ease and helped me all while staying in character. She’s fantastic to work with and is just a lovely, lovely woman. I truly love her.”
Of course, since Elektra has been such a formidable character since the beginning, one can't help but wonder how she would fare in a battle with Weaver's definitive female action hero, Lt. Ellen Ripley, from the first four Alien movies:
Screen Rant: Toe to toe, Elektra versus Ripley, Elektra wins, right?
Elodie Yung: “I wouldn’t dare say that. I have to disagree with you.” (laughs)
While many actors would jokingly proclaim themselves the winner in such a match-up, it's great to hear that Yung truly feels humbled by Weaver and respectfully deferred to the screen legend because of it. It's easy to see why. Even though Elektra/the Black Sky does the heavy lifting for the Hand in The Defenders, Weaver commands the screen more than ever as the imposing Alexandra. Working with Weaver on the series is no doubt a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Yung, and she clearly knows it.
Besides, who truly would stand a chance with Ripley and that power loader? If the Alien Queen couldn't take her down, nothing will.
NEXT: How The Defenders Sets Up Daredevil Season 3
The Defenders is now available for viewing on Netflix, with The Punisher season 1 following later this year. Premiere dates for the new seasons of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist have yet to be announced.