The Sandman star Boyd Holbrook details how he delivered such a creepy performance as The Corinthian in the Netflix series. The Sandman was adapted from the comic book series of the same name by author Neil Gaiman and was developed by Gaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg. Efforts to bring The Sandman to screens started in 1991, intending to turn it into a movie, but the project entered development hell and went through a few iterations before shifting its focus to a series. The Sandman debuted on Netflix, garnering critical and fan acclaim, and was renewed for season 2.
In an interview with Inverse, The Sandman's Holbrook revealed the secret to his creepy performance as The Corinthian. Holbrook spoke about one of the most exciting traits of the character, his use of dark sunglasses that hide the absence of The Corinthian's eyes, which are replaced by two rows of teeth. Holbrook revealed that he chose to ground such a supernatural concept with his character by underplaying the fact as second nature to The Corinthian, like a person who needs to take insulin regularly, so that the moment he took his glasses off would be more unsettling for The Sandman's audiences. Check out the full quote below:
The visualization of him is quite striking, but obviously not when he’s got his glasses. His eyes came out, or he took his glasses off. That was a really important moment. When you think of these supernatural shows, it’s like “Wow, do I have to act more?” How do you put yourself in these beyond-reality scenarios? I don’t have superpowers, so how do you make it grounded and real? That moment was the exact definement of all that. If you have insulin and you do an insulin shot, it’s not a big deal when you jab yourself in the arm; it’s like second nature. And so revealing these glasses and existing with these eyes — if it’s done in a nonchalant way, then it was more creepy and it was more unsettling. Rather than like “Here’s Johnny!”
INTERVIEWER: Like underplaying it made it more sinister, essentially.
Yeah, I found that’s really in tone with the overall character. You have to go in motion with that tone, ride that tone.
How the Corinthian Can Return In The Sandman Season 2
The last time he was seen on The Sandman season 1 ending, The Corinthian was defeated by Morpheus, who gave his skull to Lucienne for safekeeping. The Corinthian and Morpheus' battle ended their long relationship for the time being. Morpheus revealed during The Sandman season 1 that he once thought The Corinthian was his finest achievement, serving as the Dreaming's nightmare that was meant to reflect humanity's darkness. Sadly for Morpheus, The Corinthian developed other plans and escaped the Dreaming to go to the world of the living, an event that led to Morpheus being trapped there for over 100 years.
When Morpheus was trapped, The Corinthian took a lot of people's eyes and became a famous serial killer. That fame resulted in the character inspiring many other serial killers, which led to him being a guest of honor at a serial killer convention during The Sandman's ending and taking Jed Walker with him. The Corinthian's goal to defeat Morpheus was to use Jed's sister Rose Walker, whose status as the Dream Vortex meant she could destroy Morpheus and the Dreaming and take its place. Rose didn't agree to do The Corinthian's bidding and gave away her Dream Vortex to relative Unity Kincaid in order not to die. The Sandman season 1 ended with The Corinthian not being remade by Morpheus.
What To Expect From The Sandman Season 2
Lucifer comes for The Sandman in season 2. The Sandman season 1 finale went back to Hell at the end to show what Lucifer was up to after being defeated by Morpheus in her realm during the series. Lucifer promised the demon Mazikeen that what the Ruler of Hell had in mind would be something that "would make God absolutely livid" and "bring Morpheus to his knees." Aside from Lucifer's revenge plot, Morpheus will have to deal with Endless sibling Desire, who Morpheus discovered was behind his imprisonment and more. Desire isn't likely to stand down when The Sandman returns for season 2.
Source: Inverse