Why Mister Terrific From James Gunn’s Superman Looks So Familiar

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Looking forward to James Gunn’s “Superman” movie is more than just eager anticipation; it’s a unique excitement because it marks the beginning of his DC comics-inspired cinematic universe on the big screen, and it promises to present a host of beloved DC characters beyond the traditional Superman crew. For instance, Mister Terrific, a character known for his genius engineering skills, scientific prowess, technological powers, and combat abilities, will be making an appearance in this film. Played by Edi Gathegi, a 46-year-old actor who has been active in TV and film for quite some time yet may not be widely recognized, Mister Terrific might look familiar to some viewers but could be challenging to identify. To help with recognition, here’s a refresher courtesy of Looper.

The acting career of the Kenyan-American actor traces back to 2006, when he first appeared as a taxi driver in the movie “Crank,” starring Jason Statham. In the year that followed, he portrayed Boa across three episodes of “Lincoln Heights” and had recurring roles on “House.” On “House,” Gathegi played Doctor Jeffrey Cole, one of several doctors from Season 4 vying for a spot on House’s diagnostic team. During this period, he also made guest appearances in shows like “Veronica Mars,” “CSI: Miami,” and “Life on Mars.” However, more substantial roles were to come, both on TV and the big screen. Interestingly enough, “Superman” is not Gathegi’s first superhero movie. Here’s a look at his career so far.

Gathegi played a mutant in an X-Men movie

Before stepping into the role of Mister Terrific, I, Edi Gathegi, graced the big screen as a Marvel character named Darwin. This was in the 2011 Fox film “X-Men: First Class,” where I shared the screen with heavyweights like Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence, among others. In the comic book universe of Marvel, Darwin, a mutant introduced in the 2006 book “X-Men: Deadly Genesis” #2, possesses the unique ability to adapt to survive any imminent danger, theoretically making him indestructible. However, the films didn’t reflect this invincibility; instead, Darwin met an untimely and illogical end in “X-Men: First Class.” It’s speculative, but if Darwin had survived back then, I might not have been given the opportunity to play Mister Terrific later on, so perhaps it was for the best.

A year prior to his portrayal of Darwin, Gathegi was featured in another hit movie titled “Twilight”. Fans of the series may remember him as Laurent, a vampire character devoid of morals who menaces the franchise’s main character, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). In “Twilight: New Moon”, Laurent is eventually eliminated by a group of shape-shifting characters portrayed by Jacob. Despite not surviving throughout the series, landing this role was a cherished dream for Gathegi. The actor admitted to Twilight Lexicon that he had always wanted to play a vampire but usually avoided vampire films. He found the storyline of “Twilight” more about romance set in a world with vampires as an intriguing backdrop. Stephenie Meyer did an excellent job crafting this world and making it engaging, truthful, kind, and compelling.

Gathegi starred in a stacked TV series

Edi Gathegi hasn’t had a main role in movies so far, but he did play a lead character in a TV series called “StartUp.” This web series premiered on Crackle in 2016 and featured an impressive cast including Adam Brody, Ron Perlman, Martin Freeman, and Otmara Marrero. The story revolves around three individuals – Nick Talman (Brody), Ronald Dacey (Gathegi), and Izzy Morales (Marrero) – who join forces to create a project based on digital currency with high earning potential. Although the series had a notable cast, it received mixed feedback from critics and ended after three seasons.

In a well-liked NBC series titled “The Blacklist,” Gathegi didn’t hold the leading role, but instead portrayed a complex character named Matias Solomon in more than 20 episodes, both on the primary show and its spin-off “The Blacklist: Redemption.” Prior to his involvement in “The Blacklist,” Solomon served as a CIA asset in Ethiopia and fought in the Eritrean-Ethiopean War. However, during this conflict, he allegedly carried out several war crimes. Remarkably, despite these questionable actions, Solomon continued to be utilized by the CIA post-war as a relatively unknown asset.

Presently, Gathegi portrays Dev Ayesa in the underappreciated sci-fi drama “For All Mankind.” This show delves into an alternate reality where the Soviet Union placed a man on the moon before the USA. In this series, Ayesa is a successful engineer and entrepreneur who established Helios Aerospace, contributing significantly to the creation of the initial functional nuclear fusion reactor in the show’s timeline. Gathegi has been featured in 17 episodes thus far, with plans for him to return when the Apple TV+ series resumes for its fifth season.

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2025-07-09 13:30