Bong Joon Ho says Mark Rufflao’s Mickey 17 character is not primarily based on US President Donald Trump

Bong Joon Ho says Mark Rufflao’s Mickey 17 character is not primarily based on US President Donald Trump

Mar 06, 2025 02:14 PM IST

Filmmaker Bong Joon Ho has made it clear that Mickey 17 just isn’t a veiled critique of anyone chief however somewhat a broader commentary on energy and resilience.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon Ho is totally conscious of the hypothesis surrounding Kenneth Marshall, the eccentric and power-hungry politician performed by Mark Ruffalo in his new sci-fi comedy Mickey 17. Nonetheless, the filmmaker has firmly dismissed any claims that the character is a direct parody of US President Donald Trump.In a latest interview, the South Korean director clarified that Marshall just isn’t modelled after any single political determine however is as an alternative a fusion of a number of historic leaders. “A mixture of many alternative politicians” and “dictators that now we have seen all through historical past” served because the inspiration, Bong defined.

Bong Joon Ho has refuted any parallels between Mark Rufallo’s Character in Mickey 17 and US President Donald Trump

Regardless of the surface-level resemblances—Marshall’s flamboyant mannerisms, vocal inflection, and even his on-board TV present—Bong emphasised that audiences is likely to be studying their very own considerations into the character. “Once we confirmed the movie in Berlin and talked to folks from many alternative nations, it appeared like folks have been projecting probably the most irritating political chief onto the character of Marshall,” he famous.

Bong additionally highlighted the function of Marshall’s spouse, Gwen, performed by Toni Collette, as a key facet of his character. He pointed to historic examples of authoritarian {couples}, reinforcing that the character’s dynamic just isn’t rooted in any single modern-day politician. “They transfer as a pair,” Bong defined, referencing figures like Romania’s Ceaușescus and the Marcoses of the Philippines.

Whereas Mickey 17 comprises political themes, together with colonialism and authoritarianism, Bong underscored that the movie is, at its core, a love story somewhat than a political satire. “Though Mickey 17 has all these political layers, ultimately, the story actually revolves round this particular person of Mickey,” he mentioned. The guts of the movie, in response to Bong, lies in Mickey’s wrestle for survival and his bond with Naomi Ackie’s character, Nasha. “In the long run, the story is: how does he handle to outlive this horrible system and never get destroyed? How does he handle to guard himself? And that is why Nasha is so vital for this movie. For me, the movie is a love story,” he mentioned.

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