Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies | Tagged: Daniel Bernhardt, Deathstalker, Radial Entertainment, SHOUT! Studios

Deathstalker Star Daniel Bernhardt on Revival, Odenkirk Advice & More

Daniel Bernhardt (Nobody 2) spoke to us about his latest sword and sorcery film in Shout! Studios' Deathstalker, Kostanski, Odenkirk & more.

Daniel Bernhardt has been a veteran in Hollywood for over 30 years since making his on-screen debut, taking over the Bloodsport franchise from Jean-Claude Van Damme, starting with 1996's Bloodsport II. He would be a regular in the action film scene, from on-screen roles to stunt work, including occasional TV roles such as his starring role in Mortal Kombat: Conquest in 1998, as well as My Network TV's Desire, HBO's Barry, and Netflix's Altered Carbon. Some of his biggest roles on film include his memorable turns on Focus Features' Atomic Blonde (2017), Lionsgate's John Wick (2014), and Warner Bros' The Matrix Reloaded (2003). His latest project is leading the revival of the 1980s cult classic sword and sorcery fantasy film Deathstalker, marking its fifth entry in the franchise from writer-director Steven Kostanski (Psycho Goreman) for Shout! Studios.

The original Deathstalker started in 1983 as part of the American-Argentine collaboration of films, financed by legendary indie producer Roger Corman, with stars Rick Hill, John Terlesky, and John Allen Nelson, playing the title character, with Hill featured in the original and 1991's Match of Titans, the fourth film. Terlesky starred in the second film, Duel of the Titans (1987), and Nelson in the third film, Death Stalker and the Warriors from Hell (1988). The fifth Deathstalker film features Bernhardt as the title character in the Kingdom of Abraxeon, when it finds itself under siege by the Dreadites, heralds of the long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. When Deathstalker recovers a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield, he's marked by dark magic and hunted by monstrous assassins. To survive, he must break the curse and face the rising evil. Death is just the beginning… of great adventure! Bernhardt spoke to Bleeding Cool about working with Kostanski and the advice his Nobody franchise co-star Bob Odenkirk passed to him to provide his authentic performance, and his co-stars.

Deathstalker Star Daniel Bernhardt on Taking the Lead of the Cult Classic Fantasy Franchise

What intrigued you about Deathstalker? How did you get involved, and how does it feel to lead this franchise?

I am so stoked, Tom. I got a call from a good friend, Michael, who said, "Hey Daniel, we're doing this movie Deathstalker, would you be interested? It's directed by Steven Kostanski." I said, "That sounds like an amazing opportunity," so Steven and I spoke and hit it off right away. He pitched me the idea. He goes, "Hey, Daniel, we are going to make this movie. You're going to be fighting monsters. You will be spin-kicking them in the head. You get to slice their heads off," and I'm like. "That's amazing. I want to be in, can I do it?" We hit it off right away. He gave me the script, I read the character, and it was such a fun ride, and so much fun.

Did you see the original films before shooting? Were you a fan of any of the sword and sorcery films growing up?

I did. I loved those types of movies. I've seen the original Deathstalker movies way back when, when I was younger. I'm an eighties kid. That was my time, so it was amazing. One more thing, the reason why Steven hired me for this was because he was a huge fan of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, the TV show I did over 20 years ago. He goes, "Hey, listen, Danny, I want you to run around with tight pants, boots, and swinging a sword with long hair blowing in the wind." I mean, how can you say "No," right?

Watching the other films, did they inspire your performance as Deathstalker? There were several incarnations of the character, or did you make it your own?

I made it my own. I've been in this business for over 30 years, so I have a lot of experience in the acting world, martial arts world, fight world, and every action world. I based it on Steven's script, the way he wrote it. He wrote very light, and it was very fun. I keep telling the story, my dear friend, Bob Odenkirk, who read the script, and he gave me a little bit of advice, "Look, people love those kinds of movies, but here's the kicker, 'Don't play the joke. Play it serious. Just play, don't play the joke, and play the character real." That's what I did, and I think it's coming across well that people are enjoying what I didn't in this film.

How does Steven compare as a creative to others you've worked with?

Oh my God. Look, I love directors. Directors are very important to me as an actor. I show up on set well-prepared, but I leave myself open to the director's inspiration because the director is the guy. When I come on board a movie, I've read the script, maybe I prepped for it for a month or two, but the director has been on this for years. His vision for this movie is meticulous, down to the details of color, the type of pants he wears, and how he will paint the background. His details are so particular.

Every time we did a scene, he would explain to me…we did this one scene, we walked through a forest, and we had this conversation [between] Christina's [Orjalo] character, Brisbayne, and my character. [Steven] goes, "Oh yeah, Daniel, by the way, when you're walking through the forest, I'm going to have these matte paintings in the back, and we have like these two monsters just fighting each other." I'm like, "Oh, that's cool." Every day like that. He would come up with something new. He goes, "Today, we're going to slice somebody's head off. Tomorrow, you get to fight this little wraith," and I'm like, "But how about I'm annoyed with this wraith when I fight it. Can I punch it in the head?" He goes, "Absolutely, just punch the crap out of it."

Deathstalker, which also stars Patton Oswalt, Paul Lazenby, Nicholas Rice, Nina Bergman, and Laurie Field, is in theaters.

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