The Boys - How Antony Starr Perfected Homelander

[@thegunslinger1363]

Antony Starr is like Christian Bale in regards to that he does such a good American accent. I'm taken aback when I hear his real accent. Antony plays the part so well. He never fails to make me nervous in any scene he's in.

[@jakel7213]

Have you watched Banshee yet? While he's not really an evil dude on that, he is still an unpredictable antihero. You definitely feel the same dangerous rage just beneath the surface every time he's on screen.

[@nathanmalik7056]

He's been compared a bit to Christian Bale's character Patrick Bateman.

[@SeriesGamer2008]

wait, christian bale isn't american!

[@roel.vinckens]

The Christian Bale comparison also holds up regarding the incredible control of expression. Star's controlled micro expressions are like Bale's ability to start sweating on command. Would love to see them work together.

[@nathanmalik7056]

@@roel.vinckens Of course, unlike Patrick Bateman, Homelander has a genuine tragic past, still cares for others and is insecure.

[@jameslough6329]

I saw Homelander in the thumbnail and instantly clicked. In my opinion Anthony Starr as Homelander is probably the greatest and most terrifying villain performance I have ever seen on television (with only Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring being comparable). It never ceases to amaze me how Homelander can switch from his friendly amiable superhero facade to a selfish and bloodthirsty sociopath in the blink of an eye.

[@pabloc8808]

I have a pantheon of really good and terrifying villains, and Homelander is there. I've only ever seen one villain scarier than him due to the sheer unpredictability, and that's Zé Pequeno/Lil' Z from City of God. They share some traits: violence comes to them as naturally as breathing, they have zero regard for human life, there is no indication whatsoever of whether they're about to do something wild, and they are as unstoppable as forces of nature.

[@HEAVYDIAPER]

Wait till you meet Snoop, Chris, and Marlo from The Wire.

[@jameslough6329]

@@HEAVYDIAPER Nah I’ve watched The Wire. Those are all definitely very good villains. But their personalities are not as complex or unpredictable as Homelander imo

[@CobaltXMusic]

@@jameslough6329 You gotta give The Master some props. The oldest sci-fi show has produced some greats

[@lizanya6433]

he’s almost as good as jane lynch as sue sylvester from glee

[@OmnipotentSpud]

His immaturity makes him more unpredictable. Every time he's on one, you can feel the tension all the way into the 5th dimension.

[@deangelo479]

especially with normal side characters, you don’t know if they will say something so simple and harmless without getting lasered in the eyeballs

[@Cerialos]

the thing about homelander and antony's preformance- is that it is done so flawlessly that homelander feels like he is actually real, like hes out there rn and he might be able to hear you

[@broidkanymore-zc4lt]

maybe you just forgot to take your schizo meds

[@Nonoskf]

Why hasn't he been nominated for an Emmy or a Golden Globe yet ? that's a genuine mystery to me. Iconic and subtle performance.

[@dan8ball22]

Probably because the show itself is not that great despite his amazing performance.

[@marouanemouad5006]

@@dan8ball22 the show is indeed great aswell

[@rogue9230]

@@dan8ball22the show is great but award shows will probably never acknowledge it because of the fact it’s a superhero show

[@dan8ball22]

@@rogue9230 Let's be serious, it really isn't great, especially S04. Sure, it was cute and entertaining at first, but it quickly turned into disappointment. Except Antony Starr, the performances aren't all that great to begin with, every characters seems like a caricature of themselves. This is probably due to the mediocre writing. It has its moments, but calling this show great seems to me like an opinion of someone that is not that much into watching stuff. When I think of great TV, series like Better Call Saul, True Detective S01, The Wire, Chernobyl, Breaking Bad come to mind. The Boys, while entertaining and fun for someone that likes superhero stuff, is nowhere near the series mentioned.

[@ryanelliott6706]

Banshee had terrible ratings otherwise he most certainly would have.

[@TheDutLinx]

I already knew Starr was amazing as Homelander (as did anyone who’s watched The Boys), but this video really makes it clear just how exceptional he is. The dissection of his microexpressions was fascinating

[@ZxybzzYT]

Antony Starr as Homelander is some of the best acting I've ever seen and Homelander is one of the best villains ever in my opinion. He's up there with villains like Darth Vader, Doctor Doom, Joker, etc

[@joshmciver4847]

What actor has played Doctor Doom as well as your comparisons? Answer - none... You're throwing out a villain name who's popular in media buzz words right now. Stop doing this people.

[@LisAlGaib]

​I think he's talking about how the character​ is one of the best villains because of his acting.

[@mett978]

Sorry, but Homelander/Anthony Starr is in a league of his own

[@Shinkajo]

Doctor Doom? Lol...

[@xlxsr893]

​​@@joshmciver4847 he said doctor doom is on his list of great villains... Because doctor doom is a great villain? Even tho his movie or show adaptations have been less than great, his origin story and his villainous acts are worth him being recognised as a great villain

[@sebhall741]

One thing about the writing that's always struck me is that, to me at least, Homelander rarely seems to enjoy violence. He certainly finds it cathartic, but he always seems to be having the most fun wrapping people around his finger. Like in S4 ep 4, he gets seems to be enjoying himself the most when the scientists are all squirming, whereas he looks almost relieved in the elevator when he leaves

[@ihaveachihuahau]

That's kinda his whole character. His entire life was controlled by Vaught in a lab, so he's desperate for control over anything and everything. He actually isn't like a violent serial killer who likes violence, he's obsessed with gaining the control he never had as a child and will do anything for it. You'll notice he enjoys violence quite a bit when he's winning, like vs the terrorists (which was also a way for him to get into the military and gain more power and control as well), but he doesn't enjoy combat against people who are actual opponents. It's all about control. He flees from the boys and stuff like that when he thinks he's losing immediately.

[@locobob]

Those huge sharpened fangs Anthony star has contributes a lot to that sense of unease you get from his smiling

[@margarethmichelina5146]

Whenever I see Antony Starr is getting interviewed, I can't believe that he's actually a chill dude who looks like he's an introvert in real life. He's even looking different than Homelander with brown hair and beard.

[@caldw615]

Especially when you check his police record...

[@moonlessiguana1826]

@@caldw615what?

[@caldw615]

@@moonlessiguana1826 Antony Star has been arrested a few times over the years for assaulting people.

[@lobodesade6780]

He really doesn't have to act, he is Homelander, he puts on a persona in interviews but in reality he's out there assaulting people.

[@acebase14days]

​@@lobodesade6780 yeah lmao he almost unalived a dude in spain and in another rumor he bullied mcelligot(maeve)

[@justjoshua5759]

It’s his facial ticks and emotional instability that comes across as insanity masquerading as human and is barely contained within the human form of ego Starr for me manages to make that role fit in such expressive range like the “he’s mine” scene that garners interest so spectacularly.

[@geeeorilla7333]

6:25 looking at homelander in the eyes is like looking down a barrel of a gun great analogy.

[@JM-ql7mh]

14:20 "Not just hungry for more, but terrified of less." Dude, your content is meticulously crafted. Another exceptional watch.

[@michaelscarn5625]

He supercedes the subjects in his videos haha

[@dracrorasco4907]

As an amateur actor these videos have been a lot of help in perfecting my craft and I hope you keep making great videos

[@pavasite4278]

Good luck on your career bro. Hey maybe we’ll see a video about you on this channel lol

[@kaogao87]

What do you even mean? It has always been Homelander acting as Anthony Starr.

[@krombopulos_michael]

He's a lot like Lalo Salamanca from Better Call Saul in that he's scary because he's acts so ghoulishly happy about getting to kill or hurt people. It's not even that he's manic, he's just really cheerful and chipper about it.

[@nedeljkozarkic9131]

Lalo as Homelander would be the same just with more mexican music and actually killing Gus in this series 😀

[@greenytaddict]

Ha I was just watching some videos on Lalo. His damn smile is eerie. Such a charismatic villian.😂

[@ryanelliott6706]

You and everyone seeing this comment should go watch all of banshee.

[@FineRocco]

​@@ryanelliott6706Why, is it that good?

[@ryanelliott6706]

@@FineRocco yes. It’s one of the few shows I have watched more than once all the way through. Pretty sure it’s on HBO. It’s in my top 5 for sure and Antony Starr is the MC. And the mob boss Amish antagonist is also a really good actor and a good foil. Lots of good actors in the show actually. And the writing is just… solid. Lots of clips on KZbin to hook you. Banshee 1x04 hood vs proctor for example. Also “banshee Kai Proctor confronts is family” is one of the best villain monologues I’ve seen on screen. Gives me chills every time. It’s just good acting.

[@fitzofpassion]

I’m so delighted when I find a true video essayist. Your thoughtful scene cutting with the onscreen notations and an actual thesis is so appreciated!

[@haret0n]

he was a complete scene stealer in outrageous fortune years ago as well. and also brought massive complexity and comic force to that role. he is a brilliant actor.

[@ethanhawkins3391]

Absolutely captivating performance! Love that you highlighted how his stare and direct eye contact is comparable to looking down a barrel, just adds to how threateningly unpredictable he is and that nobody is ever truly safe near him

[@r2153]

Every time Homelander is on the screen, I'm on edge because I don't what he's going to do. Starr should have won multiple Emmys by now.

[@olivercrespo2329]

Anyone who hasn’t seen Banshee, watch it. It’s another home run from Starr, and it’s interesting to see a lot of the similar traits his character in that show has to Homelander, except he’s the good guy.

[@scarface5857]

Also one of the rare occasions where the actor portraits a version of the character better than the original (the one from the comics).

[@caldw615]

To be fair, that's a pretty low bar. The comics are just written with the biggest hate boner for superheroes as a concept and leans way too much into shock value for the sake of shock value.

[@GoingRampant]

Very interesting analysis! I've noticed Aya Cash blinks rapidly when her characters are feeling physically vulnerable, too. Stormfront does so when Homelander puts his hand on her face.

[@marioho]

So a dark Jim Carrey from hell? Noted. On a serious note, great breakdown!

[@kelliatlarge]

This fantastic analysis, and it makes me appreciate Starr's performance even more.

[@jeepamir508]

The amount of emotions Anthony is able to produce in a single scene with a close-up on his face is mind-blowing. Homelander is not a typical tyrant supervillian. He wants to be admired and loved, because he didn't get those things in childhood. And he'll do anything to get that. And don't you dare trying to cross him.

[@cgcallahan0]

You’re always on the edge of your seat with how he will react. I did like it better to watch his character when he was trying more to function in the world of humans than to take it over. It was more fun to watch him get put in these situations he couldn’t just fear everyone into doing like he does now. I liked it when he had he had to contend with stormfront or Edgar and Stillwal matching/ challenging him. Best scene is him in the tunnel watching his performance and losing his shit. Now he doesn’t care and will just kill/fear any situation.

[@fat_old_sun]

Agreed. It feels like his character got more two-dimensional, especially in season 4. Now I'm just used to his knee-jerk reaction being KILL KILL KILL. It quickly becomes trivial.

[@micahberlin8332]

Sure but you can feel him about to crack and the increased sociopathy in this recent season feels like an eerie calm before the storm. We’ve all been waiting for that moment where he just absolutely loses it so for me this quiet dead eyed homelander right before the last season makes me super uneasy. I think it’s perfect. Season 4 has been him just killing off his weaknesses. Yes it’s fun to see him have to battle with his weaknesses, but we kinda need that merciless monster we’ve been teased with this whole time.

[@cgcallahan0]

@@micahberlin8332 I know that, it was just more fun to watch and see more subtleness to his ways

[@mister-pinkman]

Even people who don’t like where this show is going can admit that Antony Starr never lets up as Homelander. His presence is always entertaining.

[@nobodywhatsoever123]

KZbin- How just an observation perfects video essays

[@michaelmcinerney1425]

Great villain, awesome video. Love the critique of his dominating physical expression.

[@GEMINIEARTHWALKER]

I just started watching Banshee, because he was the Starr. And I just finished the second season, and not once did I think of Homelander. . That's how good his acting is, he can play such an iconic career defining role as Homelander, but he can still fully disappear into a character like Hood.

[@MrDrezzy007]

Lucas Hood is a more complex character than homelander imo. Best character he ever played.

[@nkkhumalo9693]

Just an Observation has to be one of the best if not the best KZbinr for a deep analysis into tv shows and characters. I wish this man had a podcast.

[@devanman7920]

My God what actor! When you break it down like this is shows how truly stunning Starr is.

[@TheLewinator902]

Everyone is getting The Homelander's psychology wrong: A male Borderline, NOT (technically) a "Narcissistic Psychopath" When discussing Personality Disorders, it's obvious the Homelander has features across the Cluster B spectrum. However he is often described even by even professional writers/critics as just a "Narcissist/Psychopath/Sociopath" which is surprising because no one identifies him as what he most likely is: a very obvious male Borderline (as in, Borderline Personality Disorder), albeit one who happens to have some grandiose and anti-social tendencies as well. There is actually a very easy way to distinguish the three and it changes his motivations massively. The Homelander can not actually subsist on just any form of narcissistic supply (attention from a position of "superiority") as a narcissist can. If he could he would have already enslaved the world or, at the very least, would be content in being feared by those he privately knows. He would also not particularly mind being hated, since this is a form of attention that is closely related to fear and feelings of "omnipresence" (indeed narcissists often self-destructively invite hatred for this very reason). In extreme contrast being widely hated is one of the Homelander's greatest fears and he barely tolerates it even interpersonally. This alone rules him out as a typical psychopath or narcissist IMO (though below the notion will be further debunked). The Homelander is overtly miserable even when being feared or attended to despite his sadistic tendencies. The Homelander's primary motivation instead is to be *unconditionally loved*. This is the defining feature of a borderline, not a narcissist. We see time and again the Homelander seeks to escape his unstable sense of self-worth by basking in the love of others, and he is intensely afraid of and reactive to perceived abandonment (again, a prime feature of the Borderline). He obsesses over his goal of finding love and not simply receiving attention, i.e. he would rather stalk a potential partner or other potential source of unconditional love unnoticed than go out and seek a more material goal (as a pure psychopath may) or narcissistic supply. He desires someone to love him following which he can show them his many vulnerabilities and "fuse" with them in some form. While the narcissist can quietly have a somewhat similar complex with partners in seeking "ideal love" or a "shared fantasy" they would rarely desire the forms of intimacy or displayed vulnerability the Homelander desperately seeks, nor would it be their only means of gaining emotional stability. When the Homelander IS loved he somewhat stabilizes, whereas he remains far more unstable when unloved even when he is receiving plenty of adoration in other forms. When he discovers he is feared and NOT loved he rages as opposed to being comfortable with either dynamic as is the case with psychopaths/narcissists. Further, like many Borderlines, he has overlap with "secondary psychopathy" and appears to be more emotionally unstable/intense than the typical narcissist who despite also being unstable is more emotionless in comparison to the wider range of emotions we see from the Homelander/Borderline. Likewise when with someone he *actually* trusts he seems more capable of empathy than one would expect from the narcissist/psychopath as well. Finally, a common difference between a female and male borderline (to speak in very broad strokes) is that male borderline is more likely to be more "psychopathic" (aggressive, less empathetic and more consciously calculating) while attempting to receive love at all costs. The Homelander perfectly meets all of this criteria. The Homelander as presented so far is a borderline with only two choices: to be loved or to be miserable. If he fails in his first goal he may not really bluffing that he would want to destroy "everyone", he would have nothing to lose and would not be particularly content with simply lording over everyone while being a hated tyrant (unless the writers suddenly change his character, but I find him being a Borderline more rare, interesting, sympathetic and three dimensional than the usual narcissist/psychopath villain).

[@Anyaesenyan]

I absolutely agree. It amazes me when the authors say that he has an empty look behind which there is absolutely nothing. how so? he has a shitload of everything inside, mostly an unconstructive chaotic mess of feelings and fears, but still

[@scoopmaloop3203]

The stereotypical picture of BPD is a woman. I think that causes many people to just not expect a man to have it.

[@mett978]

Anthony Starr's performance is good that I'd probably feel a little afraid if I ever met him in real life

[@idanmorim1946]

This is my favorite KZbin channel.

[@whiterose6635]

Excellent video. I remember when I first watched season 1 actually having a weird nightmare about homelander, because I found him so menacing. His performance is really terrifying. Another actor on the show that I think does an amazing job is chace Crawford as the Deep, who does a great job of performing an emotionally insecure idiot ( which leads to many funny moments, particularly when he is with homelander, as their priorities are aways at odds, but homelander aways has to tolerate/ manage the deep)

[@francescaa8331]

Great breakdown. Starr deserves an Emmy.

[@hitarthk]

I am completely blown away by the quality of this video essay. Keep up the good work!!!

[@franchescadavis4180]

New subscriber. Actor and writer. I watched the Denzel video and now this. This is so enlightening to see as an actor and how these gifted actors truly made the characters THEIRS!!! I love these observations thank you.

[@sayyidf.b.6378]

This was an outstanding video. I would like to see a video from this channel analyzing Soldier Boy and Billie Butcher's acting. Jensen Ackles and Karl Urban make different acting choices, but they both have a commanding presence on screen.

[@hp377]

love this analysis. the whole show is full of great performances, but Starr's Homelander really is something else

[@jackrosevear]

brilliant as always mate - please keep going!

[@ashtonp3151]

Amazing review!! I first saw Antony Starr in Banshee and I always thought he brought a great physicality to that character as well, plus his American accent is perfect and slightly different in both shows. He really lives and breathes the character, such a talent!

[@JLtheactor]

He should at least get an award nomination this year

[@bafumat]

Easily the best superhero/villain performance I've ever seen other than possibly Heath and Joaquin's Jokers. All great for their own reasons. But he has a lot more time in the character.

[@monicamerle1417]

I am worried Antony won't be able to succeed in other roles after The Boys ending because fans seem not to be able to differenciate the actor from this character. I really hope he lands some good parts moving forward, he's really talented but most of us did not know he existed before The Boys

[@THEchiQ]

Aotearoa/NZ makes solid character actors, like Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison, and Robbie Magasiva, and lots of them have the charisma to be leads, like Sam Neill, Karl Urban, and Antony Starr. The trouble is, it can take half a career to be found here. Many of our people hit Hollywood fifteen or twenty years into their careers. Kids like Anna Paquin, KJ Apa, and Amie Donald are the exception, rather than the rule. It’s nice to have a show with two Kiwis though. The Boys feels like it’s ours with two leads from The Great Unmapped.

[@uchihabomber1296]

I seriously don’t understand why this man hasn’t even been nominated for an Emmy his acting on the show is incredible I can’t imagine anyone else being able to convey Homelander this well too

[@gingerkid1048]

I tell this story often because it goes to show how different Antony is between characters. My husband did American Gothic with him & Antony liked hanging out with the crew guys on downtime so they were decently friendly for the 6/8 months of shooting. It was a while later that The Boys season one filmed & Hubby had a gig on another show but took a couple days on it because it was some fun gags with pyro. Yes that’s all it takes to convince him-tell him he can blow things up. But he did other days with Antony as Homelander & never connected it was the same guy he worked with the year before. It wasn’t until we watched season one & hubby looked every one up on IMDB that he clicked he’d worked with him before.

[@MrDawnkeeballs]

What a great character analysis 👍🏼

[@dpi3]

as always an awesome compilation of scenes and another fresh analysis! 👏👏

[@tedtawk2783]

Awesome analysis!!

[@colleenjones8225]

Fantastic analysis of the best part of The Boys.

[@kerrscram]

Fantastic -as usual-he needs to win something-the acting and writing on the Boys is fantastic-thanks again love this channel never miss!!!

[@SensationalBanana]

He is so damned good! Every single time Homelander looks a bit pleased, my brain just goes "... Is it time to panic? Is it???"... And yet he is such an engaging character, he has so much trauma and so many have been so cruel to him. One of TVs best characters and I am glad he is different from the comics!

[@unfiltered8682]

I’ve been waiting for this one ❤

[@IndiConRecs]

I looooooved Banshee. I definitely recommend watching it

[@thepsychofunboyartist]

Dude I've been wanting You to make a video about Starr as Homelander ever since I saw The Boys almost two years ago thank you so much for doing this!

[@donmeza]

Everyone who saw banshee knew he would give a killer performance on this role. Anthony Starr was homelander way before the boys

[@leoca8691]

Supermas was the expectation of a man with power while Homelander is the most realistic representation of a man with power. We guys are really lucky that superpowers dont exist. Btw Anthony is perfect for his role.

[@JohnWall-lj1mx]

Edgy asf and outright untrue homelander was tortured and isolated everyday since he was born for the first 20 years of his life which is why he’s so violent and psychotic most people don’t have childhoods like homelander and wouldn’t be nearly as bad

[@virginiapicker]

Brilliant analysis. 100%.

[@Kel_leSurprise]

Thank you for a wonderful video.

[@silverfilmsofficial]

Great video! I would love to see a comparison between Anthony Starr's performance in Banshee and The Boys. His screen presence is completely different between shows

[@shaunmcewan5940]

A great, perceptive analysis 👍

[@nakulsprakash1640]

Staring him in the eyes is like a wolf growling slightly just enough to show its teeth.

[@commanderkruge]

The man is brilliant in that role. And I agree - his face and all the little ticks and all that. The phrase gets used from time to time, but Homelander indeed is a villain you love to hate. He is despicable and broken to the core (who isn't, in that series - but he's the worst) and yet we as the audience enjoy having him on screen because... Well, the amazing work of Mr. Starr :)

[@c-LAW]

I wonder if Anthony's acting techniques were planted by the director or if he does up and performs without queuing from the director?

[@isittho2401]

Another absolute banger sir!

[@DaenaMichelle]

Who would've known that the true Star was the Anthony Starr we met along the way

[@hopegalaxy]

The Starr is carrying the whole show on his back.

[@MrDrezzy007]

Banshee is criminally underrated.

[@alexcurry7579]

Holy crap i noticed the hang gesture but him touching people at 4:00 is wild it’s honestly scary

[@doingmythinghere9722]

I was wanting for your take on Homelander thank you for this video😊🙏🏻

[@geearssixteen2050]

He’s got that Jim Carey type control of facial expressions

[@AmandaabnamA]

He's a New Zealander? I'm shook!

[@Xehanort10]

11:07 Edgar knew Vought's gonna fall apart with Homelander running it.

[@jennifercatherinekarel8925]

Put into words beautifully

[@mrautismo420]

16:10 Homelander live reaction to that pun

[@julin8597]

I magine having to walk on eggshells around an unpredictably violent machine.

[@jagoaqasha]

i aspire to be an actor like him

[@misstoppin]

Great video essay!

[@eccentricgaming7639]

Great video you should do one of these for Travis Fimmel as Ragnar lothbrok

[@anafofysge]

Great video and amasing análisis

[@luniversdemartinpintal1479]

Jeez, this video is GOOD!!! I just discover you and trust me, i pass all my day on the net and i'm impressed by the quality of that video overall. Nice job! ... and i will try an other one to see if it's that good also! Time well invest! Thx

[@INeatFreak]

Anthony Star is carrying the show, only reason why I keep watching despite the lazy writing in last seasons.

[@leeroy265]

Agreed. The latest season was garbage, my brain switched off at the sub plots. Only really interested when homelander was on screen.

[@INeatFreak]

@@leeroy265 yeah, the quality seem to drop with every season, they're basically stalled the mid episodes and filled with boring drama that nobody cares, only to fast forward the final scene where everybody was interested in seeing. It was really dumb and can't understand the reasoning behind their decision.

[@anieltavares7991]

@@leeroy265yeah I didn’t see it but I’ll agree even tho there are no arguments

[@kingpinpasta2934]

Finally!! Let’s gooooo!!

[@Maidong07]

He needs an Emmy.

[@yonkovon]

i never thought of it like that. looking homelander in the eyes is like looking down the barrel of a loaded gun waiting for it to go off 😮

[@oasisg9]

awesome video! thank you!

[@nicholascostanzo1258]

If it wasn’t for Anthony Starr, this show would’ve withered on the vine.

[@TheQboy200]

I hope he wins an Emmy for his work as Homelander one day. He is leaps and bounds so far ahead of so many actors who portray supper hero villains in movies and television solely based on the layers he has with this facial expressions with the character. Never mind the actual verbal dialogue.

[@alexmusic5013]

It’s not that Homelander is likeable, he isn’t but we still can’t look away like some of the greatest villains. You can be unlikeable yet captivating.

[@anomiceleven]

It is masterful, I think.

[@theorderofthebees7308]

love this channel love your observation . Denzel Washington is an incredible actor

[@Sophist98]

Comment for the algorithm and i love your analysis‘

[@PeterDaley72]

Wow that was fascinating!

[@milenabianca9787]

The fact that nazi Stormfront got to fuck Homelander is the biggest travesty in the whole show

[@damiairis4344]

Anthony Starr would be perfect in a vampire movie.

[@cadillacdeville5828]

That thumbnail though 😮