Five years after its debut,The Boyscontinues to be Prime Video’s superhero smash hit, with its fourth season going on to soar to the top ofstreaming number viewership records. Viewer anticipation for the show’s colorfully chaotic cast is at an all-time high, as to me, Antony Starr has become as synonymous withTheBoysas Homelander is to milk. But because ofBanshee, it didn’t surprise me to know thatfan reactions to Starr’s season 4 performanceremain strong.
However, Starr is no stranger to commanding the screen through morally complex characters, and I got a glimpse of this six years before the release ofThe Boys, inBanshee. In this show, Starr was able to showcase his now-signature ability to portray characters who are both likable and criminal — paving the way for all the ingredients behind his strong characterization of Homelander.
Themes Of Identity Come Into Focus
InBanshee’s three-year run from 2013 to 2016, prior to the actor joiningThe Boyscast, Starr took on the lead role of an ex-con who assumes the identity of a murdered sheriff named Lucas Hood to flee his pursuers. In doing so, he works to achieve a balance between Hood and his own criminal activities. It’s this struggle for identity where I see the seeds of Homelander being firmly planted six years after Hood’s introduction — inplaying both dynamics of the law against one anotherin cop and criminal respectively.
Antony Starr Has Blunt Words For The Boys Fans Who Idolize Homelander
The Boys Homelander actor Antony Starr responds to a portion of his fanbase that idolizes the Seven villain, saying, “You are missing the point.”
I got a firsthand perspective of how invested Starr’s unnamed ex-con becomes in working as an officer of the law and how his understanding of justice plays out. This was made clear inBanshee’s final season as Hood worked to take down the serial killer responsible for a slew of murders, including his friend Rebecca’s. While Starr works to catch the killer, his angle is one rooted in brutal revenge, which is wherethe portrayal of Hood blurs the ethical linesintended to separate cops and criminals.
Starr’s Lucus Hood Is The Perfect Anti-Hero
Shades of Gray Replace Good and Evil
Starr’s introduction as an unnamed ex-con inBansheemade it difficult for me to truly define Hood’s moral compass. While he had a reputation for being a thief, he was a loving father to his daughter Deva. His criminal past left him with little inhibitions when it came to breaking the law, but this helped Hood as a sheriff, ashe wasn’t held back by a heroic code when working to achieve justice. It’s this flawed sense of justice that demonstrated Hood was able to go where others on his team wouldn’t — epitomizing thinking like a criminal to catch one.
Antony Starr showcased that he knew how to toy with my traditional notions of good and evil.
InBanshee, by playing a criminal masquerading as a sheriff who steadily redeems his criminal past by leaning into it, Antony Starr showcased that he knew how to toy with my traditional notions of good and evil. Starr works to endear himself to audiences, showcasing his ability to berelatable and likable enough for me to remain engaged with him as he disregards heroic ethics. As Homelander inThe Boys, Starr’s mastery of this is on full display as he repels me from his character, all while keeping me clamoring for more of his unique brand of chaos.
