Peter Gadiot said that his “Supergirl” version of Mr. Mxyzptlk is not too different from the comics, but the actor pointed out that it does have one major change.
“Traditionally he’s like four-foot-tall, balding old man type. I have a full head of hair. So he’s different that way,” Gadiot told The Hollywood Reporter with a laugh.
When asked why the show didn’t go for an imp-looking Mr. Mxyzptlk on the CW series, the “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” alum said: “[Executive producers] Greg [Berlanti], Ali [Adler] and Andrew [Kreisberg] very much wanted to have a look that wasn’t funny. They wanted him to appear normal and almost like a legitimate potential suitor for Kara (Melissa Benoist) as opposed to a wacky appearance.”
Although “Supergirl’s” version of Mr. Mxyzptlk looks different, Gadiot said that the character’s personality is similar to the comics. “They very much keep the essence true in that he’s a devious, playful … and he still has that cheeky, naughty quality of creating havoc but not in an evil way,” the 31-year-old actor explained. “He has the ability to morph and change. … The essence is the same but the appearance is a new take.”
Gadiot made his debut appearance as Mr. Mxyzptlk at the end of last Monday’s episode, in which he literally popped up in front of Kara and Mon-El (Chris Wood) and professed his love for the Kryptonian right on the spot. According to the synopsis for Season 2, episode 13, Kara thinks that Mr. Mxyzptlk is harmless, but when he starts wrecking havoc in National City, the Girl of Steel teams up with Mon-El to get rid of him.
In the comics, Mr. Mxyzptlk is from the Fifth Dimension, and he can only be made to return to the said inter-dimensional reality when he’s tricked into saying his own name backwards. While it’s unclear whether Kara and Mon-El will do the same trick on the show to get rid of the magical prankster, Gadiot confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the only way to beat Mr. Mxyzptlk is to out trick him.
“He’s very, very formidable because he can’t really be defeated,” Gadiot said of his character. “You can’t kill him or banish him. … Really the only way to beat him is to out trick him. You have to be crafty and essentially play his game. If you don’t play his game, then you’re going to lose.”
“Supergirl’ Season 2, episode 13, titled “Mr. & Mrs. Mxyzptlk,” airs on Monday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.
Peter Gadiot revealed the only way Kara (Melissa Benoist) and Mon-El (Chris Wood) can beat Mr. Mxyzptlk in Season 2, episode 13 of “Supergirl.” Pictured: Gadiot poses at a cocktail party hosted by Vanity Fair and Spike TV to celebrate Spike’s new event series “Tut,” at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California on July 8, 2015. Photo: Reuters/Danny Moloshok
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