Why Derek From Hawkeye Looks So Familiar

Contains mild spoilers for "Hawkeye" Episode 1

"Hawkeye," the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe show on Disney+, is exactly what it says on the tin — in fact, doubly so. The backbone of the miniseries is the peculiar combo of mentor-mentee relationship and classic buddy cop chemistry between Clint "Hawkeye" Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate "Presumably soon-to-be Hawkeye" Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), but the two archers with a penchant for the color purple are ultimately just a part of the show's attraction. From set designers to supporting characters, it's clear that everyone's pulling their weight here.

Speaking of supporting characters, since Kate is the new player here, it's only natural that most new characters are introduced through her storylines. Arguably, the most formative one of these new faces is Derek Bishop — Kate's wealthy father, who offers her some sage advice in the very first episode. Incidentally, he also looks pretty familiar, doesn't he? Here's where you might have seen the actor before. 

If you're a musical enthusiast, you're virtually guaranteed to recognize Brian d'Arcy James, a bona fide Broadway star with three Tony award nominations under his belt (via Broadway World). Though he's also an accomplished screen actor, it's only natural that any quick and to the point introduction to his work includes an enthusiastic nod toward his stellar stage work.

Enter, then, the 2013 film version of "Shrek the Musical." The movie version of the hit musical is essentially the musical itself, filmed with 10 cameras and starring the original cast (per Playbill). James, of course, plays none other than Shrek himself, which technically makes him the first person to play the character in a live-action movie. 

In an interview with Broadway.com, James elaborated on the challenges on having to wear an incredibly hot costume to play the bulky character, and how the role required him to stay fit. "To be honest, I never expected it to be that challenging, but once you put this thing on and run around for two hours, it's a real wake-up call," he said. "Just because Shrek is a big oaf doesn't mean that I can be as well. There can't be a Shrek underneath the Shrek." 

If you're looking for range from your favorite actors, consider the fact that the same man who rocked the Broadway stage in a massive Shrek costume is also perfectly capable of delivering an awesome, nuanced performance in a critical darling movie that features an all-star cast of absolute acting legends. In 2015, Brian d'Arcy James did precisely that in "Spotlight," the highly acclaimed (via Rotten Tomatoes) biographical drama from director Tom McCarthy.

"Spotlight" tells the story of The Boston Globe's crack team of investigative journalists, who are at the brink of exposing a massive scandal within the Catholic Church. James' character is the real-life journalist Matt Carroll, who's one quarter of a team that consists of fellow journalism legends, played by acting heavyweights Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams ... and that's not even going into the supporting characters, many of whom are played by equally well-known names.

Fully aware of the name recognition of his co-stars, James told Vulture that he was mainly drawn in by McCarthy's involvement and the excellent script ... and was thoroughly flabberghasted to find out about the sheer depth of talent that had also answered the call. "I think I knew when I auditioned that Mark and Michael were involved, but by the time I got the part I'd heard that Rachel and Liev and [John] Slattery and James Sheridan and Stanley Tucci, all these names were attached to the film," James laughed. "I couldn't quite believe it, based on the nature of the role I was going to play, which was one of this quartet of reporters."

From 2017 to 2018, Brian d'Arcy James portrayed Andy Baker in the Netflix drama "13 Reasons Why." The series focuses on the aftermath of the suicide of a teenage girl called Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), who leaves behind a series of tapes detailing her motives ... and the people behind said motives. 

James' character is the loving, yet work-oriented father of Hannah, who struggles to come to terms with the situation, sues Hannah's school with his wife, Olivia (Kate Walsh), and ultimately, their lives unravel as certain imperfections unfold. However, the same certainly didn't apply to the actors themselves, who worked very well together. 

"I adore Kate and I think she's remarkable," James told BriefTake ahead of the show's Season 2 in 2018. "The time we spent creating that relationship and working on that relationship, from an actor's point of view, and trying to get all the nooks and crannies of a marriage in crisis and trauma, it felt really good to come back to that relationship and that dynamic."

Interestingly, both Walsh and James went on to join superhero franchises. James, of course, appears in "Hawkeye," while Walsh plays the central antagonist, The Handler, in Netflix's "The Umbrella Academy."  

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