John Wick 4: Bill Skarsgard Loved Crafting The Marquis' Villainous Traits Himself
"John Wick: Chapter 4" checks in with legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) on his ongoing quest to seek revenge against the High Table, the council of crime lords who rule the criminal underworld — but first, he must face off against a new enemy.
While the film sees many of the cast members from the previous films return — such as Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and the late Lance Reddick — there are also a few new faces who play vital roles. One of those newcomers is Bill Skarsgård, who plays the Marquis Vincent de Gramont, a high-ranking member of the High Table who goes up against John Wick.
Not much is revealed about the mysterious Marquis — which just so happens to have been one of the draws for Skarsgård when he was considering taking on the role. In an interview with Moviefone, the actor explained, "They don't go into any details of who this guy really is or where he comes from. He just appears in the movie. ... I just wanted to play him because there's no real backstory and I can invent whatever I want with it."
Skarsgård came up with the whole backstory for the Marquis
Bill Skarsgård wasn't given any information about the backstory of the Marquis Vincent de Gramont — but instead of finding that lack of information frustrating as an actor, he reveled in it. Explaining why he took on the role, Skarsgård said that he liked the script and director Chad Stahelski from the get-go, as well as the idea of playing a role that seemed to be intended for an older actor. And above all, he was ecstatic to get the chance to come up with his character's history.
Revealing what he came up with for the Marquis, Skarsgård said, "I had a bunch of ideas going into who he is and there's quirkiness, strangeness and delicious sinister moments. I was like, 'Okay, he's in Paris. He's called the Marquis Vincent de Gramont. Is he French or is he from a French colony somewhere?' I mean, I just went with it and created."
"Chapter 4" also gave him the opportunity to work alongside an actor he truly admires: Keanu Reeves. Skarsgård told Moviefone, "I've been a fan of his since I was eight when the first 'Matrix' came out. It was truly an honor to be a part of his movie and his franchise, and he couldn't be a nicer guy. It was surreal acting opposite him, but just the nicest, sweetest guy and such a hard worker, and a genuinely caring actor, and a caring individual. It was just a treat."
"John Wick: Chapter 4" is currently playing in theaters.