The Secretive And Physically Demanding Audition For Predator: Badlands

Auditioning for a film role isn't always about standing in front of a casting director and reading some lines. There have been some truly bizarre movie auditions that have sprung to light over the past few years, but none of them hold a candle to what the actor behind Dek from "Predator: Badlands" had to do to land his role. You can check out Looper's video above to learn more about the process, which illuminates just how dedicated Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi is to the craft. 

For starters, the actor didn't even know what movie he was trying out for. That was probably a tip-off that it was for some major franchise, but the only information Schuster-Koloamatangi had was that it was for "a creature." As part of this, he needed to read his lines once in English and once in his own made-up language. It makes sense for this particular movie since Dek is a Yautja who speaks an alien language to Thia (Elle Fanning) throughout the entire runtime.

Figuring out how to read a particular set of lines is one thing, but it's another to be told to say them in something you made up on the spot. Schuster-Koloamatangi drew upon his heritage for that part of the audition. The New Zealand actor has both Samoan and Tongan ancestry, so when it came time to create an alien language, he drew upon both Polynesian languages to create something all his own. "I was freestyling, really," he told Men's Health.

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi must have impressed during his initial audition since he made it to the next round, but he was no longer just giving line readings: He had to complete an obstacle course in the style of "American Ninja Warrior." "Predator: Badlands" director Dan Trachtenberg would later sing Schuster-Koloamatangi's praises to Men's Health for handling the course like a champ: "The swashbuckle he brought to all the sliding, jumping, leaping, and weapon work was even cooler than the stuntmen," he said. "Dimitrius had a special physicality."

It's worth mentioning that at this point, Schuster-Koloamatangi still didn't really know what the gig was for. He found out it was going to be directed by Trachtenberg, and the fact he had previously done "Prey" likely hinted it was for a "Predator" project. That's precisely what it was, but the actor's training was far from over once he landed the part. He had to undergo sword training since Dek frequently uses a bladed weapon throughout the film. There was also the fact that Dek frequently carries half of Thia's body. Elle Fanning would later speak about a contraption the crew came up with that was like a wheelbarrow, so Schuster-Koloamatangi had to carry her up hills. The wheels must've helped, but still, that doesn't sound particularly easy. 

The results speak for themselves, and it's clear Schuster-Koloamatangi was the absolute best performer to embody Dek. Given the ending of "Predator: Badlands," there's a good chance we'll see Dek again in the future. At least he won't have to audition again if a "Predator: Badlands" sequel comes to fruition, because the whole process sounds grueling. For a detailed breakdown of everything he had to do to land the role of Dek, check out Looper's video above.