Why Blackguard From The Suicide Squad Looks So Familiar
James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" has given the titular villain team a fresh coat of paint, re-energizing some old characters and introducing new ones for extra oomph. The soft reboot of David Ayer's "Suicide Squad" boasts many notable characters, from franchise stalwarts like Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) to newcomers such as Peacemaker (John Cena). However, among the rogues' gallery of colorful villains is Blackguard. He might not be the most significant character in "The Suicide Squad," but he does feature in a viscerally memorable sequence that will blow your face off.
Blackguard, otherwise known as Richard Hertz, isn't among the DC Comics library's more popular characters. That said, he does have a longstanding history in the pages of the publisher's stories. Debuting in 1986, Blackguard is a common street thug who ends up being recruited by The One-Thousand, a villainous organization that wreaks havoc in Metropolis. He's a C-list villain for the most part, though he has featured in several "Suicide Squad" comics throughout the years.
Blackguard's part in "The Suicide Squad" might be small in the grand scheme of things, but the resume of the actor who plays him is stacked with film and television projects that you're most definitely familiar with. Let's dive in.
Pete Davidson is a Saturday Night Live mainstay
Pete Davidson's mainstream acting career can be traced back to 2013, the same year that he showed up in an episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." However, he didn't gain regular exposure until he joined "Saturday Night Live" in 2014, becoming the youngest cast member in the late-night show's history at the time (per The A.V. Club).
The comic has graced "SNL" with several memorable performances throughout the years, appearing in segments alongside A-list celebrities such as Dwayne Johnson, Jennifer Lopez, and Adam Driver (according to Screen Rant). While his role in the show might not be as prolific as some of his co-stars, he has become a fan-favorite due to his regular appearances in the tabloids and sympathetic real-life story.
Davidson has also been at the center of some of "SNL's" biggest controversies in recent memory, including a segment that saw him poke fun at the Republican politician Dan Crenshaw (per CNN). Davidson received backlash for downplaying Crenshaw's military service, but the pair managed to put their differences aside and star in an "SNL" segment together afterward.
Pete Davidson played a record company executive in The Dirt
From "Bohemian Rhapsody" to "Rocketman," movies about rock stars have enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent times. Pete Davidson has contributed to the genre in his own way, courtesy of a supporting role in Netflix's Motley Crue biopic, "The Dirt." In this one, he plays record company executive Tom Zutaut, the man who signs the band and helps them achieve superstardom. The character is based on a real-life figure of the same name who worked with the metal band in the past, but Davidson makes the role his own.
"The Dirt" sees Davidson portraying a nerdy straight-faced character in a movie that's full of debauchery and chaos. Furthermore, the real Zutaut even praised his performance. In an interview with Billboard, the executive revealed that Davidson's portrayal of him led to some renewed interest in his own career. "People want to get to know me," Zutaut noted. "They want more stories and all that stuff."
Big Time Adolescence sees Pete Davidson playing up to his bad-boy image
Pete Davidson's early years as an actor mainly consisted of supporting roles in comedies, but "Big Time Adolescence" showed what he could do when entrusted with a meatier part. It's also a movie that allowed him to play to his strengths as a bad boy after years of the media portraying him as such. Inspired by filmmaker Jason Orley's personal experiences growing up idolizing questionable people, "Big Time Adolescence" sees the "Saturday Night Live" star play Zeke, a tattooed self-destructing slacker and drug dealer who takes an impressionable teenage boy under his wing.
Despite his character's less redeeming qualities, Davidson's performance received widespread praise. According to Rotten Tomatoes, he's part of a "smartly assembled ensemble" that makes "Big Time Adolescence" stand out as a refreshing change of pace to a coming-of-age flick. The movie doesn't rip up the rulebook for films of this ilk by any means, but it's edgier than your average run-of-the-mill teenage dramedy.
The King of Staten Island gave Pete Davidson his first major starring role
As Republic World documents, Pete Davidson's turbulent personal life and tragedies have been well-publicized. On top of his mental health struggles and addiction issues, he lost his firefighter father during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Instead of shying away from these negative emotions and memories, however, he turned to them to inform the story of "The King of Staten Island," a semi-autobiographical movie that saw the actor take center stage in his first significant starring role.
Co-written by Judd Apatow and Davidson (along with former "SNL" scribe Dave Sirus), the Apatow-directed film is a slice-of-life dramedy about a directionless twenty-something named Scott Carlin who still lives at home, spending his days getting high and mourning the loss of his father. Davidson gives a nuanced performance that shows there's more to his arsenal than being a jokester, and the weighty material is an admirable testament to the actor's willingness to confront his personal demons upfront.