‘Secret Invasion’: Kingsley Ben-Adir Compares Gravik to a Cult Leader

We’re just days away from the release of Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated spy/espionage thriller, Secret Invasion, which sees Samuel L. Jackson reprise the role of Nick Fury as he returns to Earth to confront the threat of a rebel band of Skrulls who have infiltrated the positions of power across the planet.

In Secret Invasion, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will introduce a diverse range of Skrull characters who operate covertly, exerting their influence over current world events. At the forefront is Gravik, portrayed by Kingsley Ben-Adir, who leads a secretive cabal of Skrulls. Breaking away from the shadow of Talos, portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn, Gravik’s rebels pose a significant challenge to both Nick Fury and humanity’s leaders. Despite their relatively small numbers, this fierce army possesses the uncanny ability to assume the identity of anyone, enabling them to seamlessly infiltrate influential positions and reshape the planet’s narrative, all while remaining hidden from detection.

Adding another layer of complexity to the situation is Emilia Clarke‘s character, G’iah, who portrays Talos’ daughter. G’iah harbors resentment toward both Fury and her own father for their failure to secure a new home for the Skrulls, a promise that she believes has been broken over decades. With her involvement, the already intricate web of loyalties and motivations becomes even more convoluted, as G’iah’s presence further complicates the dynamics between the Skrulls, Fury, and the broader narrative of the Secret Invasion.

RELATED: Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Disney+ Series Adds Kingsley Ben-Adir as Villain

Cup of Tea and A Million Sugars, Please.

Speaking to Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, Ben-Adir has been talking about the process he underwent to get into the headspace of Gravik, a man so concerned with getting what he wants that he doesn’t care how he gets it, or who he brings along for the ride. The actor confessed it had troubled him to look into the behaviour of cult leaders through the past for inspiration, but admitted it was an entirely effective approach.

“Well, what was dark was looking at all of those cult leaders over the last 20 years, and looking at their behavior and looking at what they were able to do and how convincing they were able to be, but actually what was going on underneath,” said Ben-Adir. “And there are some crazy documentaries out there, and you go, “Oh, these people are real!” And so yeah, it was kind of just about coming to the decision to go, “Oh, what would happen if he really trusts no one? Not a little bit. Not like kind of half a glimpse. No one.” What if, imaginatively, if you really got your kicks out of – that’s what made it interesting for me.

Perri also noted, when we’re first introduced to Gravik in the series, there’s an almost comedic element to his first appearance where he enjoys a cup of very sweet tea, which is made all the more unsettling by his behaviour as the series is ongoing. Who knew a cup of tea could provide such menace in its drinking?

I didn’t know that was gonna be the first scene. It’s funny, in the MCU they shift things around sometimes. So I was like, “Oh, that’s interesting!” That wasn’t originally what the first scene was. The first scene was something else that is here and there, so you go, “Oh, that’s an interesting edit move.”

Secret Invasion sneaks onto Disney+ on June 21. Catch the full interview below: