David Denman on His Superhero Suit and Season 2 Finale Shockwaves

[Editor’s note: The following includes spoilers for Season 2 of Peacemaker.]

In the second season of the eight-episode HBO Max showPeacemaker, Christopher Smith (John Cena) uncovers a different realm where his father (Robert Patrick) and brother (David Denman) are alive and superheroes, compelling him to confront his past and reassess his own reality. This alternate reality features a grown-up version of Chris’ older brother Keith, whom he unintentionally killed in his own world due to their white supremacist father, as well as a caring father, revealing what their family could have been if they were united.

During this individual interview with the Muara Digital Team, Denman talked about his long-standing friendship with the creatorJames Gunn, how comfortable he felt on set, how much he appreciated the Smith family dynamic, how much freedom they had to play and improvise, getting into superhero condition for the role, how amazing it was to have his own superhero costume, and how he believes fans will respond to the season finale.

David Denman joined ‘Peacemaker’ in Season 2 but has been familiar with creator James Gunn for two decades.

It felt as though I had stepped into a family.

Muara Digital Team: What was it like for you to be part of this world in Season 2 while existing in another realm? Did it feel more manageable because John Cena also went through a similar experience, making it easier to develop that brotherly connection?

DAVID DENMAN: I’ve been acquainted with James [Gunn] for two decades, so there’s a sense of comfort. We collaborated on a film titledBrightburn, which was the evil Superman film, And I knew Jen [Holland], of course, since they are married. And I worked with Freddie [Stroma] ten years ago on a movie called13 Hours. And Steve Agee was presentBrightburnAlso, I’ve known him for the past seven years or so. I knew everyone before I joined, except for Danielle [Brooks] and John. Danielle and I attended the same college, so we connected right away, talking about that. It felt like walking into a family.

Entering the set was very relaxing. I didn’t really feel like an outsider, even though we were working on the other dimension elements.It was a pleasure to work with John. John possesses remarkable talent and is a gentleman and a dedicated professional.He’s incredibly funny and fast-paced. What surprised me was that he had to perform many emotionally intense scenes with me, and he was outstanding in them. I recall taking shots and just sitting there in amazement, thinking, “Wow, I can’t believe what just happened.” I don’t think he’s ever been required to handle the kind of material he’s dealing with in this. It’s very emotional and personal, and he handles it beautifully. It was a pleasure.

Did you have a favorite moment or scene that you both enjoyed this season?

DENMAN: Yeah, but it happened near the end, so I can’t reveal it. My favorite scene in the first five episodes is one of the early ones featuring the three of us with Robert Patrick. We were teasing each other, and he was sharing a story while I was playing with his hair. That was a enjoyable scene to film. We had a great time shooting it.

James Gunn Establishes a Security System on the ‘Peacemaker’ Set to Allow the Cast to Perform

We experiment with things and if they don’t function, we simply avoid using them.

James Gunn entered the DC universe with a Suicide Squadmovie, and then he has his own television show withPeacemaker, and now he’s in charge of the entire DCU. What was it like working with him on this? Even though he was already a filmmaker who had a clear vision of what he wanted, is he even more detailed when it comes to something like this because he needs to understand how every small piece fits into the larger picture of the whole universe?

DENMAN: One might expect there to be a certain level of delicacy, but that’s not the case. He clearly understands where each element belongs since he’s constructing it step by step. However, during filming, we are improvising.He’s improvising with us since he has what we refer to as a God mic. It includes a speaker that allows the entire cast and crew to hear while we are filming.So he’ll say, “Hey, try saying this instead,” or he’ll be laughing at different takes. Working like this is really enjoyable. That’s not always how it goes. James often mentions that there’s a third part to writing a script, which happens when we arrive on set and make changes. He provides a safety net that allows all of us to fail as artists. We experiment, and if something doesn’t work, we simply discard it and try something else that does. There’s a lot of freedom in that approach. It’s quite open. He’s very precise. He has a clear idea of what he likes and wants, and he’s excellent at conveying that. That’s exactly what an actor can ever hope for—someone who can do that. Knowing him and having known him for so long, I wasn’t really intimidated by the moment, which was pleasant.

You mentioned that you felt you needed to get in shape before starting this series, but even after working out a lot and feeling like you’re in the best shape possible, is it still challenging to be on set with John Cena and perform scenes with him? How do you keep up with him?

DENMAN: Absolutely. It’s not possible. I had to train. I trained six days a week, six hours each day, and stopped eating anything I truly liked. Plus, John Cena’s biceps are as big as my thighs. He’s a very large person.The final activity we undertook was recording the dance scene., and at the end of the dance sequence, I had to essentially reverse spoon John right at the end. His waist is extremely large. He is a very well-built man. There was nothing I could do to match that. Fortunately, I have a few inches on him, but that’s about all I could manage. They provided me with a suit to conceal all those muscles, so it was fine.

David Denman Was Thrilled to Obtain His ‘Peacemaker’ Superhero Costume

It was the realization of every childhood dream.

What was it like to view the outfit you would be wearing?

DENMAN: That was amazing. I did four or five camera tests with it because they had to construct it around me. Plus, I was losing weight simultaneously. I only had roughly 12 weeks to reach my desired weight, and they had to create the suit. I kept saying, “Okay, it might need to be adjusted a bit here, just keep that in mind.” They have an incredible costume designer, so everything worked out beautifully. It was like making a childhood dream a reality.

What do you believe fans will feel about the final episode of the season?

DENMAN: Holy cow! I believe audiences will be amazed by the conclusion. It’s an extraordinary experience. I thinksupporters will be completely delightedand blown away.

Peacemaker Now available to stream on HBO Max. Watch the Season 2 trailer: