By Performers frequently mention that portraying an antagonist is more enjoyable than embodying the protagonist, but it’s not common for them to experiment with that notion within the same film. In Predator: Badlands, Elle Fanning has the uncommon chance, as she animates both gregarious, upbeat synth Thia and frigid, company-faithful droid Tessa.
“I portrayed Thia on a daily basis on set. Most of the time, I was her, so Tessa would come and go. It was like, ‘Oh, it’s a Tessa day,’ but I felt more anxious about playing Tessa,” Fanning reflects to GamesRadar+. “Thia, I could completely grasp; Tessa is somewhat more reserved with her feelings and scientific, a little more, in a traditional sense, robotic, due to her background compared to that of her sister. We refer to them as sisters, but they’ve embarked on different paths, and that’s why their characters contrast so significantly.”
Throughout his pursuit, he crosses paths with Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synth who has encountered the Kalisk once earlier – and lost her legs in the ordeal. Initially, Thia’s cheerful demeanor annoys Dek, but when he discovers her extensive knowledge of Genna’s wildlife and plants, he permits her to accompany him as his “tool.”
However, it turns out Thia isn’t the only one after the Kalisk. Her twin Tessa is determined to seize the creature for Weyland-Yutani; a task that unintentionally sends her on an energetic collision course with Dek and her divided sister.
“For me, it was the challenge of wanting to distinguish the two – and I had a soft spot for Tessa. I don’t view her merely as a direct antagonist. You could easily fall into the trap of just depicting the villain. Yet, I also wished to express her humanity, in the manner; she’s working for the corporation and in her perspective, she’s simply attempting to get