The cast of The Old Guard 2 addressed how their characters have evolved since the first film. Netflix's highly anticipated sequel stars Charlize Theron (who also played Clea in the MCU) as Andy. Her world is turned upside down by the return of her close friend Quynh, played by Veronica Ngo, an immortal who has been tortured underwater for centuries. To make matters worse, the arrival of Uma Thurman's Discord threatens to end the existence of all immortals entirely.
In an exclusive interview with The Direct's Russ Milheim, The Old Guard cast discussed what changes audiences can expect from their characters in this new installment.
Chiwetel Ejiofor played Copley in the original movie, a former CIA operative now firmly aligned with the immortals he was once trying to capture. The actor revealed to The Direct that he "like[s] stepping back into characters," describing how "it's more dangerous for [Copley]" this time around, since he's getting used to hanging around a group who are nearly all immortal.
Marwan Kenzari, who brings Joe to life, teased how the sequel "puts his relationship with Nicky on a fragile platform," as the filmmakers wanted to ask one key question: "Could they separate from each other?"
For Kiki Layne, it was "a lot of fun just being able to do bigger action moments" with Nile, who is feeling more comfortable with her position in The Old Guard 2. The actor even admitted to being able to "[push themselves] physically" alongside "bringing [their] own personal growth" to the character.
Henry Golding plays Tuah, a new character who the actor revealed has "really taken it upon himself as being one of the older immortals of existence to try to answer those questions" about where they all came from. While used to being on his own, Theron's Andy brings him into the group, where "there's a bit of tepidation in whether or not he's going to be welcomed."
The Old Guard 2 streams on Netflix starting on July 2, 2025.
Chiwetel Ejiofor on Copley's New Standing in The Old Guard 2
Copley Might Be Spending Too Much Time With the Immortals
While giving a glimpse into how his character Copley has evolved in The Old Guard 2, star Chiwetel Ejiofor told The Direct that this time around, Copley might need someone to tap his shoulder to remind him that he isn't immortal like the company around him:
Chiwetel Ejiofor: [Copley] gets stuck in, you know, he needs a tap on the shoulder and somebody to tell him that he's not immortal as well. These guys are rubbing up on him a little bit. And he's a bit, he's into the rough and tumble in the field. So it's fun to play.
Ejiofor went deeper into being able to do more action sequences this time around and what that was like:
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Fantastic... I love doing action sequences, and so I had always—Copley was always a bit on the side of the action, a little bit in the first one. And so I was, when I was turning those pages, I was very excited. I think it's great that he gets a chance to serve, to kind of get in there, and it's, you know, again, it shows a different side of him.
It shows that, and I think that he is, even though it's dangerous, it's more dangerous for him in some ways, not being an immortal. He just shows that this is a place that he, it's with this group of people, that he really feels, that he has this real sense of belonging, and it's brought him out of this kind of, you know, the malaise, really, that we found him in the first film.
The actor noted that when it comes to returning to his past roles, "Stepping back into characters" is something he "love[s]" doing:
Ejiofor: I love doing that. I mean, I like stepping back into characters, you know, because it gives you an opportunity to not only sort of try on an old suit, but it's also, you can add things to a character. You understand over the time period... the character deeper. You understand their backstory deeper. It's a rich experience.
Henry Golding on Tuah's Introduction in The Old Guard 2
Tuah Is Hoping to Answer a Big Question About the Immortals
Henry Golding plays Tuah in The Old Guard 2, an immortal older than even Charlize Theron's Andy, one who has made it his mission to safeguard knowledge about all immortals throughout time.
Golding explained to The Direct what his character brings to the table in the sequel, teasing his role of working to explain the origin and lore behind all immortals:
Henry Golding: I think what people were left asking after watching the first film was like, what is the story with the immortals? Where did they originate from? What is the reason why they exist? And these are some of the questions that Tuah has been mulling on for the past, sort of millennial odd. So he's really taken it upon himself as being one of the older immortals of existence to try to answer those questions.
And the only person that really knows that he sort of exists is Andy. And so he comes out during a really critical point in which you know the immortals existence is at risk, and to give as much sort of information as possible.
So, he's navigating this reality of not being this solo character anymore and being integrated into this group, this family, and I think there's a bit of trepidation in whether or not he's going to be welcomed, or whether or not he's going to get along with everybody, but I think he finds his place, and he finds his use, because everybody has such a strong usefulness within the group. So, I think his fears really are if he can be a part of it.
Golding also commented on what it was like coming onto a set filled with an established world, cast, and dynamic, something that can often be "very scary:"
Henry Golding: It can obviously be very scary coming into a set where everybody's already established, the friendships have already been cemented. But there was nothing that stood in the way of them welcoming me so open-armedly.
Marwan Kenzari on Conflict Within Joe & Nicky's Love Story
"Could They Separate From Each Other?"
Speaking to the Direct, The Old Guard 2's Marwan Kenzari talked about how this second film sees Joe's tendency to want to "keep the wolf pack together" lead to him making "some good movies, or not so good movies," something "puts his relationship with Nicky on a fragile platform."
Additionally, Kenzari commented on how the fan-favorite romance between Joe and Nicky will grow and evolve in the upcoming sequel:
Marwan Kenzari: In their first movie, obviously the emphasis was on how symbiotic and how passionate they loved each other. I think the other side of the coin, I guess, for the second one, would be to tease or to flirt with the idea [of] could these two also be in a heated argument, or in a situation where they would you know, where you would even think, could they separate from each other?
Or how would it look like if one would not be immortal... It's stuff like that, that sort of we would play around with and try to, in an improvisation, try to get to it, to a conflict, instead of to, hey, I love you, yeah, we're so happy... That's the other the other part, or the other side of the coin that we sort of tried to flirt with.
Kiki Layne on Immortality & Niles' Growth
"It Was a Lot of Fun Just Being Able to Do Bigger Action Moments..."
When asked by The Direct how Nile has evolved in The Old Guard 2, Kiki Layne quickly pointed out that her character now has a signature weapon, much like Charlize Theron's Andy.
Though that's not all she had to say. Layne further talked about how Nile has grown significantly since the first film, where she was the fish out of water and no longer is:
Kiki Layne: I mean, it was a lot of fun just being able to do bigger action moments, really get into stunt work, pushing myself physically even more than I did on the first film... [and] bringing my own personal growth. You know, we shot the first film in 2019 came back to do this in 2022, so when we came back to do the second film, I was in my 30s now, like, you get to bring the things that you're actually experiencing in life and dig even deeper into the character and, yeah, that was fun. That was really nice.
When asked if she feels something like immortality is a privilege or a cause, Layne had plenty to say regarding the complicated realities of such a proposition:
Layne: I think it's a little bit of both. I think it comes with a lot of really great things in terms of how you can use it, which I think, especially in the first film, you see the team wrestling with, what is, you know, their purpose. And that's a big question that Nile keeps bringing up, what is the purpose of this?
And then at the same time, you see some of the things that can really hurt about it. You know, as Booker expresses to Nile at some point that he had to watch one of his children die, and there was nothing he could do about it. And we hear these characters talk about all of the people, their family, friends, loved ones that are no longer with them, and they just keep going.
So, I think it's a little bit of both, and I think that's one of the special things that both films really explore. And kind of leaves it with the audience, you know, to really with everything that we're giving, kind of puts it in your hands of, you know, how would you carry that? Would it be a gift for you, or would it be a curse?
The entire video interview can be seen below:
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Make sure to check out more of The Direct's interviews here.
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