Chace Crawford attends the Los Angeles finale premiere for Hulu’s “Pam & Tommy” at The Greek Theatre on March 08, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
In a new feature with GQ, the cast of Amazon Prime's The Boys gathered together to dish about our favorite disheveled supes we love to hate on the series, which returns this week for season 3.
Constantly making fun of pop culture and superheroes, The Boys isn't afraid to call out our classic superheroes like Superman (Homelander), The Flash (A-Train), Wonder Woman (Queen Maeve) and Aquaman (The Deep). Chace Crawford plays The Deep, a character who was a former member of The Seven and the Church of the Collective. The Deep can breathe underwater and communicate with sea creatures. “Occasionally on Instagram I'll get a, ‘F--- you, fish guy. You think it's funny to make fun of Aquaman?’” Crawford said. “I'm like, perfect. That's exactly what I want."
The show’s newest superhero, Soldier Boy - an obvious parody of Captain America - is an throwback to the fantasy of an idealized past—a beloved, humble American hero who killed dozens of German soldiers in World War II, then refused the honor of his own national holiday, insisting the date should be used to honor all superheroes instead.
Homelander, played by Anthony Starr, is the superpowered sociopath who serves as the dark heart of The Boys -- even his fellow superheroes are afraid of him. “He can literally fly away from his problems, or laser them away,” Starr said of his character. “And it's a complete curse, because ultimately [facing your problems] is what forges character.”
If Homelander has a Kryptonite, it’s his aching, insatiable need to be loved. Starr was partially drawn to the role because he saw a chance to play a character so fundamentally damaged that redemption is impossible. Homelander started off very bad in the series and has gotten exponentially worse.
The Boys season 3 premieres tomorrow, June 3 with the first three episodes.
