Our X-Men 3 special is approaching its end, with three more cast members plus director Brett Ratner left to go. Today’s installment features Kelsey Grammer, the american actor of Cheers and Frasier fame. Grammer took up the role of Dr. Hank McCoy, who carries the mutant name Beast. Beast is the most prominent addition to the cast of X-Men and works as the Secretery of Mutant Affairs, giving the mutant population a voice in the government. Kelsey Grammer has won four Emmys and is the first actor in tv history to receive multiple nominations for playing the same role (Dr. Frasier Crane) on three different shows (Cheers, Wings, Frasier).

Kelsey Grammer (Hank McCoy/Beast)

…on the challenge of playing Dr. Hank McCoy
When I signed on for the job I realized that I would be doing my first full prosthetic foray and I must say I have mixed emotions about it. It’s okay and very effective in terms of playing the character but it’s a little bit stilting at the same time though. You have to work a little bit harder to get that mask to take on your energy. On the plus side your intellect will always shine through the eyes and these are my eyes and they’re not covered.

…on the subjects X-Men 3 touches upon
I like the idea in terms of the X-Men movies is that they’re about people feeling like they’re outsiders. We’ve all felt that way. They also have heart. The films aren’t about anything unless they have heart, and that’s what I like about the X-Men, they care about each other.

…on the story
It revolves around this new information, or [more precisely] a new drug that’s been distilled from this young boy that was born with a particular mutant gene that diffuses mutancy in others. They’ve harvested this quality or property from him and they’ve managed to get it into a delivery system so that the mutants can actually be turned back to what you would call normal people- human beings, homo sapiens not homo super sapiens. Briefly that’s the story and then the two sides align on that issue, one that’s very, very radical and extremist and willing to fight and die for it and to destroy the rest of the world.

…on his role
Beast is Doctor Hank McCoy, Secretary of Mutant Affairs and he ends up remaining Secretary of Mutant Affairs as I know it now, but at some point he discovers that it is important to him in this situation to stand shoulder to shoulder with those of his kind and fight for a principal.

…on the conflict with the cure
Hank being so extremely mutated, being so not human is particularly conflicted about what it might be like to have a moment as a regular guy, and then he realizes of course that it’s not his destiny. True bravery means seizing your fate and trying to do the world some good anyway.

We’ll have our final three installments with James Marsden (Cyclops), Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and director Brett Ratner talking about X-Men 3 in the next three days, check back daily so as not to miss them!

Official film synopsis: In X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, the final chapter in the “X-Men” motion picture trilogy, a “cure” for mutancy threatens to alter the course of history. For the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them, or give up their powers and become human. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who preaches tolerance, and Magneto, who believes in the survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test - triggering the war to end all wars.

Posted by Tai in Commentary, Movies • Add to del.icio.us Add to Digg