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| Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman |
The other title character to be cast was, of
course, the Huntsman: Eric, a hunter who knows the Enchanted and Dark Forests
like the back of his hands. Not only did
the Huntsman once have respect for the animals he tracked, he also still has
the ability to think like one. But after
his wife, Zara, died, Eric found his only comfort as a mercenary and a drunk. Now, the Huntsman has been tasked to follow
Snow White into the forest and return her to Ravenna, who needs to consume her
heart. But when Eric discovers the
treachery of the Queen, he channels his rage into training a young woman who is
determined to end what Ravenna began.
Eric begins to see in Snow White an end to the darkness and to believe
that the king’s standard could fly again.
Initially
conceived as a character much older than Snow White, the Huntsman morphed
during the screenplay’s development.
Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth,
was courted for the part after the filmmakers watched him in his
career-defining role as the Nordic god of war.
His charisma and on-screen presence convinced them that he could embody
the tortured former soldier who finds salvation in a young woman called Snow
White.
With his attitude, humor, intensity and physical
presence, Hemsworth proved he could bring life to the character and serve as
the ideal balance between Stewart and Theron.
Shares Mercer of their choice: “We
spent a fair amount of time exploring who should be the Huntsman and how to
round out the triangle. Through the
evolution of talking to many actors and getting their takes on it, we
discovered Chris. He is becoming a huge
star, and we knew we had to have him.”
Hemsworth’s first day on set was one of the most
intimidating of the shoot: his big scene with Theron in which the Queen
dispatches the Huntsman. Producer Joe Roth knew that Hemsworth was up for
the challenge of matching wits with the Oscar® winner. The producer compliments: “The guy is built like a linebacker, he’s
gorgeous to look at, and he has great depth of character. Chris is the guy that puts up 110 percent all
the time.”
Discussing his part, Hemsworth says: “The Huntsman is a lost soul. He has given up on life and himself. When we first meet him, he’s a drunk, living
alone in the woods working as a mercenary, hunting and tracking. He is then assigned the role of finding Snow
White and bringing her back to the Queen.”
Offering his reason for tackling the role, Hemsworth states: “I liked
the idea of playing the reluctant hero: rough around the edges but with a good
heart underneath. We tried to push the
inconsistencies of his character, keep him unpredictable.”
Hemsworth also appreciated the “classic Western character” that the writers had drawn and the
visual style that his director ensured.
The performer adds: “I read it
with director Rupert Sanders, and I saw visually how creative he was. We had discussions about character and story,
and I was inspired by what he said. I’ve
worked with plenty of people who have done far more films than Rupert, but many
are not nearly as equipped, focused or innovative as he is. He’s unreal.
I love these types of films: big, fantastical, epic stories that have a
real heart at the center of them.
They’re relatable characters, and the story is about hope and
inspiration and love and tragedy. These
are the things that we all deal with, but the story is told on an incredible,
vivid background.”
Although Hemsworth and Stewart carefully practiced
their fight scenes together, mistakes were made during production. During a particularly vigorous take, Stewart
accidentally punched the seasoned kickboxer in the face. His nose swelled up, and his wound had to be
covered up with makeup. Stewart was
truly a match for this Huntsman.
“Snow White and the Huntsman” is released and distributed by
United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp.
Showing
on June 1, 2012 nationwide.
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