Martin Harris has worn a lot of hats in his career sports journalist, rock musician, video game icon and now a face in the latest Superman reboot. From swapping stories with co-stars to taking acting cues from James Gunn, Harris brings a mix of humility, enthusiasm, and a knack for great behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
Over the Shoulder sat with him to talk about preparing for the most famous superhero movie of all time, what it’s like to work with one of Hollywood’s busiest directors, and why his dream role might just involve being the next oddjob.
Congratulations on your new movie Superman. Can you tell me about your role and what we can expect from this reboot of the first and best superhero?
I’m very happy to be part of such a film. Once I found out I’d booked Superman, I had about two and a half months to prepare. I went back and watched all the Superman films, and then of course, I saw this one.
For me, it’s pure joy and pride to not only be in a Superman movie but in this one specifically, because it carries such an uplifting and empowering message. I’d love to be part of more projects like that.
What was it like working for director James Gunn? How did he help you build the character?
It happens to be James Gunn’s birthday while we were doing the interview so, happy birthday, James, and thank you for having me.
You can tell right away he’s not just a brilliant director but also a genuinely good person. What really struck me was how incredibly prepared he is.
Here’s an example: while filming Superman, James worked Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM… and then on Saturdays and Sundays, with some of the same crew, he’d work on Peacemaker Season Two. Six months straight, no break.
He knows exactly what he wants. He moves fast, but his directions are precise. In one scene a post-press conference moment where I lead Superman to his office before, he meets Lex Luthor James told me, “When you open the door, don’t look into his eyes. Look down.” It wasn’t just a technical note; it was character work. It showed my character’s obedience and fear.
Another time he said, “Don’t help him. Make yourself invisible. Glue yourself to the wall. Look terrified.” I did exactly that and that’s how my character survived. Which means, technically, I’m still alive in the Superman universe… so maybe I’ll be back.
Superman is such a bug budget production. Did you get time to have fun on the set or was it all work?
Oh, there was fun. James never seemed tired, even with his crazy schedule, and the atmosphere on set was relaxed. When it was time to work, it was focused but never tense or unpleasant.
We joked around with Ko Butch and Isabella Merced, talked about everything from South Bath to history. I had long chats with Zlatko Buric about 1970s and ’80s Polish cinema.
Between takes, Isabel always brought a book with her and would read a page or two before filming to centre herself. I started doing the same thing I even did it on The Staircase with Sophie Turner, who also read between takes. It puts you in the right mindset and feeds your imagination.
What was the book that you read during filming?
Kurt Ood for Superman. On The Staircase, it was Plateau because I couldn’t find a regular bookstore and ended up in a college shop. That one started a great conversation with Michael Stuhlbarg. He saw me reading it, told me he’d done that play on Broadway, and we ended up talking for an hour about philosophy, art, and theatre.
Would you ever want do theatre one day?
I did one of the leads in a play here in L.A. last June, and I want to do more. Being on stage in London? That’s the dream. The best actors in the world are there.
If you could sit down with the Bovarian General for a drink, what would you ask him?
That everything will be fine. The president will get killed, so don’t be so scared because he will die, not you.
You started your career as a sports journalist. Did you enjoy that time and how did you transfer to performing?
I worked in British media, most notably for FourFourTwo. Before that, I was a rock musician, but when my band fell apart, I turned to writing. First it was music journalism, then sports journalism, and eventually I was one of the top sports journalists in Poland, working for the BBC and FourFourTwo.
Acting had been calling to me. I went to acting school while still working full-time.
When I finally switched to acting in my thirties, people thought I was crazy I’d been this serious, established journalist but I kept both careers going for a while until acting finally took over.
Were you nervous before your first professional role?
Always nervous but in a good way. It’s like stepping into a new world. On Superman, for example, there was a scene where everything had to sync perfectly: her flying in on a wire, me arriving at the exact moment, the pacing, the tension. James told me not to stretch the scene just hit the moment. Once we got it right, it felt real.
What stood out to you most about working on Stranger Things either from the production side or the energy on set?
It was completely different because we filmed in early 2021, at the height of the pandemic. Everything was shut down, masks everywhere, very few people allowed on set. I had to take a COVID test every morning just to keep working.
I’d auditioned for the show for four years, so finally booking it was huge, but we still had to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks beforehand. I didn’t want to risk catching COVID and losing the role, so I cooked in my room the whole time. At one point, the smoke set off the detector and hotel staff came up, and I was yelling, “Don’t come in! Stay away!”
Once filming started, the atmosphere was amazing intimate, close-knit, because of how small the crew was. It felt like stepping into a private, elite experience. You’d walk outside and it was a completely different world.
They shot different parts of the season in separate locations, so we rarely crossed paths with the other cast. The only time I “saw” Millie Bobby Brown or David Harbour was when they were Face Timing each other between scenes.
Between projects like these, is there a kind of role you’re still waiting to play or one you think people wouldn’t expect from you?
I’d love to be a James Bond villain’s sidekick like Jaws or Oddjob. Those characters are so unique and memorable. I’m a massive Bond fan; I’ve seen every film at least 20 times.
At the start of my career, I often played one-dimensional villains, like Nazis or KGB agents. Now I’m getting to stretch more, and I want to keep doing that.
Do you have any other projects coming up in the future that you can talk about?
I got my first fan base as Kruger in Call of Duty, and I have another game coming out next year can’t talk about it yet, but it’s big. I’ve got a couple of projects in pre-production, including a Holocaust film to be shot in Poland. That one’s been in development for years, and I’m really hoping it happens.
Martin Harris may have started in press boxes instead of on sound stages, but his career has been defined by curiosity, bold pivots, and a willingness to step into uncharted territory. Whether he’s trading jokes between takes, diving into philosophical chats with co-stars, or plotting his dream Bond villain sidekick role, Harris brings the same energy and dedication to every project. And as he’s still “technically alive” in the Superman universe… who knows? We might just see him again in Metropolis.