November 20, 2017
Credit/warnerbros.com
Camden native Ray Fisher, as the Cyborg in the "Justice League" film. "It was such an unexpected turn after 12 years of being in the industry," he says. "But it's a true blessing and I'm going to run with it as long as I can."
With Camden native Ray Fisher's portrayal of part-man/part-machine superhero "Cyborg" in the new "Justice League" film receiving near-universal kudos, the actor remains grateful and humble.
"This is like when I was in Haddon Heights High School, man," Fisher said. "I got involved in musical theater by way of my English teacher, Mr. Scott Gladding, and my history teacher, Mr. John Murtha. They got me involved and then once I graduated, I just said, 'You know what? I want to do this!' ... Here we are 14 years later and we're on the precipice of this crazy thing called 'Justice League.'"
Although Fisher went on to do some stage work and short films, his first role in a feature picture has him part of a franchise that is one of the biggest in Hollywood.
"I feel really fortunate, because I didn't expect anything like this to happen for many, many years – if at all" he said. "But it's been about three years since I was cast, so it's given me time to get grounded and deal with what it all means."
"It was such an unexpected turn after 12 years of being in the industry," he added. "But it's a true blessing and I'm going to run with it as long as I can."
Fisher, 30, said he was sent "nearly every comic book that ever had a cyborg in it" to prepare for the role and and that he was allowed to pick and choose the parts of the character he liked best to use for his film character. One that stuck with him is a comic "where he meets Sarah Simms for the first time."
In the comics, Vic Stone having just been rejected by his lover/girlfriend because of his disfiguring implants, was brooding about how he cannot have a normal life and no one outside his teammates in the Teen Titans could stand being around him.
In the midst of this gloom, he was struck by a baseball. The child nervously asked for his ball and Vic handed it back, forgetting the child could see his metallic hand. To his surprise, the boy did not recoil at the sight of him, but instead marveled at Vic's metal prosthetics, and revealed he had a mundane regular prosthetic arm of standard plastic design.
The boy called over the rest of the children in his physical rehabilitation support group which was overseen by Sarah Simms, a teacher at West Side School for the Handicapped. The children immediately idolized Vic with his fancy parts and exciting life while he, encouraged by this heartening experience, became close friends with Sarah Simms. Both considered the idea of a strong romantic relationship, yet both were rather shy about asking for fear of placing a rift between their already strong and close platonic friendship.
"It feels great to play this character man," Fisher said. "Cyborg's journey – while he is a black man – is about being human. I think it's universal at the end of the day. I hope kids of all colors and genders look up to Cyborg because he represents an underdog's story and trying to turn negative into positive and in that way, I think he relates to us all."
Given the positive reception for his character in "Justice League," Fisher is confident and hopeful that the long-in-development "Cyborg" solo film will start filming soon.
"Look at how fast 'Wonder Woman 2' got fast-tracked after her film resonated," Fisher said. "Hopefully, the way people are responding to the character, 'Cyborg' will follow in a similar fashion."
