Stephen Lang on Quaritch and Playing Tough Guys: “I Left the Man Club Some Years Ago”

by

Stephen Lang is known for portraying strong, often intimidating characters in movies like Avatar and Don’t Breathe. However, the 73-year-old actor says his understanding of what it means to be a man has evolved significantly over time.

During a conversation with Disney at their New York City office, Lang explained that he had moved away from traditional, male-dominated environments. “I made that change several years ago,” he stated.

I’m proud of my sons and daughters, and I deeply love my wife. I don’t believe in pushing a traditional, tough version of masculinity or suggesting it’s better than anyone else’s qualities. I embrace who I am, and I enjoy being a man, but I definitely don’t want to be seen as someone who promotes an outdated or aggressive idea of what it means to be masculine. That’s just not me, and it’s not what I want to represent.

Lang clarified that even his famous character, Quaritch, isn’t intended to be a typical “dominant male.” He noted, “He respects the strength of the women around him, and he definitely recognizes Mrs. Sully as a formidable person.”

He described his ex-partner, and the mother of his son Spider, as a strong woman. He doesn’t mind being typecast if the parts are good, and he’s actually enjoying taking on more mature roles as he gets older. He says he’s not afraid of aging, he just wants to enjoy his later years for as long as possible.

Lang often plays characters who appear similar – strong, assertive men who take charge. However, he always seeks to find the subtle details within each role. He explained, “Every character has some of those qualities.” He specifically pointed to his role as Quaritch, saying, “Quaritch is a more compelling character because he has many admirable traits, but also a significant degree of brutality, indifference, and cruelty.”

He carefully crafts his characters, making them feel realistic and flawed. “People are full of contradictions, and our actions aren’t always consistent,” Lang explained. “Our feelings – what we love, what we dislike – can shift, so I try to stay open to where a character’s emotions lead me.”

After a successful career with iconic roles like Quaritch in the Avatar films, Yeager Dragunov in Sisu and its sequel, and Igor Draganov in Sisu: Road to Revenge, Lang emphasizes that the most important thing for him is finding real emotional depth in every character he plays.

He believed that if he couldn’t find it in himself to care for someone, no one else would. This idea shaped not only the characters he created, but also how he lived his own life as a man.

Stephen Lang demonstrates that portraying tough, masculine roles doesn’t define who he is as a person. He has a progressive and insightful view of masculinity, prioritizing respect, understanding, and depth over old-fashioned ideas of dominance.

Read More

2026-01-04 15:22