Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves premiered this past weekend. And it opened at number one, pulling in $38 million. That’s really good for a movie based on a game, right? Or is it video game movies that don’t typically do well? Anyway, the most handsome man in the world, Rege-Jean Page, suffered for beauty in the movie. He had to wear armor and said he had the most uncomfortable outfit of all the actors in the movie.
Regé-Jean Page did not roll a nat 20 when it came to his Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves costume.
The actor, who plays perfect paladin Xenk, claims that out of all his castmates in the film — who included Michelle Rodriguez, Chris Pine, Sophia Lillis, Justice Smith, and Hugh Grant — he had the “most uncomfortable outfit” of all.
“I made the Robert Downey Jr. mistake,” Page joked during an interview with BBC Radio 1 for the new movie adaptation of the classic tabletop game, referring to how Downey Jr. once said he avoided donning the Iron Man suit in later Marvel film installments. “Like, filming in armor is not where you want to be.”
He continued, “You’re hot all day. You can’t sit down. The sweat goes nowhere — it just kind of hangs out. It becomes a scuba suit, just with your own juices. It was delicious.”
Rodriguez, who was doing the interview with him, then voiced her disgust for the soupy suit.
When Radio 1 interviewer Ali Plumb noted that, at the very least, his character’s full armor featured some impressive 10-pack abs hammered into its exterior, Page replied that it was very much part of the deal.
“That’s in my contract,” he teased. “It didn’t before. It does now.”
In fact, forget the once-revered six-pack — Page wants to have a 12-pack of abs in a future film, adding, “We have the technology.”
Page previously reflected on his D&D garb during an interview with Variety at the 2023 Oscars last month.
“Everything’s kind of digging into your ribs. You’re trying do these complicated fight sequences and nothing moves quite how it’s meant to,” he explained. “Chain mail, plate armor? None of this is made for comfort.”
While his shiny suit might have been a bit clunky, Page has at least found comfort in how the fantasy epic resulted in him getting insanely sculpted glutes.
“Coming into this, I got really, really good with the swords,” he said during the film’s recent Comic Con panel. “It was lots and lots of stunts training, so my thighs were killing me and I had the best ass of my life. It was just the best time you could possibly imagine on this job. I spent time training and slaying dragons.”
I mean, Rege-Jean looked really good in the costume. But he always looks good! Now he knows what the ladies go through in their corsets and other costumes. No, but really actors do always say how uncomfortable armor costumes are. I’m surprised they haven’t yet found a solution to accommodate the men. But maybe they can’t get it to look realistic without being uncomfortable? Anyway, the sweatiness of the costume sounds rather disgusting. His description of just hanging out in his own sweat — yuck. I can’t even bring myself to type the second half of that quote. Hopefully they had a lot of copies of that costume because it probably didn’t smell great. The abs were on the outside of the armor, but sweating so much inside it probably helped with some real life abs too. I haven’t seen this movie yet, but it’s on my list. It looks funny, and the cast is good (and random).
photos credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon and via Instagram
If the armor is that uncomfortable and constricting, unfortunately that means it’s NOT realistic. I’m not saying it should feel like pajamas, but real, functional armor had to allow enough freedom of movement to allow its wearer to fight effectively. It varied according to the type of armor, time period, fighting style, etc, but real armor had to allow its wearer to function as a soldier. My guess is they’re sacrificing realism to make it look better on screen to modern eyes. (That happens a lot with corseting and stays, too, BTW – tight-lacing was only a thing for a limited time among a limited social class. Most women who wore them had to live and work and they did fine because they weren’t tight-laced, it was the equivalent of a bra – what gets shown on screen is exaggerated for movies and tv.)
That’s what I was thinking too.
And this guy comes across lile the one who was playing Jon Snow, they always have something to whine about. Yeah, RDJ complained in later movies but he didn’t film the first one and started complaining…
RDJ didn’t complain when he filmed the first one because he was unemployable (and uninsurable) for years due to his drug abuse and legal issues, and didn’t want to give the studio a reason to fire him. If anything, that should concern you that an actor had to suck up poor craftsmanship on a costume (mind you, that impaired his eyesight) just to keep his job.
Further, actors SHOULD talk about the realities of working on these sets, all the work and time that goes into it, and some of the discomfort that goes along with it. Why lie and pretend it’s all roses when there’s discomfort, esp when those questions come up every single interview they have?
My family tried on medieval armor at a museum in Southern France. Yes, you are mobile in the armor. It weighs a flipping ton (I had a good 20 kilo or more of metal protecting my body), though, and that makes it hard to move in if you’re not used to the weight. And I was also sweating.
That said, this is a movie. It needs to look somewhat authentic, but it doesn’t need to be authentic. Make it more comfortable!
This! The confort issue comes from trying to look super skinny while wearing clothes made out of thick fabrics and other materials.
It’s an incredibly enjoyable movie, I highly recommend it. Charming and laugh out loud funny.
I will say though while Page is really good, it’s Chris Pine’s movie by a factor of 100 (he’s wonderful!!!). Page’s role is surprisingly small. He has a great fight scene though.
Yes to all of this.
Yes! I highly recommend it too, planning to go see it a second time with my husband.
It’s just an all around good time at the movies and you don’t need to know anything about the game to enjoy it.
I thought it was a very boring, unfunny mash up of LOTR, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and Star Wars.
Is it kid appropriate? Thinking of taking our 8 and 10 year olds to see it this weekend (they’ve seen LOTR, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.)
I took my 8 and 15 year olds and my 8 year old loved it. He also likes Star Wars/HP/Marvel movies. His only complaint was he thought there would be more dragons.
I would say so! There are some jump scares involving monsters but they are very quick and not at all graphic. Certainly nothing more than the movies you mentioned. No graphic violence. On the whole the movie is mostly very sweet.
Took my 10yo on the weekend and he loved it. He gave it a 9.5 on his 10-point movie scale (and he doesn’t give those out often). Good mix of humor, action and pace to hold his attention.
Bleugh.
Having said that, my BFF and I are planning on going to see this next Monday and we cannot wait. Perfect escapism with pretty people.
But yeah, surely there is a way to have stuff that looks good on screen an isn’t awful to wear for all the time. We appreciate your sacrifice RJP!
He would be hot all day without the armor.
+1
I went to the anniversary event of the Normans landing in Wexford, Ireland a couple of years ago, and I got to try on a chain mail helmet. It looked pretty cool on me, but it weighed about 2 kilos! And my hair got caught in some of the chain links! :))) basically I would be a terrible wussy Norman soldier!
If you look at the Bayeux Tapestry, the Normans are depicted with haircuts that are shaved halfway up the back of their heads. I assumed it’s because that’s where the chain mail was attached to the solid helmet. Your hair can’t get caught in the links, and you won’t sweat around your neck, if your hair is shaved like that. They had a lot of hair on top of their heads to cushion the solid helmet.
I want to see this but will likely wait till it streams – I loved the first movie with Jeremy Irons.
And as for Mr Page – he’s fione and am sure will continue to have interesting opportunities.
I saw it this weekend and it was SO GOOD! I went with some friends of my husband who are deep D&D fans, but I don’t think you’d ever have to play to find it enjoyable. Very funny, very well written, very well cast. Even Rege-Jean was hilarious in this. I hope they make sequels.
Saw it last night, it is SOOOO good! Page is perfect in his role, the whole cast was really great, and it’s very funny! Took three teenagers who are not really D&D fans and they loved it and they are generally a tough crowd ; )
This movie was FANTASTIC! I love, love, loved it and Rege Jean Page was great. I honestly have found him to be kind of forgettable in a lot of roles (I know, I suck) but he was delightful in this movie and has a really great fight sequence. Highly recommend the movie!
Haha I feel the same way about him. I thought that was why he was BRILLIANT casting for that particular part!
He is a very handsome man.
I’m glad he’s getting work. I’ll watch this when it hits streaming bc Chris Pine.
I hope it is funny.
I’m glad to hear that the 8-10 y/o crowd can enjoy this, it’s tough to find movies for that age.
We’ve got a 6-7 y/o friends kid who has bc addicted to youtube bc his school friends all watch Unspeakable. OMG, do I hate Unspeakable. Seriously.
I bought him Lego kits to assemble, just to get him away from YT.
He looks better than he’s ever looked before! My God. Keep winning!