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  4. Here's the cast of Zack Snyder's 'Rebel Moon' and where you've probably seen them before

Here's the cast of Zack Snyder's 'Rebel Moon' and where you've probably seen them before

Eammon Jacobs   

Here's the cast of Zack Snyder's 'Rebel Moon' and where you've probably seen them before
Sofia Boutella as Kora and Anthony Hopkins as Jimmy in "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire."Netflix
  • Zack Snyder's new Netflix movie, "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" is a science-fiction epic.
  • It follows a former soldier as she tries to rally a band of fighters to defend a helpless planet.

Science-fiction fans can finally watch Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon" now that it has arrived on Netflix, just in time for the holidays.

The director told Empire Magazine that the film started out life as a potential "Star Wars" movie shortly after Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion. But it didn't work out, and Snyder kept the idea of "Rebel Moon's" expansive universe for himself.

The ambitious adventure takes place in a universe ruled by a tyrannical group called the Imperium, led by Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee).

When the Imperium threatens the home of former soldier Kora (Sofia Boutella), she searches the galaxy for other fighters who will help her stand against the threat.

Here's a look at the "Rebel Moon" cast and who they play.

Sofia Boutella plays Kora

Sofia Boutella plays Kora
Sofia Boutella at the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre, and as Kora.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Netflix

"Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" revolves around Kora, played by Algerian star Sofia Boutella. Boutella previously starred as Gazelle in "Kingsman: The Secret Service," and as the villain, Ahmanet, in Tom Cruise's "The Mummy."

Kora is a former Imperium soldier who left the empire behind to live a peaceful life on the planet Veldt as a farmer.

She struggles with guilt as a result of the things she was ordered to do while serving in the army, which is why she keeps to herself within the farming community.

When the empire dispatches a squadron of soldiers to Veldt, they start harassing Kora's village — and she's forced to defend her new home.

Charlie Hunnam plays Kai

Charlie Hunnam plays Kai
Charlie Hunnam at the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre and as Kai.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Netflix

Kai is played by "Sons of Anarchy" and "Pacific Rim" star Charlie Hunnam. Kai is one of the first people that Kora recruits to fight the Imperium, and his knowledge of the galaxy's underworld is vital to Kora's quest.

He offers to help recruit other warriors after seeing Kora hold her own in a bar fight, and it's his ship they use to fly to each new world.

Hunnam is best known for playing Jax Teller on "Sons of Anarchy," but the British actor has also appeared in "The Lost City of Z," "The Gentlemen," and Apple TV+'s "Shantaram."

Ed Skrein plays Admiral Noble

Ed Skrein plays Admiral Noble
Ed Skrein at the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre, and as Admiral Noble.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Netflix

"Deadpool" star Ed Skrein plays Adm. Atticus Noble — the man leading the Imperium's army. He visits Kora's new home on Veldt and leaves the squadron of soldiers behind to hunt for insurgents.

He's attempting to squash a growing rebellion that has started to rear its head across the galaxy when he learns of Kora's attempt to lead her own band of fighters.

During the "Rebel Moon" red carpet in London, Skrein revealed the history behind Adm. Noble's unique weapon: a cane mafrom of a leg bone.

"It comes from a mythological creature that is written into our religion. So it's almost like the equivalent of somebody had a dodo bone now," he said. "Although it's not from religion, or if it had religious connotations or like a dinosaur bone, so it's very opulent to have such a thing."

The bone is covered in metal, which Skrein said shows just how decadent the elite members of the Imperium are.

"And also, I think, you know, to brutally murder someone with something of that nature is just particularly sadistic," he added. "And so I think that's what allured Zach to it, and that's why he wrote such a sick backstory to my walking stick."

Djimon Hounsou plays General Titus

Djimon Hounsou plays General Titus
Djimon Hounsou at the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre, and as General Titus.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Netflix

Djimon Hounsou plays General Titus, a fighter who joins Kora's cause. He, too, was once a member of the Imperium, much like Kora. However, when Kora and Kai find him, Titus is a disheveled drunk who spends his days fighting in a gladiatorial arena.

Hounsou previously starred in "Amistad," "Gladiator," and Guardians of the Galaxy, among other films. He was also nominated for a best supporting actor Academy Award for his role in "Blood Diamond."

Hounsou told BI at the "Rebel Moon" premiere that Snyder encouraged the cast to work out on set together.

Hounsou said he didn't realize that "Zack Snyder's films came with a certain level of military training. And so, in that respect, early on, some of the members did not really want to train. But in the end, we all felt like it was quite instrumental to do the training for the film."

It "brought a certain strong connection between the characters, which I think really helped," he added.

Michiel Huisman plays Gunnar

Michiel Huisman plays Gunnar
Michiel Huisman at the world premiere of "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at the TCL Chinese Theatre, and as Gunnar.      MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images/Netflix

"Game of Thrones" alumni Michiel Huisman plays Gunnar, one of the villagers from Veldt who joins Kora on her journey across the galaxy.

Gunnar once sold supplies to the insurgents, which is why the village comes under suspicion from Adm. Noble and the Imperium.

Interestingly, Huisman replaced Ed Skrein on "Game of Thrones" as the mercenary Dario Naharis when the British actor left the HBO series after season three.

Aside from fighting in Westeros, Huisman has also starred in "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Flight Attendant," and Netflix's "Kate."

Ray Fisher plays Darian Bloodaxe

Ray Fisher plays Darian Bloodaxe
Ray Fisher at the Netflix Premiere of Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre and as Darian Bloodaxe.      Phillip Faraone/Getty Images/Netflix

Ray Fisher reunited with Zack Snyder on "Rebel Moon," after the pair worked together on "Justice League," in which Fisher played the hero, Cyborg.

In "Rebel Moon," Fisher plays Darian Bloodaxe, a vicious fighter who leads the insurgency with his sister, Devra Bloodaxe (Cleopatra Coleman).

Fisher echoed Djimon Hounsou's sentiments about the atmosphere that Snyder fostered on set. "It was a good way for us to build some camaraderie because we're all in the gym together, right? I really just like working at achieving the common goal," he told BI. "And it was something that I think he smartly planned to help build the team outside of the gym as well as on the screen."

Staz Nair plays Tarak

Staz Nair plays Tarak
Staz Nair attends Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child Of Fire" Los Angeles premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre, and as Tarak.      Unique Nicole/FilmMagic/Netflix

British actor Staz Nair plays another member of Kora's crew. Tarak has a talent for taming wild monsters that live across the galaxy, even flying on a griffin-inspired creature in one sequence.

The film hints that Tarak has a noble past, but he's enslaved when Kora meets him. So it's likely that Snyder is saving his backstory for his director's cut or the sequel, "Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver."

Nair previously starred in "Game of Thrones" as Dothraki chief Qhono before joining Syfy's "Krypton" series as Dax-Baron — who transforms into the iconic Superman villain, Doomsday. He then portrayed reporter William Dey in the last two seasons of "Supergirl."

Doona Bae plays Nemesis

Doona Bae plays Nemesis
Doona Bae at the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre, and as Nemesis.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Netflix

South Korean actor Doona Bae plays the final member of Kora's team, Nemesis. She's a cyborg who fights with two "heated swords" (lightsabers, anybody?) and defends innocent civilians in a lawless city.

Bae also has plenty of experience with ambitious science-fiction and action projects.

She previously appeared in Bong Joon-Ho's monster movie, "The Host," and had roles in "Cloud Atlas," "Jupiter Ascending," and "Sense8."

Fra Fee plays Regent Balisarius

Fra Fee plays Regent Balisarius
Fra Fee at the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" at TCL Chinese Theatre, and as the Regent Balisarius.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Netflix

Regent Balisarius is played by Irish actor Fra Fee, who has a lengthy list of theatrical credits. He's played parts in productions including "Les Misérables," "Romeo and Juliet," "The Ferryman," "West Side Story," and "Cabaret."

He also played Courfeyrac in the 2012 "Les Misérables" movie and the villain Kazi in Marvel's "Hawkeye" series.

Fee plays Balisarius in several flashbacks in "Rebel Moon," which show his rise to power and his history with Kora.

Anthony Hopkins plays Jimmy

Anthony Hopkins plays Jimmy
Anthony Hopkins attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Jimmy in "Rebel Moon."      Karwai Tang/Getty Images/Netflix

Academy award-winning star Anthony Hopkins is also part of the "Rebel Moon" cast. He voices Jimmy, a robotic being whose race used to serve the universe's king before Balisarius usurped him.

Jimmy and the other members of his kind refused to fight when the king and his daughter were killed, but the Imperium still uses them for grunt work.

Hopkins is best known for playing Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs," and he won best actor at the 1992 Oscars for his performance in the thriller. He won the award a second time in 2021 for "The Father."

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