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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteAntony Starr says he starts with the script, draws on an understanding of darker human emotions without judging them, and looks for flashes of humor in The Boys’ bleakest scenes. He describes a performance process—not a confession that he shares Homelander’s behavior or stays in character off set.
Starr starts with what the script asks of him
Asked how he made Homelander’s monstrous behavior convincing, Starr told ScreenGeek there was no easy, single answer: “you look at what’s on the page and you try and do it justice.” His first reference point, then, is the writing rather than a personal trick for becoming the character.
He also said that playing the role means accepting that people are not wholly good or wholly bad. In his words, it can involve “having a little bit of access and understanding of the darker parts of yourself and being prepared to pull them out, not judge them, and not worry about other people judging you.” That is Starr’s account of his own work, not a universal acting prescription or evidence that he behaves like Homelander.
In the 2020 ScreenGeek interview, Starr also described finding humor in the show’s darkness: “I have a lot of fun trying to find little bits of light in the dark when something dark is happening and try to find some humor and bring that out.” He added, “the darker it goes, the more fun it is,” referring to The Boys’ heightened, comic world—not to every kind of dark material.
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- Size: Total height: Approx. 6.3 inches (160 mm)
Character research gives the performance context
Backstory, without overplaying it
In a Golden Globes interview, Starr said he does homework on Homelander’s backstory and researches psychological conditions that might follow from it. He also described a fine line between serving the character’s history and overplaying it. He called Homelander despicable and said he did not think the character should be redeemed; those are creative judgments about a fictional role, not a diagnosis.
Isolation beneath the menace
Homelander’s loneliness offers story context for the contrast between menace and vulnerability. The Los Angeles Times interview describes him as isolated and emotionally stunted, with no one to relate to except himself. It connects that characterization to the mirror scene and the imaginary friend “Homie,” recalling his upbringing as a lab subject. Starr summed up the character’s solitude this way: “His isolation is immaculate. It’s almost perfect.”
Rank #2
- Comes in original packaging and is bundled with a Plastic Box Protector with the collector in mind (Removable Film)
- From The Boys, Homelander Levitating, as a stylized Pop! vinyl from Funko!
- Stylized collectible stands 3 3/4 inches tall, perfect for any The Boys fan!
- Ships in acid-free PET plastic Pop Protector with peel-able protective film
- Push-lock tab that adds structural integrity to the Pop Protector when formed
Later comments clarify his approach
Starr has said he is not a method actor. In a 2024 Rolling Stone Australia interview, he described drawing on his own feelings and life experience, then researching traits he does not empathize with and heightening them for the role. He specifically mentioned researching mental disorders and antisocial personality disorder; that describes his preparation for a fictional character, not a clinical assessment of Homelander or Starr.
That later account complements his earlier answer: the ScreenGeek interview emphasizes the script, emotional access, and humor, while his later comments add research and personal experience. British GQ offers a memorable shorthand from Starr—“Sometimes it’s as simple as, well, what would Superman do? And do the opposite”—but that quip is only one facet of the process he has described.
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Rank #3
- Special edition Little People Collector set commemorating the hit show, The Boys
- Includes detailed figures of Mother's Milk, Hughie Campbell, Billy Butcher, Homelander, Starlight & Queen Maeve
- Each figure stands over 2.5 inches tall and is styled in the character’s signature look
- Display-worthy package styled with familiar scenes from the show for fans to explore
- For adults, collectors, and fans of The Boys series
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