Vincent D’Onofrio talks playing Kingpin in Netflix’s Daredevil series

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Production is underway on Netflix's Daredevil series starring Charlie Cox as "The Man Without Fear," and in an interview with Screen Crush, Vincent D'Onofrio talked a bit about the upcoming show, as well as his experience (so far) playing Kingpin.

On working with Marvel:

The thing about Marvel is that they’re not – they’re into real acting. They’re looking for artists that are willing to take chances and are willing to create characters, even if that character has been around for years and years in comic books, they still are depending on us to create something and take it somewhere else. Robert Downey [Jr.] is the perfect example of that. Who knew that Iron Man was going to be who Robert made him?…And Jon Favreau. I would have never guessed Iron Man was going to be that kind of Tony Stark. Not in a million years, and, you know, that’s because of Jon and especially Robert. So, everybody is following suit with that. Personally, I felt Downey kind of led the way in that, and he’s kind of said to the studios and to the public, “It can work. These Marvel things can work."

But I gotta tell you, I couldn’t be working for nicer people. I really am. I’m just having a great time. The whole — the way that we’re shooting it, our Daredevil, everybody that’s in the show, is just going so well. Tonight we have a big fight scene that’s happening. It’s the first time you see my character do something physical.

On if he'll be appearing in the MCU, or other Marvel TV series:

Well, I think they have some kind of plan. I’m not really allowed to discuss what the plan is, but they have a plan. I think the beginning of the plan is series stuff with Netflix, and then they have a bigger plan to branch out, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you specifically what that is.

On what to expect from his take on Kingpin:

I think – it’s not just me, by the way, it’s the writer. It’s Steven DeKnight, it’s Jeph Loeb at Marvel, it’s the scripts, and it’s me. I think it’s gonna be the … I hope — I should say – I hope it’s gonna be the new way to look at Wilson Fisk. I think that there will be no other Wilson Fisk but this one after we’re all done with it. That’s what we’re hoping for.

Vincent D'Onofrio wouldn't reveal which other characters will be appearing in Daredevil ("I can’t talk about anything"), but does say, "They’re gonna go super cool — like, super, super cool."

As a huge Daredevil fan, I'm extremely excited for Netflix's new show. I'm hoping it will end up being a little darker compared to the Marvel movies and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. but at this point I'm just happy there's a new project involving the character.

Daredevil also stars Elden Henson, Rosario Dawson and Deborah Ann Woll, and all 13 episodes of the series will be released on Netflix in May 2015.