As Marvel’s newest superhero, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II can often be seen making odd sounds and exaggerated hand or body movements on screen. But those moments aren’t part of some elaborate superpower routine. According to the actor, that’s simply the reality of being an actor.
“We do weird stuff, man,” says Abdul-Mateen, 39, who plays struggling performer Simon Williams in Marvel’s eight-episode Disney+ series Wonder Man. “People think it’s all red carpets, fashion, interviews and parties. That’s not the work. The work looks strange.”
He explains that acting involves vulnerability—opening yourself up emotionally, making awkward noises, facing failure and embarrassment, and then learning to move past it. “At the end of the day, we’re still playing make-believe,” he adds. “Just like 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds.”
In Wonder Man, Simon Williams isn’t just Marvel’s newest hero—he’s also an aspiring movie star desperate for his big break. When viewers first meet him, Simon is stuck in a familiar Hollywood grind: stressing over auditions, pleading with his agent for roles and overthinking even the smallest TV appearances—one of which ends with him getting fired.
Things seem to change when Simon hears that Hollywood is rebooting his favourite childhood sci-fi movie. The role could finally launch his career, but there’s a catch. Simon must keep his newly discovered ionic energy superpowers hidden—powers that could destroy his acting dreams before they truly begin.
“Maybe not the extraordinary abilities part,” Abdul-Mateen says, “but every artist can relate to that desperation.”
A Yale School of Drama graduate, Abdul-Mateen recalls feeling the same uncertainty early in his career. “I remember thinking, ‘I have so much to give, and nobody even knows I’m here. I just need one shot.’ That feeling stays with you.”
That sense of restlessness defines Simon. He takes one-line roles, background work and commercials while auditioning for parts that don’t quite fit. “He’s looking around and thinking there has to be more than this,” Abdul-Mateen says. “That’s what makes him relatable.”
Ironically, unlike his character, Abdul-Mateen didn’t jump into Wonder Man out of desperation. He admits he was cautious about entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“I didn’t want to treat it like a test run,” he says, joking that he didn’t want to fail as Wonder Man only to be recast later as another hero. “I wanted to make sure I could do it well—and that it would help me grow.”
Over the past decade, Abdul-Mateen has built an impressive résumé, starring in Aquaman, Candyman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and earning an Emmy for HBO’s Watchmen. Still, he says the fear of failure never fully disappears.
“There’s a moment where Simon says, ‘I feel like it’s never gonna be me,’” Abdul-Mateen notes. “I know that feeling. Even after success, it doesn’t go away.”
He points to actors like Tom Hanks, who have admitted to similar insecurities. “There’s a freelance nature to this job. You’re always thinking about what’s next, and sometimes worrying that your best days are behind you.”
Eventually, Abdul-Mateen learned to step back. “I had to tell myself, ‘Bro, just get a life. Stop worrying so much.’ That’s what Simon hasn’t figured out yet.”
And that, perhaps, is what makes Wonder Man feel different. Beneath the superhero spectacle, it’s a story about insecurity, ambition and the strange, often uncomfortable reality of chasing a dream—one awkward audition at a time.