‘Black Adam’ Star Sarah Shahi: “There Is Nothing More Important Than The Safety Of Your Children”
Black Adam actress Sarah Shahi, who plays Adrianna Tomaz, in the film recently detailed what makes her character so interesting while also discussing how she was surprised by the Henry Cavill’s return as Superman as well as Viola Davis reprising her role as Amanda Waller.
Henry Cavill’s return – and Superman’s by extension – at the tail end of Black Adam was not a surprise to anyone who had the Internet or paid attention to Dwayne Johnson’s interviews over the last few weeks prior to the film hitting theaters.
Warner Bros., however, kept it a secret in-house as they still acted like it wasn’t getting out despite their best efforts.
This plan may have worked on one actor in the film and that individual is Sarah Shahi who portrays freedom fighter Adrianna Tomaz. She maintains that she was in the dark about Cavill’s scene up until the premiere.
“They kept that under wraps for a while. I didn’t even know about any of that stuff until I saw the movie and saw what happened at the end,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “They’re really good at holding on to secrets over there.”
Her reaction was similar to a lot of others around the world, including ourselves. “It was mind-blowing. When we all saw that moment, everybody’s arms went up in the air. Everybody was just jumping out of their seats,” she said.
It was also a surprise for her to see Viola Davis reprising Amanda Waller even though Davis showed up in the trailer. “I didn’t even know Viola Davis was in the movie until I saw the screening. I was just like, ‘Holy sh**. I’m in a movie with Viola Davis,’” Shahi said.
But that’s not the only DCU mystery in Black Adam that, while rather obvious, has a lid on it. Shahi also has to be mum about whether or not Adrianna’s magic pendant will turn her into Isis – a prediction that didn’t pan out by the end.
So the actress “feigns ignorance” and answers when quizzed, “What are you talking about? I have no idea.”
Shahi continued, “It’s one of those beautiful mysteries that keeps getting brought up, and [Dwayne Johnson] has been very complimentary in the way that he’s teeing it all up. So I’m not sure.”
In the end, she simply teases, “I’m just going to answer that very safely and say that I’m not exactly sure what the long-term intention is for that. But hey, from your mouth to somebody’s ears.”
As the interview went on, she spoke about how empowered she was playing Adrianna when she gets between all the superbeings for the sake of her son. Shahi can relate, she is a single mother like her character.
“What’s interesting about her is that she’s a single mom, and I am also a single mom. And I can tell you right now if my children were in danger, there is no length that I wouldn’t go to to protect them. So I wouldn’t care who I had to speak with or how many faces I would have to get into,” she explained.
“There is nothing more important than the safety of your children. It wasn’t necessarily that I saw her as a mediator, but for her, it’s life and death,” she continues.
“If she loses her son, she dies inside, so it’s not even, ‘Why can’t we all get along?’ The lives of a mother and child are on the line, so it’s like, ‘I don’t care what you two need to do, but you’re going to work together until we find him. Done,’” Shahi added.
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In real life, Black Adam is a milestone for the mother of three as it’s one she could share with her three kids.
“When we were at the premiere in New York together, it was a moment for me that was 20 years in the making. I flew out my kids, my mother, my sister, and I just started crying because I was like, ‘This is not my night. This is their night,’” she said.
“Working my a** off doing whatever project it was that I had to be gone for,” led to “13 years of broken promises, missed birthdays, missed first recitals, missed first football games, and moments that I can’t get back.”
When they finally saw Black Adam, they were “gobsmacked at the end of it.” Her son “kept yanking on my arm and saying, ‘You’re amazing. You’re so cool.’”
Shahi would emotionally reflect, “It was not only a culmination of all those times and all those tears that we shed; it was also a good example that, as a parent, hard work works. So that’s important for me.”
NEXT: Henry Cavill Cameo In ‘Black Adam’ As Superman Spoiled, Warner Bros. Still Trying To Keep Lid On It
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