Suicide Squad: 13 More Brand New Details We Just Learrned

4. Killer Croc Was Abused As A Child

If he's a cannibal, there's probably very little way to actually justify what he does, but the set visit uncovered the fact that Killer Croc has a particularly turbulent backstory. He's from the Bronx (has an accent, which was learned via a vocal coach), and he has a lot of wounds, as the actor told IGN:

"We’re not about just making this beast. We’re making a being. He’s somewhat tortured and abused from his childhood. It dictates his reactions, from him wanting to go underground. He’s always been ostracized and ridiculed for how he looks. What he’s done is embrace that. Instead of saying ‘I’m ugly’, he’s says ‘I’m beautiful’. Instead of going underground as if he’s hiding, he says ‘this is my kingdom’. He’s kind of reversed some of his childhood abuse into allowing him to become what he is, which is really the next threat to take over Gotham. That’s really what his ultimate goal is. One of the reasons is probably because obviously power, respect but people liking him. And if you don’t, you’re going to have to if he’s got power. So all of those elements play into it."

Apparently he also has a softer, emotional and creative side:

"I think it’s pretty much how he expresses himself. He’s very primal, carnal. He’s a creature. And those felines, those are his brethren. And so, if he’s making sculptures that reflect that, it may be a pet that he may have had when he was a child. Things like that... He’s very creative. Again, another aspect that you’re going to see to him, just when you think you’ve got him pegged, he does something very surprising and makes these beautiful sculpted pieces. It’s a testament to the gentle, creative side of him. David [Ayer, the director] is very much about bringing that out and juxtaposing it with the visceral, viscous, barbaric creature that he has to be when he needs to be."

Collider revealed a raft of details about the performance too: after the six hours of make-up required to transform him, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje had to practice a lot in the mirror to work out how intensely he had to push out his facial expressions to look like he was emoting.

In terms of his look, Croc's colours were blended into the actor's own skin tone, and Akinnuoye-Agbaje developed a specific walk for Croc that is designed to look like he's moving through water, and a specific way to attack. He learned both through spending time in the everglades at Ford Lauderdale and studying crocs.

Obviously he also kept himself away from the rest of the cast so they learned to be wary of him.