Sean Gunn’s casting is far from nepotism. He’s a talented character actor in his own right, but being related to the director and showing up to work on “Guardians of the Galaxy” must have been a little awkward. He had double duty in this series, providing movements for Rocket and playing the flesh-and-blood character Kraglin, a character who started as a henchman for Michael Rooker’s (another significant Gunn collaborator) Yondu but becoming by now a cornerstone of this corner of the MCU.
In a press event attended by our own Jenna Busch, Sean Gunn was asked about Kraglin’s evolution as a character and he said that Kraglin had to figure out where he was in the Guardians family for this new film. He added that the journey of the cast has mirrored the journey of the characters, especially for Kraglin.
Both Sean Gunn and Kraglin started off as bit players, not sure if they’d be accepted by the larger group or valued for what they’re bringing to the table. When he began feeling fully accepted as a member of the cast was directly parallel to his character being accepted by the Guardians, to the point where he believes Kraglin is now considered a pillar of support for the group.
By all accounts, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is designed to put us all through the wringer, and if it succeeds at that it’ll be because of the value James Gunn has put on family and how inclusive his idea of family is. For his own family in the mix, of course, but also for us, the audience. We’re part of the Guardians now in some small way. Like it or not, we’re in the family, too.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” arrives in theaters on May 5, 2023.