‘The Boys’ Star Antony Starr Names His Favorite Villain

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has given audiences many antagonists over the years, but few have captured the imagination quite like Thanos. The Mad Titan, portrayed by Josh Brolin in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ became one of the MCU’s most iconic villains through his complex motivations and philosophical worldview about balance and sacrifice.

What makes Thanos particularly compelling is his unwavering belief that his horrific actions serve a greater purpose, and that belief extends beyond the screen into how storytellers and performers continue to discuss him.

Thanos delivered his philosophy with conviction, often sounding like a prophet more than a conqueror, combining intelligence, menace, and warped logic to create a villain who was both terrifying and fascinating.

His most famous lines became instantly quotable, with phrases like “I am inevitable” and “Perfectly balanced, as all things should be” penetrating pop culture and sparking genuine philosophical debates among audiences. Unlike many superhero antagonists, Thanos was not motivated by a hunger for power for its own sake, but rather by a twisted conviction that his mission served destiny itself. This distinction between villainy and perceived salvation is precisely what makes him such a compelling character study.

Antony Starr, the actor who has spent years bringing ‘The Boys” iconic villain Homelander to life, recently revealed his own appreciation for the way Thanos approaches antagonism.

In a recent WIRED interview, Starr offered candid thoughts on what makes the MCU’s Mad Titan stand out. Thanos was not just gloating loudly but instead delivering his memorable words with calm, matter-of-fact conviction, reshaping reality itself to prove a point and showing that his power transcended the merely physical into the existential. Starr’s comments suggest that he recognizes something in Thanos’s approach to villainy that resonates with how he crafts Homelander himself.

My favorite villain, and I keep mentioning Marvel. But my favorite villain of recent memory is Thanos, because I think he was doing a horrific thing, but he had such a good philosophy behind it, about like balancing the universe.“

“And there’s a little part of me that’s like, He’s got a pretty good point, you know? I don’t think Homelander has anywhere near the same philosophy or intention. But you know, the the point being, like, he’s complex. You know, there’s more to him than just the bad guy. And I think people respond to that.”

The comparison is not entirely surprising. Starr has described Homelander as a “cautionary tale,” representing what happens when power is untethered from empathy, accountability, or self-awareness, embodying a contradiction at the center of ‘The Boys’—the strongest man in the world who is paradoxically its most fragile.

Both villains operate from a place of twisted internal logic, each believing their actions serve a greater purpose. What distinguishes Starr’s respect for Thanos is the philosophical foundation; the Mad Titan doesn’t hide behind narcissism but instead articulates a structured worldview about resource depletion and cosmic balance.

As Starr heads toward the final chapter of ‘The Boys,’ his acknowledgment of Thanos’s appeal offers insight into how modern television and film have elevated the villain beyond simple evil to something far more intellectually challenging. Do you find yourself sympathizing with any villain’s philosophy, or is that line too far to cross for you?