Actor and Martial Artist Nhut Le Talks the DCU and Becoming Peacemaker‘s Judomaster
With the success of Superman this summer and the recent return of Peacemaker for a second season on HBO Max, it's clear that DC is so back, and we couldn't be happier.
Season 2 of Peacemaker kicked off on Aug. 21, seeing the return of John Cena as Chris Smith (aka Peacemaker), with even more inter-dimensional shenanigans in the aftermath of the Superman film. He's been feeling disrespected as a hero, and after discovering a universe where his dad and brother are still alive, and the three of them are a beloved superhero trio, he's tempted to stick around—though, as fans are now aware, that alternate dimension isn't nearly as idyllic as it first seemed.
Actor, martial artist and stuntman Nhut Le is also back in Season 2 as Judomaster, a formidable fighter with a strong sense of justice. In the first season, he quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his scenes combining action-packed fights, humor and emotion. After being an adversary to Peacemaker the first time around, he now has a brand new role to play in pursuing Peacemaker in the other universe. Ahead of his prominent feature in the latest episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Nhut to learn more about his history as an actor, bringing his physical talents to Peacemaker and what it means to him to be part of the DCU family. Read it all in the interview below.
Sweety High: When did you discover your passion for acting? Was there any specific moment when you realized it was what you wanted to do with your life?
Nhut Le: Growing up in an Asian household, I wasn't encouraged to express my emotions freely. When I was 12, I got cast in my first musical (South Pacific); it was the first time I felt safe to truly express myself. It was cathartic for me. It wasn't until I was 16 that I booked my first paying acting job on PBS. Once I realized I could get paid for acting, I went to college to study in an acting conservatory.
(Photo credit: Stef Ceretti)
SH: Tell us about your character, Judomaster, and how he fits into the world of Peacemaker.
NL: Judomaster is a superhero in his own right, fighting for what he believes in. In Season 1, he was aligned with the alien Butterflies to help save humanity. The Peacemaker crew had other ideas, so they had their confrontations. Now in Season 2, Judomaster is hired by ARGUS because he's one of the superheroes who can go head-to-head with Peacemaker. His whole mission this season is to bring down the Peacemaker, even if it means following him into an unknown dimension.
(Peacemaker via HBO/WB)
Also read about: The Voices of Rumi, Mira and Zoey From KPop Demon Hunters on Becoming K-Pop Superheroes
SH: What's been the best part about stepping into the DCU? Have you always been a DC fan?
NL: The best part about stepping into the DCU is the creative team behind the scenes. DC has great leadership and amazing collaborators shepherding the stories. I grew up watching the Justice League cartoons and Teen Titans, so now being able to live in that world is a dream come true.
SH: What does it mean to you to have the character back for the new season?
NL: Having Judomaster back for Season 2 of Peacemaker is very validating to me, on a personal level. After filming the first season, before the show debuted; I was very nervous. I didn't know if I captured what James had written on the page, or if my performance was on par. And even if it was, Judomaster is such a weird, annoying cockroach of a character that I thought audiences are gonna hate him and me conversely. But after the show premiered, fans love Judomaster, and James is included in that. It felt great to have that kind of reception and the excitement in the fandom about his return was incredible.
SH: What has it been like working alongside John Cena and the rest of the cast? Can you share any standout moments from the set?
NL: John Cena is a dream to work with. I can always tell a good actor from a bad actor by looking into their eyes in a scene. Every time I look into his eyes, there's a full story; he's truly living in the scene, so full of life. He's such a great actor. Period. As for the rest of the cast, they're all amazing as well. Jennifer Holland is outstanding this season! I remember one time on set, we were shooting overnight. It was 3 a.m. and we'd all become loopy, we were dancing and singing and twerking. It was truly insane, but so much fun. I love them all.
Also read about: Here's the Superman (2025) Character You Are, Based on Your Zodiac Sign
SH: You also had a pretty big fight scene with John earlier this season. What was it like to film that, and how was the scene brought to life?
NL: That was such a fun fight. John is such a pro working in wrestling for decades that you can just show him a video of what the fight is and he can do it in a snap. For me that's not the case, I had about a week to rehearse. One move called the Hurricanrana, I actually learned how to perform in two days! I was quite impressed with myself.
(Peacemaker via HBO/WB)
SH: How do you feel Judomaster has evolved over the course of the series? What kind of journey has he been on, and as an actor, who have you worked to bring that to life?
NL: Judomaster has come out of his shell a little. Audiences get a little more knowledge in who he is as a person. He's interacting more with the other characters. In season one, he's had run ins with each of the 11th Street Kids and now in this season he is reconciling each of those relationships. In terms of acting, it's like painting the same picture a second time. I tried to remember what colors I used, the weight of the brush strokes and such. But this time, I get more colors and a bigger canvas. So it's more explorations and discoveries; these are some of my favorite things about acting.
(Photo credit: Stef Ceretti)
Love Superman and all things related to the DCU? Click HERE to discover all the best shows and films you should check out for more of David Corenswet.