Alfred Molina on Playing an Octopus 5 Years After Doc Ock’s Last Appearance [Exclusive]

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Alfred Molina delighted fans when he returned as the iconic villain Doctor Otto Octavius, also known as Doc Ock, in the 2019 film Spider-Man: No Way Home – nearly two decades after first playing the character. While there’s been some talk of him appearing in future Avengers movies, things are currently quiet for Doc Ock in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Molina himself, however, remains a busy actor. He’s now starring in Netflix’s The Boroughs, a sci-fi series reminiscent of Stranger Things, where he plays a retired man unexpectedly caught up in a dangerous conspiracy. This role as Sam is a significant departure from his recent work, including his performance in Remarkably Bright Creatures.

In the movie Remarkably Bright Creatures, Jonah Molina acts alongside Lewis Pullman and Sally Field, playing the role of Marcellus, a large octopus. Given that Molina had previously starred in The Boroughs, we jokingly asked him about landing the part during an interview with ComicBook. He laughed and said, “When I was offered the role, I wondered if it was a prank! But it turned out great.”

Alfred Molina Plays Another Genius in The Boroughs

Alfred Molina’s role in The Boroughs is quite different from his famous portrayal of Doc Ock. Here, he plays a retired engineer whose expertise helps a group of senior citizens battle supernatural forces. We asked him about playing another engineer, following his appearances in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and No Way Home. He admitted that despite convincingly playing these technically skilled characters, he doesn’t actually share much in common with them in real life.

What’s fun about playing these roles is you don’t actually need to understand the character’s skills or knowledge. You just have to convincingly pretend you do, enough to make the audience believe it. For example, in The Boroughs, when my character fixed Geena’s car, I didn’t do any real work. I just held a wrench against the engine and jammed a crowbar in there, hoping the camera would focus on the right parts and it would look convincing. It was the same with Doc Ock. All the complicated scientific explanations – the inhibitor chip and everything – I was completely making it up as I went along. The key is to deliver it with confidence, so the audience thinks, ‘Okay, that makes sense,’ and accepts it.

I was really impressed with Alfred Molina in The Boroughs – he brings the same captivating energy he had as Doctor Octopus! The cast is fantastic, including Geena Davis, Denis O’Hare, Bill Pullman, Clarke Peters, and Jena Malone. It was cool to see another MCU alum, Alfre Woodard, who I remember from Captain America: Civil War. She plays a former journalist reeling from a personal loss, which is central to the story. I actually spoke with Woodard, and she explained that her character, Judy, is really motivated by her grief. She’s always been someone who wants to see justice served and make things right, and that emotional drive is what pushes her forward.

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2026-05-22 01:40