Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon shares his thoughts on the new Fantastic Four film, Rise of the Silver Surfer, in which he reprises the role of of the villainous Victor von Doom. Words: David Grove

How does Doctor Doom fit in to the new film?

At the start of the film, he’s been sealed in a casket for two years, but he escapes and he’s really angry. He's got this newfound demonic energy, and he’s more evil and twisted than ever now, because he's out for revenge. He really feels like the Fantastic Four deserve to die, even Sue.

Does he have any feelings left for Sue?

He doesn’t care about anyone anymore. He just wants power. I think Victor’s feelings for Sue in the first film represented his last shred of decency and humanity, but her rejection of him totally destroyed that. He’s gone now, and Doom just wants to rule the world and kill everybody.

What's Doom's relationship with the Silver Surfer?

He watches as Silver Surfer arrives on Earth, and he wants those powers for his own gain. And if Doom gets his hands on them, it could mean the end of the world.

Were you worried that you would have to take a backseat to that character?

Not really. I wouldn’t mind that, because Silver Surfer is such an amazing character, but it’s not been the case. Doom is a constant in the Fantastic Four universe, and this time Tim [Story] and the writers have really improved the character by making him much darker and more sinister.

Is it more fun to play a villain than a good guy?

It’s fun playing someone as demonic and deliciously over the top as Doom, but I don’t want to be typecast and I don’t want to play the same kind of character over and over again. The best villains are the ones who have a believable motivation for their actions. Doom’s completely twisted but you can still see why he’s so angry.

What was the hardest part of the production for you?

The biggest challenges were the cold weather and the costume. We filmed in Vancouver in November, which was particularly cold, and the costume just added so much extra weight for hours and hours. The chest plate alone weighs about 50lb, and the hands and feet are separate pieces.

Michael Chiklis and I joke that, although we play these powerful characters, in reality we’re both powerless when we're in our costumes. We can’t go to the bathroom and we can’t pick things up! We’re completely powerless.

Has doing these films given you a greater appreciation of the comic books?

I love Jack Kirby’s artwork. It’s classic, and my costume is much more similar to the look from the comic books this time. But I’ve always relied more on the script than the comics when we've been making the films.

When Tim was planning this film he said he wanted to focus on a specific time in the comic books series, so I looked at those stories to see how it was established and how it progressed, but apart from that I don't read the comics. I have fond memories of watching the cartoon series when I was a kid, though.

Are you happy to be known as Doctor Doom?

I think it’s going to happen more as a result of this film, because you see more of my face this time, but most people still know me best for my role on Nip/Tuck. What really gets to me is when I see myself as a toy, and see how small the head is! That’s when it hits me that I’ll always be known as the guy who played Doctor Doom – and that’s not a bad thing.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer opens in the US and UK on 15 June. For a chance to win a Fantastic Four goodie bag, click here.