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When The Killer hit screens in 2023, it marked Michael Fassbender’s icy return to the big screen after a brief hiatus, and what a comeback it was. Directed by the meticulous David Fincher, the film opened with Fassbender’s nameless assassin camped out in a darkened Paris apartment, waiting for a high-profile target with the patience of a monk and the nerves of steel.
The entire sequence was a slow burn, tense, minimal, and hypnotically quiet: no flashy action, no over-the-top theatrics, just a man, a rifle, and a method. Michael Fassbender slid effortlessly into the role, bringing a dead-eyed intensity that made his every move feel surgical. From yoga-like stretches to mind-numbing stillness, the opening act was a masterclass in restraint, and Fassbender didn’t miss a beat.
Known for going all in with physical roles, he brought a surprising level of control and calm to the chaos. But behind that composed performance were hours of prep, a demanding shoot, and one specific scene that turned out to be more physical than expected.
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Michael Fassbender On ‘Regretting’ This One Thing
In a throwback Actors on Actors chat with Variety, Michael Fassbender dished out a behind-the-scenes nugget from The Killer that definitely belongs in the “things I wish I hadn’t said” Hall of Fame. During the conversation, Fassbender casually shared that he told David Fincher and the crew he could do around 100 fingertip push-ups. Now, in his defense, he didn’t mean in one go. “I think I’ve got about 100 in me,” he said, explaining it was more like sets of ten reasonable, modest and even.
But this is a David Fincher film. Precision is everything, and if your lead actor offers up a party trick? You use it. What followed was Fassbender doing not 100, not 150, but somewhere around 260 fingertip push-ups across takes. “I remember regretting telling them I could do it,” he laughed. Too late, though, the push-ups were in the script, the cameras were rolling, and the assassin had to stay stone-cold, even while his fingers were probably begging for mercy.
It’s the kind of classic actor anecdote that proves no detail is ever too small to end up on screen, especially when working with someone like Fincher, who’s known for turning minor moments into cinematic obsessions. And as for Fassbender? Next time, maybe he’ll stick to humble head tilts and steely stares.
Was Michael Fassbender Perfect For The Killer?
Fingertip push-ups aside, Michael Fassbender was disturbingly perfect as the cold-blooded assassin in The Killer. From the first silent stakeout to the last quietly intense showdown, Fassbender brought a masterclass in minimalism. His character doesn’t have a name, barely speaks, and shows zero emotion, but that’s exactly what makes his performance so gripping.
Across the film’s six chapters, we slowly peel back the layers of this hitman’s tightly wound psyche, and Fassbender does it all with the tiniest glances, micro-expressions, and a whole lot of brooding silence.
As the revenge plot kicks into gear, cracks begin to show. He starts slipping, missing details, making mistakes, and, worst of all, letting feelings sneak into the job. That subtle unraveling? All Fassbender. You feel the shift in him without needing dramatic speeches or breakdowns. And every kill? Carefully weighed, never mindless. His failures push him to justify the bloodshed, turning each murder into a twisted step in his personal redemption tour.
Sure, the fingertip push-ups are cool, but they’re just the cherry on top. The real win is how Fassbender transforms a nearly emotionless character into someone you can’t stop watching. He’s a ghost with a mission; however quiet or brutal, every action means something. That kind of performance doesn’t just demand physical discipline; it takes a lot of restraint, precision, and the right actor to pull it off. And Fassbender? Nailed it.
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