The sheer talent of Edi Gathegi roles across film and television have proven he’s one of Hollywood’s underrated actors. From dark and mysterious characters to heroic and deeply emotional figures, Gathegi consistently demonstrates his exceptional range across genres. He’s one of several character actors who may not have a famous name but are easily recognizable, whether playing a villain or supporting protagonist.
While he has starred in several big-budget, blockbuster movies, Edi Gathegi has also starred in numerous indie projects. With a career spanning two decades, the Kenya-born American actor continues to expand his portfolio in film and television. Here’s a look at Edi Gathegi’s iconic roles across TV and movies that have shaped his career.
Laurent in the Twilight Movies (2008–2011)
Arguably, Edi Gathegi’s performance in the 2008 film Twilight marked his international breakthrough role. He portrayed Laurent, one of the three main antagonists in the first film. Laurent is a nomadic vampire who initially travels with James Witherdale (Cam Gigandet) and Victoria Sutherland (Rachelle Lefevre). While James is the ruthless leader of the trio and Victoria his vengeful partner, Gathegi portrayed Laurent as more level-headed and morally conflicted.
He showed hints of restraint and even warned the Cullen family and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) about the dangers ahead. Twilight was Edi Gathegi’s first major role in a global blockbuster franchise. Even though his character wasn’t one of the franchise’s leads, Gathegi’s Laurent is often remembered for his unique look (dreadlocked hair and piercing eyes) and the tension-filled scenes. His warning to Bella in The Twilight Saga: New Moon and eventual demise at the hands of the werewolves added depth to the franchise’s vampire lore.
Darwin in X-Men: First Class (2011)
In Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class (2011), Edi Gathegi portrayed Darwin (A.K.A. Armando Muñoz), a mutant with the power of reactive evolution. His character could instantly adapt to any environment or threat to ensure its survival. Darwin was introduced as part of the original team of young mutants recruited by the younger Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) to stop Sebastian Shaw’s (Kevin Bacon) plans.
Darwin’s death in X-Men: First Class, despite his “impossible to kill” power, sparked significant fan outrage. True fans of the character in comics considered it one of the most controversial moments in the history of superhero cinema. As such, Darwin is one of Marvel Comics’ most underused mutants. While many agreed he shouldn’t have been added to the film, especially since the writers didn’t have a proper arc for him, the short screen time and his demise remain one of the film’s most memorable scenes, with Edi Gathegi doing justice to the role.
Matias Solomon in The Blacklist
Another one of Edi Gathegi’s most iconic roles is Matias Solomon in NBC’s The Blacklist. His character was introduced in season 3 as a highly skilled, cold-blooded operative for a secretive cabal organization. Matias Solomon, played by Gathegi, quickly became a fan favorite due to his charm, dark humor, and ruthlessness. Unsurprisingly, the character was upgraded to a main character in the short-lived spin-off series The Blacklist: Redemption. The spin-off gave audiences more insight into Solomon’s complex moral code and mysterious past. This easily transformed him from a straightforward villain into a more layered, morally gray character.
Bill Packett in The Harder They Fall
A more recent memorable role for Edi Gathegi is in Jeymes Samuel’s 2021 Western film, The Harder They Fall. Gathegi portrayed African American cowboy Bill Pickett. His character was a sharpshooter and protector in Nat Love’s (Jonathan Majors) outlaw posse. Gathegi portrayed the character as a level-headed elder in the crew, who’s not only sharp-eyed but fiercely loyal. Edi Gathegi’s portrayal provides historical depth to a part of Black cowboy history that has been erased. The role remains one of his most resonant and powerful portrayals to date.
Michael Holt/Mister Terrific in Superman (2025)
With his casting in James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman movie, Edi Gathegi joins a select list of actors who have portrayed characters from Marvel Comics and DC. With his growing list of portrayals of supernatural characters, Gathegi portrays Michael Holt/Mister Terrific in Superman (2025).
His portrayal marks the character’s first-ever live-action feature film debut, as Echo Kellum had previously portrayed the character in the CW Arrowverse series on television. Gathegi’s Michael Holt is depicted as one of the smartest individuals in the DC Universe. Comic fans and critics have framed Edi Gathegi’s role as part of a redemption arc, following the underutilization of his character in the earlier-mentioned X-Men: First Class.
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