AmazonandBlumhouse’s collaboration series,Welcome to the Blumhouse, featured a heavily underrated horror/thriller film Athie starred in calledBlack Box. The film saw Athie play an amnesiac searching for answers inside his mind with the help of a neurologist’s experimental procedures but ends up finding dark entities that make him question reality and who he is.
Athie absolutely nails it as a leading man inBlack Boxwith the emotional depth and range he brings to the performance that elevates the wild twists and turns this must watch psychological thriller offers.
Sorry For Your Loss
On one ofFacebook Watch’s premier shows,Sorry for Your Loss, Athie starred alongsideElizabeth Olsen,who isthe powerful Wanda Maximoff onWandaVisionfrom Disney+, as the focal point for her character Leigh’s grief.
As his character Matt, Leigh’s husband who unexpected dies, Athie showed some true emotional prowess alongside an award-worthy performance from Olsen as he greatly balanced the loving charm and underlying depression of his character. The gut punches ofSorry for Your Lossand Leigh’s story wouldn’t be possible without a great performance from Athie and while he’s just seen in flashbacks his presence is felt throughout mainly because of Athie’s emotionally gripping performance.
Unicorn Store
Athie starred alongside anotherMCUalum,Brie Larson, for her directorial debutUnicorn Storeand turned what could’ve been a simple love interest role into a pivotal guiding force.
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In the film, Larson’s Kit struggles to chart a life path for herself where she doesn’t have to give up her artistic and creative ambitions and ends up forming a strong bond with Athie’s Virgil, who offers her a balanced view and heartwarming support. Athie’s charm and the genuine sense of support he brings out in his performance makes Virgil the kind friend/more than a friend you want by your side.
Underwater
Although it was a short-lived role, Athie was a prominent face in theKristen Stewart-led and surprisingly good sci-fi thrillerUnderwater.
Athie’s performance as Rodrigo, a good-hearted squad member, simply continues his streak of showing likeable charm, but his presence isn’t forgettable and leads to one of most suspenseful sequences of the film with one hairline crack changing Rodrigo’s entire fate.
The Get Down
InBaz Luhrmannand Netflix’sThe Get Down, Athie portrayed the legendary pioneer of hip-hop and DJingGrandmaster Flashacting as a mentor to the Get Down Brothers, who seek success as musical artists.
With the help of the real-life Grandmaster Flash, who served as a producer for the series, Athie played a pivotal role in bringing the pioneer’s artistry to life as well as the immense praise the series received for its sense of authenticity to the music and mindset of the 70s.
The Front Runner
Frankly, if Athie keeps starring alongside Marvel actors, we’re sure to see him in an MCU movie sooner or later as he also starred alongsideHugh Jackmanin the 2018 political biopicThe Front Runner.
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In the film, Athie leads the journalistic side of the film as A.J. Parker, a journalist for the Washington Post uncovering a supposed affair presidential candidateGary Hart(Jackman) and the film’s themes about ethical journalism. Athie’s performance is a perfect balancing act as he makes Parker’s questioning of his duties and what’s right feel real and relatable giving the film’s central ethics debate some solid thrills.
One of Athie’s most recent performances inPrentice Penny’sUncorkedhas been hailed as one of his best for the strong emotion and passion he brings to a story about diverging life paths.
As Elijah, a young man who’s divided in supporting his father Louis’ (Courtney B. Vance) dream of him taking over the family’s barbecue restaurant or his own dreams of becoming a wine sommelier. It’s a struggle as old as time, but Athie gives this relatable life choice a genuinely personal feel that touches on the wide range of emotions that come from making life-changing choices.
