The Rocky Horror Picture Show is often considered a cult classic, but, after spending a few decades as a midnight movie staple, it's become a major touchstone in film and musical history. The film's characters, from the illustrious Dr. Frank-N-Furter to the hard-rocking Eddie, are so well performed in the original that in can be difficult to imagine someone else doing the role. One character, however, may have the perfect upgrade for a 2016 audience of FOX's Rocky Horror Picture Show remake. The droopy blonde hair of the original Rocky is getting traded in for a more groomed look — but the muscles are all still there. Who plays Rocky in the FOX remake, and can he live up to the original 1975 film?
Staz Nair may not be a familiar face, but you've probably seen him before without registering it, if you're one of the millions of people who watched the most recent season of Game of Thrones. Nair's only other credit on his IMDB page next to Rocky Horror is as Qhono in Season 6 of Game of Thrones (One of the Dothraki Soldiers that escorted Daenerys early in the season). Most of Nair's experience comes not from acting, but from modeling — which actually makes him perfect for the mostly-silent role of Rocky. Here's a peek at what Nair brings to the table.
Jawline For Days
Let's be honest here — The whole purpose of Rocky is to be objectified. The character's full title in the credits are "Rocky Horror — A Creation." He's created to be a partner to Frank-N-Furter and is supposed to be the embodiment of the ideal male figure. The major conflict of the film arises when Rocky decides that he doesn't just want to be a creation made to serve Frank-N-Furter, but wants to explore his own desires. Nair undeniably has a well-kept body, but he's also got some natural good looks and charm that help him embody the role of a sexy Frankenstein monster of a man.
Naiveté
A huge part of the character of Rocky is his naiveté. Rocky is technically born during the events of the story and is adjusting to life while the world around him spins out of control. In preview footage of the special, it looks like Nair has the character down as he goes through life in extreme joy or extreme fear like the original Rocky.
Rockin' Bod
Again, while there are plenty of elements of Rocky, the most important is absolutely the body. Rocky is created to be the perfect man in the vein of bodybuilder Charles Atlas — in fact, the song that introduces Rocky is called the "Charles Atlas Song" — and Nair is certainly not lacking in the body department. You need more than a well-sculpted body to play Rocky, but there's no denying that you simply can't play the standard version of Rocky without a well-sculpted body (though I would definitely be interested to watch a remake that challenged the physical notions of the original).
Nair is primed to impress audiences when he takes to the screen for FOX's Rocky Horror Picture Show, and could redefine the character for a whole new generation of Rocky Horror fans. Although Nair is a relatively fresh face to the world of television, he's already got an incredibly impressive resume. Be sure to keep an eye on for his future...
Image: Steve Wilkie/FOX
