Pablo Schreiber, who plays Master Chief in Paramount+'s new Halo TV series, shares that he loved finally showing off his Spartan armor. Halo follows a 26th-century conflict between humanity and a menacing alien congregate known as the Covenant. Although the video game franchise inspired the series, Halo is cited as a stand-alone project, steering away from defining itself as a prequel, continuation, or adaptation. Supporting Schreiber's lead in the new show are Natascha McElhone, Yerin Ha, Bokeem Woodbine, Jen Taylor, Shabana Azmi, Olive Gray, Charlie Murphy, Kate Kennedy, Bentley Kalu, Natasha Culzac, and Danny Sapani.
A large part of creating a believable Halo universe hinges on the ability to appear visually authentic. Knowing this, production for the series opted to go with practical armor rather than depending solely on the assistance of CGI. In addition to achieving an authentic appearance, the theory goes that these practical armor suits help optimize the actors' performances, making them feel more connected to the surrounding environment. With Halo now streaming on Paramount+, fans can get a full glimpse of the Spartan armor in action.
In a Screen Rant exclusive interview, Schreiber shares that he loved finally showing off his Spartan armor. He describes the armor's initial unveiling, with the crew's subsequent response proving that the wardrobe was genuinely remarkable. The leading actor also notes that he believes that was his moment of takeoff for the show. See Schreiber's exact remarks on the topic below:
It was getting suited up with my fellow Spartans - the three other Spartans from our Silver team - and being paraded out in costume for the first time in front of the crew. Because the crew had been kept away from the costumes, and it was all very top secret, bla bla bla. The first time they showed us off, you could just see from everybody's face how impressive it was, and how much this moment meant. Because there are so many people that were involved in the show long before me and have been trying to get it off the ground for so long. To see that it was finally happening and that it looked so impressive and authentic and real, I think, was the moment of takeoff.
Spartan armor, otherwise known as Mjolnir armor, was crafted solely for the Spartans to wear and is unique in many ways. A series of layers make up the armor, beginning with an amplified exterior casing, followed by a gel to provide cushioning and body temperature regulation, and concluding with an interior skinsuit. The signature Spartan helmets feature a built-in orange visor and essentially serve as the entire unit's control center. So, it appears relatively clear from the start that the wardrobe department had their work cut out for them, especially without leaning too heavily on CGI.
Halo's Spartan armor is legendary, and for Schreiber to feel the crew's reaction to its initial unveiling in such a way is telling of a job well done. It is apparent that tons of behind-the-scenes work went into making the show what it is, and Schreiber, who has the honor of donning the armor, clearly recognizes everything that went in to getting the adaptation off the ground. Fans of Halo new and old can also enjoy seeing the authentic Spartan armor as Master Chief John-117 and the crew head into action.
