'Vikings' star Ludwig relishes unconventional techie role in 'Bad Boys'

April 24 (UPI) -- Vikings and The Hunger Games actor Alexander Ludwig said he wanted to play Dorn, a brawny, brilliant technological device expert who doesn't like to fight, in Bad Boys For Life because the role upends expectations.

"He's so against type," the 27-year-old Vancouver native told UPI in a phone interview Friday, alluding to the fact that he is as smart as he is strong.

"When you hear about the techie, I think an image comes up in your head of what that person is supposed to look like or how he is supposed to be," Ludwig added.

"It was such an interesting character with such a great back story. He's the silent guy who is kind of afraid of himself because of everything he has been through in the past and, finally seeing him have his moment at the end, it's just a great arc."

Dorn is part of the young and highly skilled tactical team that helps Mike and Marcus (Will Smith and Martin Lawrence) when the retirement-flirting Miami police detectives find themselves up against the vengeful widow (Kate del Castillo) of a Mexican drug kingpin, her son (Jacob Scipio) and his crew in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced action-comedy.

"Any movie -- big, action movie, superhero movie -- if it's not rooted in some sort of theme that everybody can relate to, then it's nothing. It's just a bunch of explosions," Ludwig said, noting that Bruckheimer, Smith and Lawrence understand this concept very well.

"This is about a family and it's people coming to terms with their mortality and their age. It's a lot of themes that I think a lot of people in the world can relate to," Ludwig said.

Bad Boys For Life, the blockbuster sequel to 1995's Bad Boys and 2005's Bad Boys II, was released on VOD and digital platforms, as well as DVD and Blu-ray, earlier than planned in an effort to offer some much-needed entertainment to those stuck at home social-distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I grew up watching those films and admiring Will and Martin and Jerry's careers," Ludwig said.

"Being a part of that and creating such an amazing family was just a gift and, look, if [the movie] helps let people forget about how crazy this world is right now for two hours, then that is just icing on the cake," he said.