Its not easy to be friends with Maleficent. Just ask Sam Riley, who returns as Diaval, Maleficents most loyal companion, for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. As Aurora begins a new life, Maleficent must deal with the struggle every parent endures when their child seeks independence: letting go. Luckily, she has Diaval there to not only understand this pain but also remain steadfastly on Maleficents side throughout the struggles she goes through in the film.
SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS spoke to Riley about how the changes in his life over the last few years influenced Diaval as a character and his complex relationship with Maleficent.
So, its been five years since the last film. Do you feel like theres anything in your life thats happened or new experiences that youve had that changed your perspective on the character or how you approached it this time?
Yeah, there were a number of things. Ive become a father in the meantime. My boys five years old now, so something must have happened around that time. Thats changed me as a person as it does anyone who becomes a parent. I suppose now when I play parents, I have some experience of it, and I consider myself the sort of stepfather of Aurora as a character in this thing.
The other thing that happened was that I relaxed a little bit, I think. I was just beginning to really enjoy the process of shooting Maleficent when it ended. I was sort of overwhelmed and terrified for the first part of it. I never get to make sequels. The first… usually, they either flop or I die, so there was never really sequel options going on. So I really enjoyed myself this time. I wasnt afraid of Angelina or the whole process of it. I really enjoyed myself, really.
You mention that you did some crazy bird stuff to prepare for being a bird. Did you do anything to be a bear? For your moments as a bear, did you have any bear training?
No, not really. Sadly. No, none. I dont have to be there on these moments. I just generally do the…bird comes in and you land here, and then I squat on the floor. Then, when she does this, I sort of jump up in the air and pretend Im… Its like being a kid again, really. No, I didnt. I did my homework on the first film, but the second one I thought, “Ive got this.”
I notice that you have cheetahs on your shirt. Are there any other animals you would have liked to turn into?
Maleficents not the easiest person to deal with all the time. What is it about their relationship that keeps Diaval loyal to her? Its been a long time now, hows that working?
I dont know, its a strange one, isnt it? Well, shes very beautiful, obviously. I think he loves her, honestly, and I think he sort of, even in the first one, could see quite early what she was resisting in herself, and I think he realized that in the first one. That when she was furious about something that, A, she calmed down eventually and, B, that shed been hurt. He could sense that in her in the first movie. I also thought, “Now shes got her wings back, she doesnt really need me anymore,” but maybe she likes him as well. But theyre the parents of Aurora, they both have a shared love of her, and I think hes in love with her, probably.
Other appearances
Diablo appeared frequently in House of Mouse as a guest. In each appearance, he is perched on Maleficent’s shoulder. He doesn’t seem to like Hades in the “Halloween With Hades” episode, and he even attempted to bite his finger. He also makes an appearance in Mickey’s House of Villains alongside the evildoers.
In addition, I believe that I became somewhat more relaxed. When Maleficent was finally shot, I was starting to truly enjoy the process. The first part of it scared and overwhelmed me a little. I never get to make sequels. The first. Usually, there are never really any sequel options because they either fail or I die. So I really enjoyed myself this time. I wasn’t scared of Angelina or the procedure in general. I really enjoyed myself, really.
Its not easy to be friends with Maleficent. For Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, just ask Sam Riley, who reappears as Diaval, the most devoted companion of Maleficent. Maleficent has to deal with the difficulty of letting go that every parent faces when their child wants independence as Aurora embarks on a new life. Fortunately, Diaval is there to sympathize with her and to stand by Maleficent’s side no matter what during the challenges she faces in the movie.
Riley discussed with SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS how his life’s recent changes have shaped Diaval’s persona and his nuanced relationship with Maleficent.
I notice that you have cheetahs on your shirt. Which other animals would you have preferred to become?
I don’t know, it’s an odd one, isn’t it? She’s obviously very beautiful. Frankly, I believe he loves her, and I believe that even in the first one, he kind of saw early on what she was resisting about herself. That when she got upset about something, she eventually became calm and, B, that she had been hurt. He could sense that in her in the first movie. I also reasoned that since she has her wings back, she doesn’t really need me anymore, but it’s possible that she still has feelings for him. However, they are Aurora’s parents, and they both adore her. I believe he is genuinely in love with her.
Physical appearance
Diablo, the black raven in Sleeping Beauty, has pink bags under his eyes. He has a sharp, long yellow beak and yellow claws.
Diablo is first seen with Maleficent, crashing Auroras christening. There, when she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, she casts a spell on her that causes her death to occur before dusk on her sixteenth birthday. After the curse is set, she and Diablo depart. Her rivals Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather alter the curse so that Aurora will only go into a deep sleep when she pricks her finger, but they are unaware of this. A sixteen-year search for Aurora is conducted by Maleficent’s goons back at the Forbidden Mountain, but they are unsuccessful. It is revealed that throughout the entire hunt, they were foolishly searching for a baby. Maleficent explodes in rage and sends Diablo to find her. He starts his search in the forest, where he witnesses magic being blasted from wands coming out of a chimney (and, upon closer examination, gets struck by it). It comes from Flora and Merryweather, who have been keeping Aurora safe from Maleficent by hiding her in a woodcutters cottage.
He hears Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather confirm Aurora’s identity as he stands in the doorway. She says she met someone who is coming over to see her that night, but they tell her they are taking her back to King Stefan’s castle so she can meet up with her parents again. When Diablo hears this, he smiles and takes off, telling Maleficent the good news, much to her delight. Additionally, he finds out that Aurora has fallen in love and that her beau will be visiting the cottage that evening. When the sleeping spells are cast upon Aurora and the entire kingdom, Maleficent and her minions are able to kidnap Prince Phillip, the man she met in the woods, and keep him from lifting Aurora’s curse. He is kept captive in Maleficent’s castle, but Merryweather, Flora, and Fauna manage to free him. But while Maleficent is sleeping, Diablo watches and witnesses Phillip and the fairies running away. He quickly rallies the goons to attack. But with Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather’s magic, they are helpless, so Diablo goes to Maleficent’s quarters to tell her what is happening. He irritates Merryweather, who pursues him and tries to cast a spell on him. When Diablo eventually makes it to Maleficent’s quarters, Merryweather uses her magic to strike him, turning him into a stone statue that is a part of Maleficent’s castle. When Maleficent hears all the commotion, she appears, intending to quiet her goons. She gasps in shock when she discovers her raven’s stone body instead, but then she sees Phillip, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather making their escape. This forces her to act alone to stop Phillip from breaking her curse and turning into a dragon and saving the entire kingdom, but doing so results in her being fatally stabbed in the heart by Phillip’s sword of truth.
FAQ
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