'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Video: Fanboy LaMonica Garrett Says the Monitor Does 'Bad Things for a Better Purpose'

Matt Webb Mitovich

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LaMonica Garrett says that when he auditioned for last year’s Arrowverse crossover event, “They were real mysterious” about the role. As such, upon landing it, “I was like, ‘Who am I playing?'” (At that point, his best guess was Val-Zod, a black Superman.) Then, as soon as he heard he was playing the Monitor, “Your mind goes straight to ‘Crisis,'” says the comic books fanboy.

And now, indeed, the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” is nearing.

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To prep for the role, Garrett revisited the famous DC Comics storyline he first consumed as a kid. “I read comic books anyway, so that was good research,” he shared during his visit to TVLine’s San Diego Comic-Con suite. And while the Monitor’s suit would help him embody the enigmatic, God-like being, Garrett went about “finding the right energy” for the character. Including his plain-spoken ways.

“The most powerful characters, you can barely hear them,” he says, citing The Godfather as one example. But also, the Monitor “has been around for billions of years,” so dealing with Oliver Queen & Co. is “just another walk around the park for him!”

Also in this video Q&A, Garrett sheds light on the nature of his season-ending cameos on Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl, the latter of which seemed a bit… nefarious, bringing J’onn J’onzz’s vengeful brother to Earth and then sizing up a worse-for-wear Lex Luthor. “Everything the Monitor does is to serve the Crisis,” his portrayer explains. “In hindsight, it may be he needed to put that person there…. He does bad things for a better purpose.” (Shortly after this interview, it was announced at Comic-Con that Garrett would also be playing the Anti-Monitor.)

Garrett points out that “Crisis” has been coming ever since The Flash‘s pilot referenced it in a future newspaper headline, “so I’m just one of the final pieces to the puzzle.” And while it would be hard to adapt everything from the comic book arc, “from what I’ve seen, they’re nailing it.”

Press play above to get even more from Garrett, including how hard he’ll be working during this year’s five-part crossover, how he envisions the Oliver/Monitor dynamic, plus his thoughts on missing out on Designated Survivor‘s potty-mouthed Season 3.

Want more scoop on the Arrowverse? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.

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