Antony Starr says goodbye to ‘complicated’ The Boys character ahead of final season

Antony Starr has bid an emotional farewell to his “complicated” The Boys character Homelander after the superhero satire wrapped production on its final season.

The 49-year-old has played the twisted superhero since the series debuted in 2019. The fifth and final season is expected to arrive on Amazon Prime next year. Creator and showrunner Eric Kripke confirmed last month that filming has already wrapped.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, Starr paid tribute to his time on the “insane” show, known for its gore and satirical bite.

“Difficult (for me) to put into words what an incredible ride this has been,” wrote Starr. “How much life and growth has occurred. How amazing the team is. It’s truly been the highlight of my career. When we began, I had no idea what was coming.”

He continued: “This juggernaut left the station and never stopped. Except for that Covid moment. Oh and the strikes. That was a thing too. But apart from those two times, it never stopped, boldly making its mark on the television landscape. There’s nothing else like it. It lives in its own lane.

“And at the end of the shoot, all there really is to say is- thank you. The incredible Canadian crew. The amazing production team. The insanely talented cast. The people at Amazon and Sony that took a chance on this insane thing(and made the great choice in casting me, tyyy) and all the other people that contributed in some way, big or small, to this beautiful, complex, warped, delicious show.

“I love this show. And I love this character. Truly. I will dearly miss heading to work, knowing what we were aiming for but never knowing where we would find ourselves by the end of the day… only that we would have fun and it would be creatively rewarding in the extreme.

“This complicated character allowed the space and range to discover and push boundaries in a way I never expected and I will always be grateful for this experience. And of course huge gratitude to my co-parent with this twisted gem of a character - [Eric Kripke] . We created a monster, sir. And I will miss him, and you. Til we roll out the last season. When I’ll see you. But this creative chapter is closed , and I’ll miss it, brother.

“And finally - massive thank you to the fans. You are the life blood. Without you, we don’t get to do this. And our fans are second to none. Mad love to you… and deepest respect for your taste.”

Last year, Starr rejected the suggestion that his maniacal character is a satirical take on Donald Trump, calling the comparisons “low-hanging fruit”.