From NME · · 1m 20s
Willem Dafoe on 'Tenzing' and feeling like an outsider
Willem Dafoe stars in 'Tenzing' as John Hunt, still feeling like an outsider despite success.
In brief
Willem Dafoe stars in 'Tenzing' as John Hunt, still feeling like an outsider despite success. Willem Dafoe stars in 'Tenzing' as John Hunt, the Sherpa who helped summit Everest, and says he still feels like an outsider due to distribution and technology changes. Originally reported by NME.
Willem Dafoe in 'Tenzing'
Willem Dafoe stars as John Hunt in the 2026 film 'Tenzing' about Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who helped summit Mount Everest in 1953.
John Hunt: an outsider
Dafoe says John Hunt, a military man, felt like an outsider in the Everest climbing community despite representing the Empire.
Shooting in the mountains
Filming at altitude involved daily helicopter trips and weather uncertainty, with avalanches a risk but no injuries.
Jennifer Peedom’s approach
Peedom focuses on Tenzing’s background, avoiding macho mountain climbing films to honor Sherpa culture.
70s New York punk scene
Dafoe recalls CBGB’s with Richard Hell, Television, Ramones, and James Chance And The Contortions in 1970s New York.
Outsider identity
Dafoe says he still feels like an outsider due to distribution changes and technology, despite his success.
Release dates
Tenzing releases in cinemas on October 9, 2026, then streams on Apple TV on October 16, 2026.
The essence
Willem Dafoe stars in 'Tenzing' as John Hunt, the Sherpa who helped summit Everest, and says he still feels like an outsider due to distribution and technology changes.
