The Boys star has the same rare disorder as Black Noir
Prime VideoFans got a look at just how terrifying the new Black Noir is in this season of The Boys, but also his surprising weakness: Narcolepsy.
It happens during The Boys Season 4, Episode 7’s massive brawl in the team’s Flat Iron base. The Deep and Black Noir show up to kill Butcher, Annie, and Hughie, but the timely intervention of A-Train and Mother’s Milk saves the day.
However, Butcher nearly gets an easy win during the fight thanks to Black Noir seemingly falling asleep. It’s a surprise to learn that the new Black Noir is a Narcoleptic, and the condition is so severe that he manages to fall asleep even in the middle of a fight.
Prime VideoIt’s a funny moment in the context of the episode, but it turns out it’s a surprisingly real one. Nathan Mitchell, the actor who plays Black Noir, also suffers from Narcolepsy, which he revealed in an interview with TV Insider.
“It’s funny because [when I] talk to my friends who are now seeing the season, they’ll laugh with me and they’re like, ‘Yeah, I remember when we were in high school and you’d come to parties and just nap on the couch.’ So it’s something I’ve been doing my entire life just taking little naps here and there,” Mitchell explained.
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that occurs when the brain cannot control sleep-wake cycles, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Roughly 1 in 2,000 people are said to be affected, and while Narcolepsy itself cannot be cured, it can be managed with medication, as well as appropriate lifestyle changes.
The addition of Narcolepsy makes for an interesting twist on Black Noir. The previous version of the character, also portrayed by Mitchell, was an imposing mute badass who suffered from severe brain trauma and PTSD, which manifested as seeing cartoon characters.
Black Noir II has given Mitchell a chance to flex his chops as an actor. The new version, whose in-universe audition tape was revealed via social media, is the opposite of his predecessor, and it’s largely been played for laughs so far.
It’s also a stark departure from the original comic book Black Noir, a sinister clone of Homelander who committed heinous atrocities to frame his “father” so he could be given the green light to kill him.
If you’re looking for more The Boys, check out our theories for The Boys Season 4, the most shocking moments in The Boys Season 4, and other TV shows streaming this month.