Meet 'perverted' Preacher villain Herr Starr

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The character of Herr Starr plays a huge role in the Preacher comics as a relentless hunter of the titular super-powered Jesse Custer. But the one-eyed German has only been glimpsed so far on the AMC adaptation. That all changes with the July 31 episode, when viewers will be properly introduced to this merciless member of a top secret formidable cabal, the Grail.

“If there’s a pie in heaven or earth, they have their hands in it,” says showrunner Sam Catlin of the Grail. “Governments take their call and tremble at their summons. They’re sort of like the ambassadors, or criminal attorneys, for heaven and hell here on earth. They just basically in a lot of ways run the planet. Herr Starr is sort of the enforcer for this organization.”

The character, played by The Crown’s Pip Torrens, also loves a nipple ring, it seems. “They make him feel more alive and vital,” says Catlin.

Preacher airs Mondays on AMC and stars Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Joseph Gilgun, and Ian Colletti.

Watch a trailer for the current season of Preacher and see the exclusive image of Herr Starr on the show, above.