This othering of Cady is further amplified through the Santeria faith he adopts in prison. This Afro-Caribbean-Yoruba religion, developed by enslaved people in Cuba, involves the worship of deities called Orishas. “Max’s Orisha is of thunder, justice and vengeance, so that’s very appropriate to his character, his needs and motivations,” says Antosca. Cady’s tattoos, continuing De Niro’s legacy, are just as evocative, with dozens of eyes etched across his skin: “There are a lot of ways to spy on, terrorise and surveil people in 2026 that didn’t exist before, so Max’s tattoos [emphasise] that he’s always watching.”
