‘Boston Strangler’ Actor David Dastmalchian Talks Playing A Serial Killer
Mary Beth McAndrews
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David Dastmalchian is a chameleon. Since his debut in The Dark Knight, he’s appeared in over 75 films and TV shows, playing villains, superheroes, and witty sidekicks. This year, he finally gets a leading role in Late Night With The Devil. But most recently, he’s taken on the role of serial killer Albert DeSalvo in Matt Ruskin’s new true crime film, Boston Strangler.
The Boston Strangler was a serial killer active in the 1960s. Ruskin’s film follows the story of reporter Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley) who was the first person to connect a series of murders and break the story of the Boston Strangler. She and Jean Cole (Carrie Coon) challenge the sexism of the early 1960s to report on the city’s most notorious serial killer. Ruskin also dives deeper into the theory that the Boston Strangler was just not Albert DeSalvo, but potentially several killers operating in Boston at the same time.
Dread Central spoke with Dastmalchian about the patriarchy, Takashi Miike, working with David Lynch, and more.
Dread Central: How familiar were you with the Boston Strangler case before you came onto the project?
David Dastmalchian: I had seen the Tony Curtis film [The Boston Strangler] years ago, and I had kind of a scant knowledge of the case. You know, I had a lot of family who had lived in Boston in the past, but not much, to be quite honest. So when I joined the film, I started reading everything I could read listening to everything I could listen to. What was so powerful to me about Boston Strangler by Matt Ruskin was that this is a film that is not about the Boston Strangler.
This is a film that is about two incredibly resilient, incredibly determined, incredibly held-back women who are fighting to tell a story to protect the lives of women while this predator, or predators, were stalking the streets of Boston and killing women. That to me was the story. I never knew how much law enforcement botched this case. I never knew how much patriarchal power structure and bureaucratic BS in infringed upon the progress that could have been made with this case.
DC: So you’re playing the presumed Boston Strangler Albert DeSalvo. What was it like getting into the mindset of that character who is a bit more complex than maybe we think he is?
DD: There’s an overwhelming sense of responsibility for me when I bring any character to life. But especially when you imagine this is a man who was a human being who walked this earth, who hurt so many countless women, which then, as you know, abuse and violence ripples and it affects those women’s children, their partners, their spouses, their friends, their nephews, their nieces. Many of these people are still alive today. So if I’m going to bring this person to life, I have to acknowledge that consciously.
Every day when I’m working on a film like this, I wake up and carry the mantle of responsibility that says we have an obligation to do this in an authentic way. I’m so grateful that this was a film as terrifying as this movie is, as scary as this movie can be at times, but it’s not a film about Albert DeSalvo, it’s not a film about George Nasser. It’s not a film about a man killing women. It’s a film about these women fighting to protect other women.
DC: Yeah, exactly. What was that like working in small part with Keira Knightly? I know that there aren’t a lot of scenes with you together, but what did that mean for you to be in this project?
DD: That was a big deal for me. I’ve been a fan of Keira’s for a very long time. I was excited at the prospect of getting to be the subject of this investigative journalist who’s just so doggedly obsessed with finding out about me and being able to talk to me. So that was really powerful in crafting the performance because I knew that even though I wasn’t going to have screen time with her, what I was gonna be creating with Albert energetically for the film was gonna be propelling her story in a really profound way.
Not to mention the fact that I’ve been a massive fan of Chris Cooper for decades. And Carrie Coon, we’re both people who came from the Chicago stage. She’s someone who has inspired me for a good long time now. I’ve just watched her continue to deliver these incredible performances. She’s one of the best actors of our generation and it was really exciting for me to get to be in a film with her.
DC: That’s so cool. She is absolutely incredible in this film. Are you a true crime fan? Were you into true crime at all before joining Boston Strangler?
DD: <laugh> My wife listens to more podcasts than I do, so I always tangentially end up finding out about podcasts and true crime stuff through her. So of course, My Favorite Murder and all these other amazing podcasts, she is obsessed with [them]. I also really love listening to The Last Podcast On The Left. On their Side Stories, they will do these incredible investigations of the horrific true crimes of history. I do try to diversify my podcasting because if I had my way I would probably always be listening to grisly, gruesome stuff. <laugh>. But currently, I love this new podcast, you’ve gotta check it out. It’s called Uncanny Japan and it’s about the amazing mythology, ghost stories, and folklore from Japan. It’s one of the best podcasts I’ve heard in a while. I love political and social podcasts. But I do like true crime stuff a lot.
DC: Awesome. Okay, so you were in a couple of episodes of Twin Peaks. What was your experience working with Davi Lynch? I just have to know.
DD: It was life-changing. I have been a fan of David Lynch since I was in high school when I became very serious about pursuing my dream of working in the movies. I came to Los Angeles in 2010 with three lifetime goals. They included working with the Muppets, becoming a James Bond villain, and working with David Lynch. Those are my three top acting goals. And so when I had the opportunity to finally get to audition, and by audition you really just talk to a camera about your morning his casting director, it was terrifying because I realized that I was reading for potentially a David Lynch project. I didn’t even know what it was. Then when I got the call that I was gonna be a part of Twin Peaks: The Return, I cried.
I was so happy. I was actually back in Chicago doing a play. Then my wife and I flew back, I got to go meet him and he was everything I could have ever asked for and more. He’s an incredible wealth of imagination but also humanity. It was like getting to peek behind the curtain at the Wizard of Oz, but instead of a bunch of levers and knobs, there was actually even more magic behind the curtain than people would realize. That’s kind of all I can say about it because it’s hard to describe.
DC: I would love to know what is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen.
DD: It’s a three-way tie for scariest, not most disturbing. Takashi Miike’s Audition. Toby Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. And of course the legendary William Friedkin’s The Exorcist.
DC: Wow. They’re all good choices but I love Audition because that movie is truly a nightmare. I saw it too young and it changed me.
DD: Yeah, me too. It really messed me up. They all three really kind of messed me up in the worst, best way possible. It was so nice getting to talk to you. Also, check out my comic when you get a chance, if you like old horror stuff, Count Crowley!
Categorized:Interviews News
