Interview: David Dastmalchian Discusses ‘The Life of Chuck’ and ‘Murderbot’ Alongside His Many Other Distinctive Roles

If you’re like me, when you see David Dastmalchian on your screen, you can’t help but grin. Whatever he’s in, you know it’s going to be interesting. Not only does the man have a distinctive look about him, he has a distinctive taste in his projects that lends to any film or television lover being in for a treat. Currently, he can be seen on the big screen in The Life of Chuck, as well as on the small screen in Murderbot. Coming off of his wonderful turn last year in Late Night with the Devil, I was thrilled to spend some time on Zoom talking to him about his career.

As a reminder, this here is what I said about his work in Late Night with the Devil:

David Dastmalchian has never been better than he is here. He’s so good playing Jack, investing you in this fame-hungry talk show host, that you’re as into the actual show machinations as the horror element. Dastmalchian is riveting to watch, especially as he becomes as shocked by what’s going on as anyone else. He especially turns it on at the end, when it really becomes about him in a whole other way. 

Plus, here is part of my rave about the cast of The Life of Chuck:

The cast is impeccable, executing Flanagan and King’s vision flawlessly. Playing Chuck, the trio of Tom Hiddleston, Benjamin Pajak and Jacob Tremblay share similar amounts of screen time, yet make each stage of his life incredibly distinctive. Pajak and Tremblay are asked to do a lot, while Hiddleston has to make his mark with less opportunities than you’d expect. At the same time, he nails it. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan have a very difficult task in hooking you during the most mysterious element of the story, yet they’re more than up to the challenge. You feel like you already know them, even as we’re just meeting them. Ejiofor’s everyman feel and Gillan’s openness suggest so much we missed out on seeing, in very moving ways. They’re the secret MVP’s of the film. Mark Hamill and Mia Sara are instantly iconic cinematic grandparents. They have some of the most heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments in the movie. Then, there’s Kate Siegel, who takes a one scene monologue that will stay with you. Siegel’s sequence is destined to linger in your heart. The smaller parts like those played by The Pocket Queen or Nick Offerman’s narration, they’re still excellent, meshing perfectly with the larger players. Supporting members of the cast here include David Dastmalchian, Carla Gugino, Harvey Guillén, Sandra Hess, Q’orianka Kilcher, Heather Langenkamp, Lauren LaVera, Matthew Lillard, Hamish Linklater, Carl Lumbly, and more. It’s truly an ensemble where everyone comes up big.

Below, you can hear my chat with Dastmalchian. We talk about his films, his television work, and also just what he gravitates towards. He even throws out a compliment about James Gunn‘s Superman, so he walks the walk when it comes to being a pop culture fan. To his fans, Dastmalchian is one of them, and it shows in all the right ways. Whether it’s his one scene in The Life of Chuck, his work on Murderbot, or any of his prior performances, he always brings it. So, this was an absolute pleasure of a conversation.

Here now is my interview with The Life of Chuck and Murderbot co-star David Dastmalchian. Enjoy:

The Life of Chuck is in theaters now and Murderbot is currently streaming on Apple TV+!