David Dastmalchian shares his feelings about being in Christopher Nolan’s newest movie, Oppenheimer, and how the director changed his life by casting him in The Dark Knight. Dastmalchian has had an impressive career over the last sixteen years, spanning genres across horror, biopic, action, comedy, and superhero. Appearing in both DC and Marvel, having played more than one character in each, he has become a fan favorite with a stunning range.
During an interview with Screen Rant for Faster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill! Dastmalchian shared his thoughts on Oppenheimer. He reflected on how he got his start with Nolan over fifteen years ago in The Dark Knight. Dastmalchian also revealed how it felt to be in Oppenheimer, which is steeped in Oscar buzz with the award show on the horizon. Check out Dastmalchian’s full quote below:
David Dastmalchian: It is surreal. It takes me back to my love of comic books and my gratitude; my boundless fountain of gratitude for the life that I live as an actor and creator, because comic books and cinema have always been such a deep love of mine. The fact that the first time I was ever in a feature film got to be one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and the fact that he cast me in that film changed my life, gave me an opportunity to be a working actor in a way I never dreamed possible. And now 15 years later, I got to be in a glorious soaring opus of cinema, and to be able to be in another project with him, it’s a dream. It’s wild.
Christopher Nolan Has Been Breaking Movie Boundaries For Longer Than Most Realize
Nolan has tackled films across genres for the entirety of his impressive career. From the psychological thriller Momento to the mind-bending science fiction action movie Inception to the intense biopic of Oppenheimer. Nolan is at least in part responsible for the rise in the superhero genre, with his Dark Knight trilogy still considered some of the best superhero movies ever made. He pushes the boundaries of the genres he plays in, with The Dark Knight trilogy being a clear example.
Christopher Nolan’s Non-Written Movie Rule Makes Him Different From Scott, Cameron & Spielberg
One detail about Christopher Nolan’s career makes it even more interesting to follow, especially compared to some of the best directors of all time.
The superhero genre is known for being bombastic, leaning into the colorful, sometimes cartoonish, feel of the comics. Nolan took a much more grounded approach to the world of Gotham and Batman’s story with The Dark Knight trilogy, leaning into the noir elements without losing what makes these characters so iconic. While bringing a more gritty and realistic feel to Gotham, Nolan still managed to bring some of the most infamous characters to the big screen, notably the Joker, without losing what makes him one of the greatest comic book villains of all time.
Oppenheimer invigorated the biopic genre in a way it hasn’t been in years, with the movie not only gaining the expected critical acclaim and award buzz but a huge financial success, with moviegoers truly loving the true story. He continuously creates movies that force audiences to change their expectations and perceptions to cultivate unique experiences each time. Whether it is through unexpected storytelling like Momento’s mystery, Inception’s mind-altering understanding of the character’s experience, or flipping the superhero genre on its head. Oppenheimer is the latest in a long line of truly masterful movies made by Nolan.
