The Boogeyman‘s David Dastmalchian discusses bringing Lester Billings from the Stephen King short story to the big screen, in this interview.
David Dastmalchian might not be on screen in The Boogeyman for long, but he has one of the most important roles. He plays Lester Billings, who is the main character from the Stephen King short that this movie is inspired by. Without his stellar performance, the movie never works.
During the global press conference, David opens up about the pressure he felt. He reveals that he wasn’t confident at first. “It was such an immense amount of pressure. The fact that you’re bringing a character to life from the imagination of the king,” he reveals.
He goes on to say that diving into Lester’s mind wasn’t easy for him. The place that Lester’s coming from is one of those corners of the human experience that nobody really would care to ever spend time in. “The challenge of even having the courage to be willing to go there was the first challenge for me. I didn’t feel like I had the capacity to embody Lester in a way that would do justice to the film that Rob was going to make.”
David Dastmalchian admitted that he was scared, but after meeting with Rob Savage, the director, he was able to find the courage. “Rob is not only a brilliant and visionary filmmaker, he’s got this heart that is really beautiful.” He was familiar with the short story already. He always thought it was terrifying, but he wanted to bring something new to Lester. The short story was written decades ago, and he wanted to update Lester for 2022, which is when they shot the film.
“I felt like there was a way I could find something that everybody watching could relate to. He has so much information to convey, and you need the audience to relate to him and for him not be a trope. It’s weird. It’s tricky,” David confesses.
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Ultimately David created a bond with those he was working with and knew he could pull off what was asked of him. “It’s such a thrill to get to be with people you trust, and you can throw yourselves off a cliff and know that they’re there to catch you and that they’re gonna protect you. Lester suffered. There’s mental anguish and spiritual anguish that all these characters are going through.”
But what did he focus on the most? Not the boogeyman. “Of course, you’re gonna get the crap scared out of you when you really care about people who have these incredible bonds that you can relate to. And who feel the fears that we can all relate to. Do I think that there’s maybe somebody hiding in my closet? No. Am I terrified that the things that I’ve struggled with in my life are always looming around the corner or under my bed or just down the hall, and they could pop out at any second and take me over? Of course, I am. Don’t we all feel that way sometimes?”
Watch David Dastmalchian in action when The Boogeyman comes exclusively to theaters on June 2nd.
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About The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman is a horror-thriller from the mind of best-selling author Stephen King. High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain.
When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
