David Dastmalchian revealed that he initially declined to play the role of Lester Billings for The Boogeyman, during an interview with Collider. The horror-mystery film that just hit the movie theaters last June 2 probably wouldn't have Dastmalchian among the lead cast if he did not changed his mind. Dastmalchian just wasn’t ready to accept any ‘dark roles’ after coming out of pandemic.
For him, he just did too much ‘darkness’ and was not willing to do it again for the time being.
"I was sent the script by Dan Cohen of 21 laps, and I have known Dan for a long time. Dan said, this is the role, the director and I think it’s perfect for you and you gotta do it, and I read it and I said, ‘Absolutely not!’ and have no interest in portraying Lester Billings. I don’t care to go there. I’ve done too much stuff in darkness, and I need a break, and I can’t do it."
Dan Cohen (known for producing Stranger Thing, The Adam Project, and Free Guy) did not relent to Dastmalchian’s refusal. The actor related how it went on and finally convinced him to become part of the recently released horror film.
"Dan Cohen is many things, a gifted producer, a wonderful human being, but he is also relentless, and he just kept talking to me, saying, if I could just get you to talk to Rob and hear his vision of what he thinks that Lester could be and what you could do with it. I just don’t know if I have the capacity in me right now to go where you need to go. We’re coming out of pandemic, and it’s been a dark time in all of our lives. You know, bring to life a guy who in many ways just represents so many of the things that scare me the most about this life. And then of course, the fateful Zoom finally happens with Rob Savage and I go, I love this guy."
The Boogeyman Gives Audiences A Pre-Summer Horror Fix.
Rob Savage’s newest horror film, The Boogeyman, cast David Dastmalchian for the role of Lester Billings. Although he was only seen in one sequence in the entire duration of the film, his presence has set the feel of what’s to come. Dastmalchian successfully played his part, and his influence can be felt throughout the film.
The Boogeyman, the short story from Stephen King, narrates the harrowing and scary experience of the therapist Will (Chris Messina) and his two daughters Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair). The family was trying to cope with the loss of Will’s wife and mother of his kids. While trying to move forward with their lives, Will reluctantly receive a new patient, Lester Billings, who just showed up in his home office. This is when things began to take for a turn.