In the age of spoiler alerts (or sometimes the lack thereof) for blockbuster movies on social media, you always must be careful what link you are clicking on, so not to stumble upon important details of a movie before you get to see it in a theater. But to “Ant-Man and the Wasp” star David Dastmalchian — who reprises his role of one of Scott Lang’s crew members, Kurt, from the first “Ant-Man” — making a big reveal about what happens in the sequel doesn’t seem to matter.
“The one spoiler that everyone has agreed that’s OK to tell people is that Kurt is definitely the hero of the film,” Dastmalchian said, laughing, in a phone conversation from Los Angeles on Tuesday. “Kurt is definitely the bravest, the most dashing and the most charming. His hair is the best and his voice is the sultriest. That’s a spoiler that I’m comfortable with you breaking out.”
OK, maybe that’s not exactly how things pan out for Dastmalchian’s character in “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” the hotly anticipated sequel to 2015 Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster, but there’s no doubt fans will be delighted by the actor’s natural gift for comedy — and maybe even surprised. After all, Dastmalchian is the same actor whose frightening debut as the Joker’s henchman Thomas Schiff in Christopher Nolan’s landmark 2008 film “The Dark Knight” was followed by serious roles in such films as “Prisoners,” his semi-autobiographical addiction drama “Animals” and “Blade Runner 2049,” as well as TV series guest turns in “Gotham,” “The Flash” and “MacGyver.”
In “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” though, director Peyton Reed encouraged Dastmalchian to improvise some of his scenes after the original scripted material was shot, and as a result, the actor provides easily one of the funniest bits of the movie. To give any details of the scene would spoil the fun, but it’s safe to reveal that it deals with Kurt’s beliefs in Russian folklore and how he manages his anxiety when he first sees the villain Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) for the first time.
“I don’t always get to explore opportunities in the world of comedy, and I feel with what Peyton has done so masterfully with this film is capture all the hilarious nuances of comedy with these different characters,” Dastmalchian said.
While “Ant-Man and the Wasp” has everything that fans could hope for with action, dazzling visual effects, loads of comedy and a creative narrative that drives the sequel forward, Dastmalchian believes it’s the relatable theme of family in the film that will resonate most with moviegoers the most. At the heart of the story is not only Scott’s (Paul Rudd) bond with his young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson); but also Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) and Hope van Dyne’s (Evangeline Lilly) drive to enter the Quantum Realm to find Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) — 30 years after the wife, mother and original Wasp went subatomic while on a dangerous mission with her husband.
MORE: David Dastmalchian ‘Ant-Man’ 2015 interview
The rescue, however, can’t be completed without Scott’s help, and naturally, he must bring his crew of ex-cons-turned-legitimate businessmen Luis (Michael Pena), Dave (T.I. Harris) and Kurt in on the plan because he knows they are the people he can count on the most.
“The film is about the importance of family and why we fight for our family, and why we need to keep our family together, even when divorce happens, or the Quantum Realm happens,” Dastmalchian observed. “Some people in the film aren’t even blood family. They’re what I like to call ‘found family,’ like the wombats — the ex-cons. We’re not blood brothers, but we found each other through circumstances and now we’d do anything for each other. So, I’m really proud to be a part of this. I’m glad that the film is touching a lot of hearts, which is something we could all use right now.”
Gratitude is what no drives Dastmalchian, who battled and conquered heroin addiction before his breakthrough role in “The Dark Knight” — and life has especially been joyful for the actor and writer in the last four years, since he and his wife, Eve, have started their family.
“I’m so blessed to have the family that I have. My wife is such an awesome support for me and she’s such a great champion for me and she’s my best friend and now we have these beautiful children,” Dastmalchian said. “I’m really grateful for so many things. I’m grateful for my journey in sobriety, I’m grateful for the fact that I’ve really been down pretty low, as far as a person can get when it comes to life circumstances because it probably has enhanced how much I appreciate the things that have grown to matter to me.”
Having been in touch with Dastmalchian in the past four and a half years since I first interviewed him, it’s not only exciting to see his career continue to rise but heartening to witness just how crazy in love he is with his family. And while “Ant-Man and the Wasp” is no doubt another wonderful professional achievement for the Kansas native, it’s clear to see that it’s Dastmalchian’s family that defines his passion for life and is far and away more important than anything he could achieve as an actor.
“I could be at the best red carpet to the best film to the best premiere to best you name whatever thing you can think of, and those things are so awesome, and I love that I get to be a part of them,” Dastmalchian said. “But my favorite thing in life, and this is so silly, is going to the grocery store — me, Eve, Arlo and Penny — and getting a cart, that’s among the best moments I’ve get to experience as a human being. I’m really blessed, and I hope these kids don’t grow up too fast on me because it’s already going by too quickly.”
Once in a while, Dastmalchian’s professional and personal lives merge and he gets to experience the best of both worlds, like last week in Hollywood when he and Eve attended the world premiere of “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” and once again Monday night when they caught the film at a cast and crew screening.
Monday’s event was extra special for Dastmalchian because accompanying him and Eve to the screening were several members of the Born to Act Players, a theater company the actor has been volunteering his time for since he moved out to the West Coast following his big screen debut in “The Dark Knight.”
Dastmalchian said his involvement with the Born to Act Players — a unique company made up of actors with and without disabilities — began when he had seen a play written by his friend, Angela Bernliner, who cast a Down syndrome actor in the production. Dastmalchian said he was so moved by the actor’s performance that contacted the company’s founder, Mary Rings, and said he’d love to work with the actors, and has been doing so every week since.
“I get a million times more out of being there with that group than they do having me there,” Dastmalchian said, humbly. “It’s one of the blessings in my life and thankfully I found them because every single one of those actors are my angels in my life.”
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
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