Exclusive Interview with Gotham’s David Mazouz
As the pain-driven and dogged Bruce Wayne, David Mazouz, gives the future Batman an emotionally layered performance that belies his young age. In person, David, pronounced Dah-veed, is everything his stoic character is not. His eyes are alight with joy; his riotous curly hair is as untamed as his enthusiasm and his smile and laugh are easy and infectious.
He’s also effusive of his cast members, excited about playing a dual role in season 3 and an obsessed Game of Thrones fan. Talk Nerdy with Us had the privilege of speaking with this impressive 15-year-old about Gotham, his upcoming horror movie, Incarnate, and much more.
Join us for a peek at the boy behind the Batman.
Which character do you personally like more the Riddler or Penguin?
I couldn’t pick a favorite, but I think Robin Lord Taylor and Cory Michael Smith, who play the two roles, they’re just brilliant actors. They couldn’t have been a better casting choice. I think they’re both doing an amazing, amazing job. I’m really interested in Riddler’s storyline, because it’s that slow candle burn. I’ve been reading comics for a very long time and I never saw… nobody ever really portrayed Riddler as a schizophrenic psychopath. And that’s kind of where they decided to go on the show and I find that Cory is doing an amazing job with it, but the writing is just so brilliant. It’s so realistic. It’s so creepy like when he framed Gordon last season, and when he kills Kringle. I find it fascinating.
Which has cast member have you not had a chance to work with that you would like to?
Definitely with Cory. I’ve only had a couple of scenes with him, and we weren’t even really face to face. In the season finale, we had a couple of scenes, but it was through a glass window, so it doesn’t really count. So I’d love to have more actual scenes with him.
And I’d love to have a scene with Robin, because I’ve been in the same room with him, I think three times, and I think we’ve been in the same room or crossed paths, but we’ve never actually talked to each other, ever. I’d love to have a conversation with him, from Bruce to Penguin. I remember we were shooting season 1, episode 19. We only do 22 in the season, so we were like almost done with the first season, and we did a scene when Bruce is knocking on a door on the street and then behind him the Penguin crosses by. So it was the very first scene we had together, but we didn’t say anything to each other; we didn’t acknowledge each other. I remember seeing him shoot that scene and I remember thinking to myself, “that’s the first time I’ve seen the Penguin waddle in person.” (laughs)
That was like a year after we started filming and it was the first time I’d seen it. The show is so big, and there are so many characters, so there are tons of characters that I’d love to work with because I feel like all these characters get stuck on our own little islands, and it’s always great when we get to come together.
I know you really can’t give anything away, but of course, we’re all wondering if the doppelganger we saw in the finale is Thomas’ younger brother.
(laughs) I can neither confirm nor deny. But what I will say is the doppelganger will be a big part of season 3, especially the Bruce storyline. It’s so much fun to play that character.
What do you think you’re most looking forward to for the 3rd season, is it playing the dual role?
Definitely. I’m so excited to play two different characters. I don’t want to give away too much, but it’s going to be so much fun to play two different people, and maybe, I don’t even fully know the answer to this, maybe have a scene with myself. That would be really cool. I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I don’t. I might know. (laughs) I can’t tell you. But if that were to happen, that would be awesome.
How much physical training are you doing and do you think you’ll ever suit up in future seasons?
I’m not doing any physical training. Whenever I have a boxing scene, they just make it look cool. I’m not physical at all. (laughs) I’m not athletic. I don’t really think they’re thinking too much about that. Yet. Because it’s only season 3, Bruce is only fifteen years old, and Batman is still years away. So is he ever going to suit up? I really don’t know the answer to that. I think even if…I don’t think anybody really knows. I think it depends on so many different things. Depends on how long the show is going to go, depends on what I look like in five years, depends on puberty, like how that goes. I really don’t know.
What can you tell us about Incarnate, which comes out December 2nd?
It is absolutely phenomenal. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It’s one of the best thrillers I’ve ever seen and I’m not just saying that, because I’m in it. It’s directed by Brad Peyton, who directed San Andreas with Dwayne Johnson. It’s such a great movie. It’s with Aaron Eckhart and Carice van Houten whose on Game of Thrones, she plays my mom. It was so much fun to shoot and I’m possessed in it. Which is always fun. I get the white make-up. I played a demon. It was great.
This is your third horror movie. What is it about horror that you enjoy doing?
They’re just like fun; they’re just really fun movies to do.
I know you’ve trained with Second City, would you like to do a comedy?
Yeah. I really haven’t done much comedy in my career. I was on The Office, which was so much fun and we did improv stuff, and I had a blast doing it. I did Second City as training, and I would love to.
Last question, what do you nerd about?
Game of Thrones! Absolutely. 100%. I’m obsessed.
Gotham premieres tonight on Fox at 9/8 C and check out David in Incarnate when it premieres in theaters December 2nd.
*Featured image photo credit: Robert Kazandjian