VT: Your body of work so far tends to be drawn towards dark reality and the human condition. From Shelter, Black Swell (both of which you wrote) to film roles such as Nine Days and The Revival. They all dealt with life or how society perceived what is acceptable love. With the world in such turmoil and uncertainty, do you feel it is all the more relevant to share stories that explore the true meanings of life and what matters?
DR: I grew up extremely evangelical. I have a very complicated relationship with that religion now, but growing up that way taught me a lot about empathy. I grew up trying to emulate Jesus, who, if read a certain way, was a radically beautiful teacher who stood up to toxic authority and championed the poor and downtrodden. My Christian childhood influenced the types of stories I’m drawn to – outsider stories. The ironic thing about the last two years is that we all feel like outsiders. We’ve spent two years isolated, and our society is lonelier than it has ever been. I think it’s imperative to create stories that bring us together – stories that focus on community and empathy.

VT: Speaking of short films, you have done many, what do you love about making these kinds of films in these formats? For example, what made you decide to write Black Swell?
DR: I love short films the same way I love short stories! They’re hard to do well because the storytelling needs to be really efficient. With Black Swell, I wanted to play with perspective in a small space. We’re in Richard Kind’s head and the narrative leads us and him to that final revelation. I’ve been asked if I wanted to make it into a feature, but I don’t think there’s a feature there. I think a story tells you what it wants to be, and it’s important to listen and not force it to be something that it’s not.

VT: A lot of actors liken to dive into their characters with a full-on transformation, to the point where they might have a hard time shaking it off and be themselves again. What’s your preferred choice in approaching characters? Have you ever been in a similar situation?
DR: Part of the allure of acting is the chance to explore situations that I’d never explore in real life - like a terrifying snowstorm with a kidnapped child for example (No Exit). Whenever I play a character, it’s important for me to talk about them like they’re me and not the character I’m playing. I start with that premise: that I am the character and I build from there. Working this way allows my subconscious to further empathize with my character. When I was younger, this way of working could get confusing in real life – I’d fall in love with my costar for example or I’d wallow in the darkness of the story. I’ve learned to draw a hard line between my life and my character’s life, which paradoxically allows me to go deeper when I am in character because I can fully live in the fictional circumstances of the story. When that line is blurry, it can muddle the work.