Photography: Keith Photography
Styling: Grace Lee
Groomer: Laila Hayani
Art direction: Giulia Juliet Belkin
Among the dozens of rising actors in Hollywood today Ashley Zukerman stands out in the roles he has landed and for the attention he has received. The actor's latest work includes the Peacock series “Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol” in which Ashley plays the lead character, professor Robert Langdon. You've also seen him in the hugely successful Fear Street trilogy on Netflix and in Succession where he potrays Nate Sofrelli, Shiv’s on-again/off-again lover. We caught up with Ashley in New York to chat about his work, life aspiration and dreams.
Wearing KYLE’LYK
Giulia: How do you stay in character and how do you shift between the roles?
Ashley: It’s different for every job. Some require more immersion than others. The material dictates that, also the conditions of the work. But it’s always about finding the differences between me and the character - and research.
Giulia: The Lost Symbol is a 2009 novel written by American writer Dan Brown and you play the professor Robert Langdon who studies symbols. How about yourself , are you a believer in symbols or signs?
Ashley: Symbols are just place holders for ideas. I don’t think you can believe in them. They just exist. If by signs you mean ‘am I a believer in omens?’ do I think ‘all things are connected and have meaning outside of that which can be explained’? I don’t know. I think my very pragmatic and logical approach to life has softened in recent years. Especially during The Lost Symbol.
Wearing KYLE’LYK
Giulia: How does it feel to play the young version of Robert Langdon in The Lost Symbol portrayed by Tom Hanks in the Da Vinci Code? Did he give you any tips?
Ashley: It’s a nice feeling to play someone that so many people already have a connection to. It’s an honor to have been chosen. And I enjoyed the fact that he’s a younger version of the character. So, although still connected to everything that’s come before he’s less formed, less complete, more rough around the edges - I could push him to be more closed minded, more arrogant.
Giulia: What do you look for in a role? What helps you prepare for it?
Ashley: I’m drawn to characters that are fighting for something. On the Lost Symbol, Robert keeps thinking about how much bullshit there is in the world, how many people are drawn to false heroes, how quickly people can be seduced by misinformation just because it ‘feels right’. Robert is a zealot against bullshit. Like any zealot, sometimes he can be too hard-lined, which stops him from being available to new ideas.
Wearing KYLE’LYK
Giulia: What was the biggest challenge filming The Lost Symbol?
Ashley: The speed. The speed at which we had to work. But challenge isn’t always negative. In our better moments, when everything was firing, when we’re all making the same piece, it can lead to interesting work. We tried to build that culture, capture the moment and move on.
Giulia: Do you have a dream role that you would like to achieve in your career?
Ashley: I don’t. The dream roles are usually dream roles because of who’s writing them, who’s directing them, and who the other actors are involved. I think as soon as I start thinking ‘oh I would love to play so and so’ I’m trapped. It would be more about my own ego. The character doesn’t exist outside those other elements.
Giulia: Is there anyone you would love to work with someday?
Ashley: Sure. I’d love to work with the cast of Manhattan again. Other than that, yeah, I’d love to see how a lot of people work. The names that come to mind are too obvious to list here.
Wearing KYLE’LYK
Giulia: What influenced you to go into acting?
Ashley: I still don’t know. I was drawn to it. I could come up with an answer now. And I have in the past. But it’d be an approximation, the surface of the decision. What the underlying reason was to choose a life like this… I don’t know. I’m lucky to get to do it though.
Giulia: If you had the chance to put something on billboards worldwide next week, what would it be?
Ashley: Eat less animals.
Giulia: What's next for Ashley ?
Ashley: I’ll be doing a film in Australia early in the year which I’m really excited about and scared of. And other than that, I’m helping some people develop films - that’s work that I’ve found very satisfying of late and I’ll keep doing that.
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