Since the inception of the DC Comics TV show Gotham on FOX, it has steadily gained a ravenous fan following. The show that emphasizes the side of the city from law enforcement’s perspective has also surprised many with the way that it has wonderfully portrayed classic Bat-rogues. Transforming comic book villains of old into an updated look and feel, making them quite relevant to even today’s overly critical standards of vastly different comic followers.
One of the other great surprises to the show for me has been the addition and use of actor David Mazouz, who plays a young Bruce Wayne, right after the tragic loss of his parents to a gunman that tried to rob them in front of the poor child. From the start of the show they have made it an emphasis to show the unsettling growth of young master Bruce (as his loyal guardian and butler Alfred Pennyworth refers to him) into the dark knight vigilante we all know as The Batman.
Master Bruce has gone from a curious young boy into a clever adept master detective, of course with the help of his often suspiciously spylike butler. If you have been following the show closely in this spectacular second season filled with villains, you will be very aware of the transformation that young Bruce is taking with the guided tutelage of another future batman powerhouse, Catwoman. But she’s still only known as Selina Kyle, the street thief who is now going to show Bruce Wayne the ugly dark side of streets of Justice. A very exciting time in the critical development of Batman.
During this year’s very first Heroes and Villains Fan Fest in Chicago, we here at PopCultHQ were happily excited to speak with actor David Mazouz about his character on Gotham and his new found love of comic books and the upcoming reveal of The Riddler on Gotham!
Here is PopCultHQ’s exclusive interview from Heroes and Villains Fan Fest Chicago with David Mazouz, a young man who very poised and skilled beyond his years. First making his acting staring TV debut with TOUCH, David has actually touched many of the great TV series of our time already at the young age of 15.
At eight years old, he landed his first film, Coming & Going (2011), directed by Edoardo Ponti. Shortly thereafter, he was cast in the cable movie Amish Grace (2010). He then landed a role as the co-star of the Fox television series, Touch (2012), as Jake, alongside Kiefer Sutherland who plays his father, Martin. Jake never speaks. In 2014, David was cast in the role of the young Bruce Wayne in the Warner Bros. production for Fox Gotham (2014). David’s other television credits include a kid in detention in Mike & Molly (2010), James Spader’s son on The Office (2005), a troubled youth on Private Practice (2007), a dying boy on Criminal Minds (2005), Steve on Major Crimes (2012) and Ryan Hatcher on Drop Dead Diva (2009). His latest film is The Darkness (2016) with Kevin Bacon, Radha Mitchell and Lucy Fry
PopCultHQ: Thank You David for this interview,. This is for my website PopCultHQ where we talk all about the coolest attractions in the pop culture world from movies
First off I wanted to ask about, did you ever read comic books before you got into the show?
David Mazouz: “Honestly no. Batman was always my favorite superhero, until I found out I was on the show, now I’m a huge comic book fan. I read everything, Shawn just got me Batman Earth 2”
PopCultHQ: Awesome book
David Mazouz: “Yeah, by Geoff Johns. But yeah, before the show, no I didn’t read comic books.”
PopCultHQ: The development of your character, did you think it would come this far? Meaning that we actually began to see the beginnings of Batman and it wasn’t just a Jim Gordon with bad guys show?
David Mazouz: “Great question.”
PopCultHQ: Well, I just never expected them (Gotham producers) to take it that route.
David Mazouz: “You didn’t?”
PopCultHQ: No, I expected them to keep a young Bruce Wayne in the background with very little involvement in crime fighting.
David Mazouz: “Really? Well, I mean, I definitely thought we were going to do that. From the very beginning I knew it was going to be something major for me. Meaning that as I grow, Bruce grows and as Bruce grows, the closer he becomes to Batman. The maturity comes in every episode. Um….did I answer the question? Yeah, I expected it.”
PopCultHQ: Cool, I do like watching it on screen, especially now that he’s going into the underworld to learn about the dark side of life.
Now for one final question. With all the fantastic bad guys coming onto the show. Which has been your favorite to see come to life?
David Mazouz: “I think they all do a brilliant job, but I the one I am really liking the plot line is, The Riddler. What they have done with him is brilliant, and there is so much more character development, oh my god it gonna be so great!”
PopCultHQ: They have taken soooooo long into working him into the Riddler which has been great to follow along, you’re almost dying anticipating for it.
David Mazouz: “Yeah, but it’s gonna explode in the next couple of episodes! Like in less than two episodes it going to be exciting, amazing! I just did something with him, it was so life like and so real. It’s a big kid that always got bullied and he’s finally going to let it all out, it’s great, you’ll love it.”
PopCultHQ: Awesome, sounds fantastic, can’t wait! Thank you again David for your time and keep up the wonderful work.
David Mazouz: “Thank you.”
Watch Gotham Mondays at 8/7c on Fox.
