Fan Fest Exclusive Interview: ‘Jessica Jones’ Actor Eka Darville

Jessica Jones Season 2 has been released on Netflix! Excited fans across the globe will be glued to their streaming devices as the saucy, and sometimes ‘sauced’ private investigator faces her foes while trying to find herself. But thankfully, Jessica doesn’t have to do it on her own. Malcolm Ducasse, played by Australian actor Eka Darville, has embraced his supportive role in Jessica’s life. While the two may share a sometimes turbulent relationship, it is quite clear that they care for one another. In Season 1 we see Malcolm struggle to battle his own demons during a journey that brings him closer to Jessica… and straight into Season 2.

Fan Fest News was fortunate that Mr. Darville could spare a few moments of his time to discuss his role as Malcolm Ducasse and his relationship with Jessica Jones.

Linda: Jessica Jones Season 2 is coming out tomorrow, I’m excited!

Eka: Yeah, yeah I’m excited too. You’ve actually seen more than I have.

Linda: When you took on the role as Malcolm, were you familiar with the Marvel Universe?

Eka: I didn’t know anything about the Marvel Universe. I grew up in a small coastal town on the east coast of Australia. A surfing community, very alternative kind of hippy demographic and I am a very outdoorsy person, I’ve never been one to sit and read comics. I didn’t get involved in that world. I had a lot of research to do on the level of the Marvel world but, you and I both know really isn’t of the ilk of standard superhero drama. It really is it’s entirely own thing. It’s pretty easy to forget that you’re even in a superhero series sometimes when reading the scripts because it just feels so grounded and the characters are so fundamentally flawed and they’re dealing with very real and painful issues.

Linda: How did you prepare for the role of Malcolm?

Eka: The preparation that I went through for Malcolm is really understanding what it means to be an addict and understanding the physiological processes that are involved in detoxing from drug addiction and what that looks like. I did a ton of research on exactly that and then moving into Season 2… I guess Malcolm’s story is very much a coming of age story. I did research on what it is about to find oneself’s true identity and what it means to become a man.

Linda: Had you researched the Defenders realm?

Eka: Out of due diligence, I did read a bunch of Jessica Jones comic books. There’s a lot of things borrowed from there and incorporated that are good to know but really, it’s a stand-alone piece of work. The writers are incredibly intelligent… all kinds of nuance and beautiful character development. Everything that I need is in the script is essentially what I am trying to say. Yeah, it’s just a joy to play with because the writing is so damn good.

Linda: I read your compliments toward the writers in a previous interview.

Eka: The writers, they work possibly the hardest. I think it’s the most under-celebrated role in the industry because everything starts with the story. I can do a lot with a script but if the words are [not good], there is really only so much I can do. It’s really their brainchild and I get the pleasure and honor of bringing it to life and adding my dimensions to it.

Linda: I know you can’t give away too much since the show is not yet released [at the time of this interview] but could you talk a bit about the relationship between Malcolm and Jessica from Season 1 into Season 2… how it has changed and grown.

Eka: I can totally talk about that. In Season 1 their dynamic started off with the victim/savior dynamic. That continues into Season 2 where Jessica even met Malcolm with saving his life. That flip flops a bunch of times throughout Season 1 where Malcolm is there to support Jessica and then that was reciprocated again. There’s a real an intimacy there that is almost akin to a brother and sister sibling relationship where they love and both infuriate each other and that makes for some really fun, playful banter between them. There is a deep trust there. They kind of play with that and develop their relationship as all relationships do.

Linda: Do you and Krysten have a similar relationship with each other?

Eka: Yeah, I adore Krysten. She’s a powerhouse of a woman and just an incredible creator. She gets involved in every aspect of the show and really, really cares. She’s so on point with the choices that she makes as an actress and I learn a lot from watching her work and have a ton of fun doing it. We’re friends outside that world [Jessica Jones]. I got her back and she’s got mine.

Linda: What has been your greatest challenge in portraying Malcolm?

Eka: Really digging deep into insecurities and failure, Malcolm getting to that really low broken point where he just thinks he’s a piece of shit and so does a good portion of the rest of the world. That was definitely the biggest challenge and also the physiological side of it. One of the things that happen to people when they’re going through a detox is the joints become incredibly painful because the fluids between the joints are drained and all of the nerve endings are incredibly sensitive so all of their joints become incredibly sensitive and then their nose is constantly running. Through a lot of Season 1 I would snort saline solution in order to have that constant effect of feeling like your head was just kind of about to explode and you’ve got this runny nose. So to have that, and to have to live and breathe that for a good chunk of my life was quite harrowing at times.

Linda: Is there any advice you would offer Malcolm in handling his relationship with Jessica?

Eka: I don’t know how to do that without giving away anything. (laughing) I guess I would say stop projecting your power onto Jessica.

Eka and Krysten all smiles in a recent Instagram post…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfcDLaTAfOi/?hl=en&taken-by=ekadarville

Linda: I thought perhaps you might not be able to address all questions but, that’s ok. I’ll go to the next question. (laughing) Do you have any personal similarities to Malcolm?

Eka: It’s my job to find that. My personal belief on the human condition is that we all have parts of everyone in us. We are all human, we all have the archetype that makeup and compose our psyche and every character is just either an inflated or deflated version of the same archetype that makes up all of [us] and so it’s my job to find the similarities, it’s my job to find where I am the same as this person. And through that, you build compassion and rapport for your character. It’s very, very dangerous as an actor to take the stance of, well I’m not like them [or] to not like one’s character because you will let that character do things and have things happen to them and so… I love Malcolm. I am very similar to him in the same that I would argue everybody is. I personally haven’t ever struggled with addiction but we all have addictions. It’s just which addictions are socially sanctioned as ok. If you look at the addiction to work, the addiction to success, the addiction to sex, and the addiction to coffee and the addiction to alcohol that’s in our society… there really isn’t much difference with an opiate addiction except, in terms of psychology, one is seen as acceptable and the other is not. Yeah, I feel very much a lot of rapport and compassion for Malcolm and am very similar to him in a lot of ways.

Linda: My final question comes from a fan via social media that wanted to know your favorite part of Malcolm’s journey in Season 1?

Eka: I think episode 4 where he’s detoxing because it’s not every day that you get to play out something that is just so emotionally volatile and intense. On a character level that I enjoyed most were the small triumphs that he has where he’s pulling himself out of that [drug addiction] and putting himself back together and those moments of intimacy where he can really take care of Jessica and kind of stand on his own and be the one who’s doing the helping and the saving. More importantly, for Season 2, is Malcolm stepping into his power and defining himself in the world as a man and as an individual. Where he gets to at the end of Season 2 is definitely my favorite scene that I’ve been able to do in the show as a whole so far because of where he started.

Many thanks to Eka Darvill for taking time from his busy schedule to speak with us. I know what I will be binging next! Have you seen Jessica Jones Season 2? Share your thoughts with Fan Fest News.