Casting Ben Affleck's Chinatown Movie

Character actor David Dastmalchian has quietly built himself a brilliant CV over the last few years, mostly playing the creepy, unhinged characters in films such as The Dark Knight and Prisoners. He's an extremely under-appreciated actor who carries both the acting chops and a strange sort of physical resemblance to take on the role of Chinatown's well storied director, Roman Polanski.

It was a trying period for Polanski during the filming of Chinatown, as he returned to LA for the first time since the well documented murder of his wife, Sharon Tate. Although little of this anguish seemed to manifest itself in his behaviour on set, a spat with Dunaway aside, it is understandable that it would have taken a toll on the director's personal life.

If this element is explored, Dastmalchian is an exceptional actor capable of nuance and adept at capturing the darker side of roles while still remaining sympathetic. He is yet to get the chance to sink his teeth into a truly fleshed out and meaty role but he is undoubtedly an actor who deserves the opportunity to play a prominent role in a big feature and Roman Polanski may be the perfect one for him to take on.