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Daniel Lasker

Tonderai Zvimba, Showbiz Reporter
Bulawayo actor and filmmaker Daniel Lasker keeps shining as he is set to feature in an American television series What lies beneath that is expected to premiere on Discovery Channel (DStv channel 121) later this year.

So far, the 19-year-old National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) nominee and 2018 Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards winner, has written and directed three award-winning short films including The Walk that earned him accolades in America.

Already this year, Lasker has been featured on a fantasy adventure film titled The Telling Room that will first premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the US before it circulates to the rest of the world later this year. It was shot in Bulawayo and Harare.

Showbiz Reporter Tonderai Zvimba (TZ) caught up with Daniel Lasker (DL) to get an insight of his big breakthrough on the international scene.

TZ: How did you get a role on What lies beneath?

DL: My agent got a request from the producers of the show asking if I could audition for the role of Josh Young. I agreed and auditioned for the role. I had to improvise in the audition as I had to do it in an American accent of course. A few days later, they offered me the part.

TZ: Can you tell us more about the character you are playing?

DL: My character Josh is a very introverted and slightly psychotic boy. But you wouldn’t realise it at first glance.

“Only when you start talking and get to know him is when you’ll realise there’s something strange about him. Josh was jealous of his little brother getting more attention than him from his parents and this drove him to brutally kill him.

“It was an intense role, but at the same time, very fascinating to step into the shoes of someone very different from me.

TZ: How was the experience?

DL: The week I spent on set filming for the show was a wonderful experience. The whole cast and crew bonded and became close friends which was amazing.

TZ: What’s next for Daniel Lasker?

DL: I’m having several meetings at the moment with a few production companies in regards to some really big projects which we’ll be shooting later on in the year. At the moment, I can’t share all the details, but I can say that big things are coming!