Actor Dave Davis’ film The Vigil is a rich cultural undertaking, and staying true to that identity was not an easy task for the actor. Directed by Keith Thomas, the film is based on an Orthodox Jewish community and follows Yaakov (Davis), who is tasked with keeping a watch on a deceased member of his community (according to a Jewish tradition). Being an English speaker, the film required Davis to learn Jewish and Hebrew to bring an authentic touch to his character.
“Preparation for the role was multifaceted as I had to study cultures. I also had the privilege of meeting real people from the community. Also the language required for the film was work, which required me to learn Yiddish and Hebrew. I had to learn Yiddish and Hebrew. Had to learn the accent with which to speak it, which was a huge challenge for me and one of the hardest things I ever tried to do. The preparation for the role was extremely intense as I had to get to a place where I am. Where I was comfortable representing a community where I don’t belong directly,” the actor said.
Talking about the film’s representation of Jewish culture, Davis said, “We took great care to be as truthful, authentic as possible. You could open a drawer in the kitchen on that set, and silverware according to kosher law.” Would have been different. It’s something we took great care of to make sure everything was authentic, the way my voice was heard from speech to wall painting with set decorations.”
Prior to leading The Vigil, Davis appeared in several major projects such as Logan, The Walking Dead and The Big Short. When asked if this film gave him a big break, he replied, “I am still waiting for my big break. The film was one of the toughest things I have done. Earlier I did Bomb City. played a character named Brian Deneke who was based on a real person. In that movie too I immersed myself completely but the difference is that Brian was an English speaker. So it portrayed much earlier than Yaakov I was dealing with so much pain and turmoil. Now it wasn’t my big break but we are getting feedback that people all over the world are really connected to it. And I want these personal stories to reach the world. Reach out and reach as many people as possible. There are a lot of roles that really mean a lot to me, for various reasons. And publicity and accolades, aren’t the most important things. So I’m really about to take a big break from it. I don’t think I just want to keep playing roles where I get a chance to explore and connect.”
So what made him trust a director in his debut venture despite being a seasoned actor?
“As an actor, I’ve got close to 60 credits, and I’ve worked with a lot of directors, some of them for the first time. So when you come on a set, and you have a lot more than them. If there is more experience, it is always a bit risky. But it is not important whether it is his first film or his 100th. All I ask him is why is the story important to him? Why does it need to be told? And if If a director has a good answer, I don’t think there’s anything to be afraid of,” Davis explained.
“Between Keith and me, we had complete confidence. He knew exactly how he wanted to tell his story. He knew what the script needed, what we needed, what was not in the script that we still knew And as such, being in his first film was an honor and a privilege more than anything else, because he will continue to direct films, and he will continue to make great films.”
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