In this conversation, actor Darin Toonder reflects on his role in Obsession, a low-budget horror-thriller directed by Curry Barker that has been gaining attention for its unusual blend of improvisational performance and suspense-driven storytelling.
Toonder plays Harry, a laid-back, slightly eccentric character who works in a shop filled with crystals, incense, and spiritual trinkets an unexpected departure from the more “buttoned-up” roles he is often cast in. In this interview, he opens up about how he approached the audition with instinct and humour rather than overthinking, drawing inspiration from The Big Lebowski’s “The Dude” to shape Harry’s easygoing, unfiltered energy.
Beyond the film itself, Toonder reflects on the realities of working on a modest-budget production, the creative freedom that came with it, and how moments of spontaneity on set helped define both his performance and his enjoyment of the process. He also speaks candidly about his long-standing work as an improv teacher for children, the influence of community on his career, and why curiosity and playfulness remain central to everything he does on and off screen.
Congratulations on your new role as Harry in the new film Obsession. It is one of the highest rated horror movies of 2026. What first drew you to the role and can you tell me something about it?
It’s funny because when I got the audition my agent was super excited about it because the director, Curry Barker, had made a short film called The Chair that had attracted a lot of attention. I wasn’t as familiar with his work at the time or all his stuff on Instagram and YouTube, but once I saw his short, I could see why my agent was so excited by it.
When I read the part, I didn’t think I was going to get it because Harry works in this bizarre shop with crystals, incense, and little trinkets and he’s kind of a hippy-dippy, burnout sort of guy. Eighty percent of my résumé is white-collar professionals, upper- class characters. Lawyers, execs, self entitled assholes, so I thought, “There’s no way I’m getting this.”
But I always keep myself open to being surprised. For example, I once booked a role for an plumber in his 60’s when I was in my early 40’s, so you never know!
Have you seen The Big Lebowski? There’s this character that Jeff Bridges plays called The Dude. I channeled some of that energy in my audition along with my call back with Curry and Michael. After I read with Michael over Zoom, Curry said, “That was great!” and a month later I booked the role. Like I said “you never know!”
After seeing Obsession, I can see why the movie is doing so well. It’s incredibly well made, and Curry executed it brilliantly. It’s a horror thriller, but it’s also a really fun ride. Watching it, there were moments where my spine tingled.
I read he got a deal with a studio and is doing the next Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which is well deserved. That boy’s got talent!
Was there one particular line that Harry says or note given to you that helped you get into the role?
Looking at the script for the audition, Harry hsaid “man” at the end of some of his lines. This was the biggest inspiration for channeling The Dude from Big Labowski.
That idea amused the hell out of me so I just improvised with that when I taped it.
What really helped me on set was a jar of sage or incense sticks that was sittng on the shop counter. Right before we started shooting I noticed them and had this instinct to pick one up and start smelling it at the top of the scene. I thought that was a fun way to start a scene and it gave me something to do as an actor which I think is alway important.
I also thought made Harry a little more pompous, which I again, I thought was funny.
Was there a particular scene that stayed with you after filming wrapped?
You know I only had that one scene and it was a lot of fun. The thing I rememebr most is that we only did two takes of that scene when they were shooitng my coverage. And each take I could hear Curry trying not to laugh off camera, which felt really good.
What was the atmosphere like on set while filming such an intense thriller?
Oh yeah, it was great. Curry and Michael were great to work with and it was a real easy day. I came in there and banged it out and left.
I’ve been teaching kids improv for 24 years and I had a class the afternoon we were shooting. So the fact that we got it so quickly, I was able to bounce out of there and get to my class on time. I hate to miss teaching my kids.
It sounds like teaching is important to you?
Oh,my gosh it’s so much fun working with kids! I use Improv games to teach kids emotional intelligence. To watch these kids grow and take leaps of faith is so rewarding…. I’m going to start crying! I consider myself so lucky to be able to work with kids. My mum keeps saying, to me Darin, I know you like acting, but if there’s a heaven, they’re going to let you in for what you do with those kids.”
When did your love of acting begin, was it always there or was it a slow burner?
Slow burn. There were a lot of things that drew me to it.
I grew up watching, Lucille Ball on ‘I Love Lucy,’, Tim Conway on ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ John Ritter on ‘Three’s Company,’ and Bruce Willis on ‘Moonlighting’. I also loved watching Eddie Murphy in ‘Coming to America’ – which is still the most fun I’ve ever had in a theatre because it looked like Eddie and Arsenio were just having the time of their lives.
When I watched these shows these actors all looked like they were having so much fun shooting them that it made me want to be a part of that world. And I’ve always had an attitude of “Let’s play!” Or “When can we play? Or “What can we play?” And acting is just play so that’s one of the biggest reasons why I was drawn to it.
I also loved how much joy it brought to me and the people I loved. So I also thought that would be a great thing to create in the world.
Also, In high school, some of my friends, along with my grandmother – who I adroed -, encouraged me to pursue it.
So, I thought, “that’s what I am going to do.” It’s been a fun ride.
A lot of fans know you from Paradise. How has being part of such a hit show changed things for you professionally or personally?
I enjoyed that show so much. It was like being part of a family. The cast and the crew were such a joy to be around. And the fact that I got to shoot so many days on it was an absolute gift.
You know, I did a bunch of episodes on a soap opera called General Hospital and I remember the showrunner asking me what it was that I loved most about acting and I said, “Community.”
Covid really brought that home. During that period of time everytime I booked a gig and was able to be on set I got really excited because I could finally be able to be around people. I would look around the set just giddy thinking “People! People! People! There are so many people!” And I wanted to connect with everybody. This was such a nice experience after having to spend a lot of my time by myself and social distancing. I valued community before Covid and after, I value it a hell of lot more.
So doing a show like Paradise and getting to know and connect with so many wonderful people – I even had a bunch of them over to my house for ribs – was, again, such a gift to me personally. Community is everything.
You shared the screen with Viola Davis what was it like to work with such an iconic actress?
Viola Davis is the personification of grace and power, she radiates it. There’s a funny story about working with her. It was on a TV show called ‘First Lady’and between takes, while she remained very focused and, in the zone,
I was joking around, talking to people, including her assistant.
We were shooting this party scene outdoors at this huge house beside a pool with all these extras. I don’t know why, but it reminded me of MC Hammer’s, who had a huge hit with ‘You Can’t Touch This’, ‘Pumps in a Bump’ music video.
This video featured a pool with everybody in bikinis, MC Hammer wearing a banana hammock, all dancing and having fun and all my surrounding and the set kind of it. So, I was joking around with Viola’s assistant saying with this set and all these extras we could shoot a Pumps in a Bump 2.0 video, and I started singing Pumps in a Bump, Pumps in a Bump, We like the girls with the pumps and a bump.”
The moment I started singing Pumps in a Bump, I shit you not, this woman, who is the personification of power and grace, all of a sudden, claps her hands and starts twerking!!
So, I keep singing, and she just keep twerking. I was howling with laughter.
I have somuch respect for her as an actor and person and I tip my hat to her that she can retain a sense of fun alongside her commitment to her work. We had some great conversations, she’s brilliant.
Did you talk acting with her at all?
Not really about the craft but we did have a great conversation about the importance of allowing yourself to mess up as an actor and how if your not able to do that, this business can be a very hard one to succeed in.
Is there a dream location where you’d love to film or a country you would like to visit?
I shot this movie in Dubai, and it was such a wonderful experience.
The flight there was 16-hours but I got to fly there in Business Class on Emarites, which was amazing; Even after 16 hours – I didn’t want to get off the plane!
When I got to Dubai what struck me was the architecture. The buildings were so extraorinary and unique that some of the building were hard to get the vista wrapped around my mind. There was this one twisted building that looked like a churro, it was so surreal.
So shooting there was a lot of fun.
I’ve been to Europe a bunch of times but I’ve never jumped the pond on the other side of the states and explored the Orient. So I would love to shoot somewhere in Japan or China. New Zealand would be great, too!
There’s this rule with SAG (Screen Actors Guild) where if you fly over a certain amount of miles the production has to bump you to businesss class or above. So if I could get another extravagant flight experience liek I did on Emirates, that would be fantastic!
That and being able to work and explore those countires like I did in Dubai would great, too.
I love traveling and seeing the world.
Any favourite performers would you like to work with?
Robert Downey. When I watch him, he seems so improvisational, I think he’s amazing. In an interview on The Actors Studio several years ago he said he likes to know his lines backwards and forwards because when he knows them that well he is free to play. However, recently I heard that he’s been doing this for so long that he can look at a scene in a script, know exaxclty what kind of scene it is and what needs to happen for it to move the story along and then can pretty much imporivse it. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but there is a story that Jon Favreau, while directing him on the film Iron Man, jokingly asked Downey if he was allergic to paper as he did not really look at the script. It might be true what RDJ said in Tropic Thunder “I don’t read the script. The script reads me.” Ha!
I think acting with him would be very exciting. I think I’d learn a ton and he’d absolutley keep me on my toes.
Tom Hanks in another actor I’ve always admired and it would be great to work with too.
I ask this of all my guests. Is there a question that you would love to be asked, but never have been?
Great question! I’d like to answer that with a question I’d like to be asked more…
You wanna play?
For Toonder, acting is less about rigid control and more about responsiveness finding truth in instinct, humour, and the unexpected details that arise in the moment. His experience on Obsession reflects that approach clearly: a role shaped as much by improvisation and on-set discovery as by script or direction.
At the same time, his reflections reach beyond the film industry. Whether discussing his teaching work with young students or his appreciation for collaborative sets that feel like “community,” Toonder consistently returns to the idea that creativity is at its best when it is shared, curious, and unforced.
In that sense, Obsession becomes more than just another credit it’s another space where those values play out in real time.