IN CONVERSATION WITH BENJAMIN CHARLES WATSON

interview by JANA LETONJA

Benjamin Charles Watson can be seen starring opposite Josh Holloway, Keith David, and Sydney Elisabeth in the new Max Original Series ‘Duster’, which premiered in May. His other credits include Netflix’s ‘Travelers’, ABC’s ‘The Good Doctor’, TNT’s ‘Snowpiercer’, and Netflix’s ‘Designated Survivor’ amongst others. Outside acting, he passionately supports the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as well as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the world’s largest federal agency for research on mental disorders, working toward prevention and cures.

‘Duster’ is generating a lot of buzz. What drew you to the character of Royce, and how did you prepare to step into the role of an heir to a criminal empire?

The aspect that drew me to Royce is the love he has for his family. He has such a fun arc that I loved diving into. On top of that, I understood his need to showcase his worthiness to his father. He aspires to become the person he so desperately thinks his dad wants him to be. To play Royce, I needed to understand his psychology, how he thinks, feels and his family dynamics and relationships. Every little nugget helped me layer him in a way that hopefully resonates. 

Royce growing up with a heart defect meant he couldn’t run around and play like a regular kid, so he felt a bit isolated as a kid. He turned to books and movies to cope. He sometimes feels isolated from his own family. Especially after having a heart transplant in episode one. 

What was it like working alongside industry heavyweights like Josh Holloway, Keith David, and Sydney Elisabeth in a series created by J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan?

Working with this cast has been something special. I have immense gratitude and love for everyone on our team. Josh is the kindest human being, and it was just a phenomenal time working with him. Watching him work and being in a scene with him is mesmerizing. Setting the tone on set can make or break a production, and Josh takes the lead to setting the tone on set to make everyone feel loved, welcomed and comfortable. Josh is a gem to work with. 

Working alongside Keith was something out of this world. I’ve been a huge fan of his work forever and now I’m playing his son on television. His presence is undeniable. He plays Saxton with ease and poise. His stories of the past and the adventures he shared growing up and living in certain eras in time was such an experience to hear. I really felt like I didn’t want to disappoint him in every scene we had together, which ironically is literally what Royce feels his entire life. 

And Sydney Elizabeth. When I say Sydney is my “sister”, I truly mean it. She has been my saving grace on and off set, and it is such an incredible honor to call her my sister on screen and off. Sydney brings this playful, joyful energy on set and off screen she’s the older sister you didn’t know you needed. Being in a scene with her is beyond powerful. She’s not in her head, she’s fully embodying her power as Genesis. 

The show is set in the 1970s Southwest. How did the era and setting influence your performance and understanding of the story?

The era was fascinating to look back at and explore. I never dived into the 70s as much as I have for this show. Fashion influenced me a lot. The complexity but also the simplicity of the clothing and how they fit on the body gave me a different feeling as I walked onto the set. The shoes were also particularly incredible because men wore platform shoes back then, so you walk differently in those types of shoes. The rhythmic walk influenced how Royce exists in that world. I also looked at the political climate of the 70s, especially in Phoenix and the USA. The Saxton family has influence and wealth, so we walk a bit differently in life.  

You’ve portrayed a wide range of characters across various genres, from political thrillers to dystopian dramas. How do you choose your roles, and what attracts you to a script?

I tend to choose roles based on the character, story and script. Those are the three things I look for when taking on a role. I also like to know the message that is being told and if there is something I can learn about myself from a character. If I find a character that either changes my perspective on life or has taught me something about how to operate better in the world, then I’m automatically captivated. 

Your role as Dontae Evans in ‘Designated Survivor’ was particularly impactful. What did you take away from that experience

What I took away from the experience is that Dontae Evans was a highly loved and impactful character. He represented a lot of Black individuals that still aren’t seen on television and are still not fully accepted in real life. My job is to tell stories and bring awareness, to be a voice to human beings who exist in this world. People fear the unknown and the information is out there, but I just wish it was common knowledge. I personally wasn’t fully aware until I prepared for Dontae and read countless studies and researched personal stories to understand. It’s still a taboo topic and we had fans praising us and we had other fans that really didn’t like the controversial topic. 

You moved from Jamaica to Toronto at the age of 10. How did that cultural transition shape your worldview and your approach to storytelling?

Moving from Jamaica to Toronto when I was 10 years old was a major shift. It taught me how to observe and adapt. I gained a lot of empathy for my parents for working and struggling to give me better opportunities in life. I became more curious about people’s stories, especially navigating between cultures. The cultural transition was fascinating. I remember the first time I saw snow and it was the most mesmerizing thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

Bringing it back to storytelling, my background helps me to bring authenticity and a layered perspective to roles that I play, particularly characters who feel caught between identities or different worlds. 

You’ve recently spent time in Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, and other incredible cities. What do you love and enjoy the most about traveling?

The thing I love the most is that I still have so much to learn. The only person you can depend on is you, and I find traveling solo is a phenomenal way of learning more about who you are. It’s about discovering, learning and achieving new aspects of life. I love to get lost in a city. The first thing I do after dropping my bags off is to walk for at least 2-3 hours, get lost and find my way back home without a map. I use visual things to remember my path if I happen to get lost. 

I also enjoy watching the locals go about life and read their faces. On top of all that, food is obviously a big draw to travel the world. I wholeheartedly enjoy taking myself out for a meal and chatting with other tourists or locals about anything. We live in a big, glorious world and I need to explore as much of it as possible.

When you’re not on set, how do you stay grounded and creatively fulfilled?

I always go home and see my parents to stay grounded. I help my mom with anything she needs in terms of cleaning and cooking, and I hang out and watch TV with my dad. They’re both getting older and unfortunately, they won’t be here forever. Plus, if my head gets inflated, I can count on my mom to knock me back down to my humble life. 

To be creatively fulfilled, I read plays and random scripts and acting books as cliché as that sounds, but I do love this art form and constantly crave to be connected to it in some way, shape or form. I also watch a lot of movies. I love the old movies shot on film, so I tend to stick to the classics.

You’re a strong advocate for mental health awareness, supporting organizations like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and NIMH. What inspired your commitment to these causes?

As humans, we have this pressure of fitting in, not disappointing people, being liked, being loved and many other things. So, leaving my life in Jamaica at the age of 10 and moving to Canada and just going through shifts in my brain and not knowing who I am, what I wanted, why I couldn’t fit in with a certain group and all these thoughts, put me in a bit of a dark place when I was younger. I’m inspired from personal experience, wanting to be better, do better, help people and from my fans reaching out to express what they’ve gone through in life. Understanding that I’m not the only one and many people either feel or have felt unworthy, unloved and so many other different intrusive thoughts. It was important for me to be part of something greater and to share hope, help and resources. But most importantly, you’re not alone. You may think you’re but you’re not.

As someone in the public eye, how do you personally take care of your mental health in a demanding industry?

I try my best to stay off social media. I honestly don’t think it’s healthy to compare yourself and be constantly attached to a phone. For me, I’ve found that my mental health can be linked to the food that I intake. If I’m feeling down and start craving a cinnamon bun, I know that my headspace is going a bit wonky. So, I try my best to avoid that sugar-type craving rush of dopamine. Another thing I’ve recently started is eating whole food, nothing processed and feeding my body the nutrition it craves. I meditate, keep a journal and have a therapist. Also, I love to randomly get on a plane and travel to another destination. That personally helps me because the demand of this industry doesn’t exist when I’m on another continent.

What can you share with us about your upcoming projects?

I unfortunately can’t say a lot about this project, but I’m in talks about an epic movie that I know people will be excited about. Hopefully, I can speak about it very soon, once the scheduling has been set. Also, I have been writing two of my own projects that are gaining traction and will get off the ground soon. But I’m incredibly excited about the future.