David Jonsson and Paul Dano Discuss Acting, Upcoming Films, and The Chaperones in CULTURED Interview

Actor David Jonsson, 32, appears on the cover of CULTURED's CULT100 issue, photographed by Christian Coppola. In an interview with Paul Dano, Jonsson discusses his role in the upcoming A24 film The Chaperones, directed by India Donaldson, where he stars alongside Cooper Hoffman, Billy Barratt, and Dano. The film follows three friends transporting a troubled teen cross-country. Jonsson won the 2025 BAFTA Rising Star Award. He previously lost 35 pounds for the prison drama Wasteman, shot in 18 days, and gained weight back for The Long Walk, a Stephen King adaptation co-starring Hoffman. Jonsson's West End debut came at age 23 after being expelled from school and working as an Abercrombie & Fitch model. He rose to prominence playing an Oxford student in HBO's Industry. Upcoming projects include starring roles in directorial debuts by Colman Domingo and Frank Ocean. Dano, 41, reflects on his career, including films like Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood, and 12 Years a Slave, and discusses parenting with his wife Zoe Kazan. The actors share insights on acting processes, nerves on set, and balancing work with personal life. The interview took place at Raffles London at the OWO, with grooming by Stefan Bertin and production by Sam Richardson and Jodie Brown.