David Dastmalchian once revealed he had never acted in a film before Christopher Nolan put him on set with Heath Ledger for 'THE DARK KNIGHT' (2008). It was his first film role, and suddenly he was surrounded by Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, and Gary Oldman—some of the most accomplished actors in the industry. You might imagine a first-time actor feeling intimidated, wondering whether he belonged there or desperately trying not to make a mistake. But Dastmalchian discovered something important about Nolan. Despite being one of the least experienced actors on set, Nolan made him feel “valued, validated” and treated his voice as an actor as something they could explore together. Dastmalchian also pushed back against the urban legends surrounding Ledger's Joker performance. “Contrary to the urban legends that surrounded Heath's performance as the Joker, when he was on set he wasn't twisting himself into knots with some kind of maniacal method-acting bologna.” Intimidation can make you focus on yourself instead of the scene. Am I good enough? What does the director think? What does the other actor think? Suddenly, you're watching yourself perform instead of actually living the moment. The bigger the opportunity feels, the more you need to focus on what's happening right in front of you. Years later, Nolan cast Dastmalchian again in 'OPPENHEIMER'. By then, he'd worked with filmmakers like Denis Villeneuve and James Gunn. But the experience of making 'THE DARK KNIGHT' meant even more because Dastmalchian had previously struggled with homelessness and heroin addiction. Filming took place just two blocks from an alley where he had once slept in his car. The film “didn't just revive his career, \[it\] gave him back his future.” The biggest opportunities don't require a different kind of acting. They require you to trust the work you've already done.