Ant-Man star David Dastmalchian is grateful for his sobriety

David Dastmalchian is grateful for two decades of sobriety.

The Ant-Man star, who battled a heroin addiction for five years before becoming an actor, said his sobriety affected his work.

“For nothing else, the immense gratitude I’ve felt in the last two decades of this journey, a life free from drugs and alcohol, has absolutely influenced everything I do as an actor, and I think about the characters I want to bring to life ,” Page Six said exclusively Tuesday at the New York premiere of his latest film, “The Boston Strangler.”

Dastmalchian, 47, first used drugs in high school, but became addicted while studying theater at DePaul University in Chicago.

After graduation, he was homeless and lived in his car for two years. The “Teacher” actor later began his road to recovery when his family helped him check into a mental institution, then a rehab center, then a sobriety home.

Dastmalchian portrayed his heroin addiction in the 2014 film Animals, which he also starred in.

In “The Boston Strangler,” he played the notorious serial killer Albert DeSalvo, who allegedly Admitted to murdering 13 women 1962-1964 in the Boston area.

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The film tells the true story of journalist Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), who was the first to connect a string of murders.

It also delves into whether DeSalvo, who died in prison in 1973 at the age of 42, He was actually responsible for all 13 murders.

Dastmalchian said he delved into DeSalvo’s life to prepare for the role.

“There’s an amazing array of books and research out there, so when I found out I was going to bring this character to life, I jumped into it – trust me, it was no small feat for me,” tells us.

“I don’t underestimate for one moment how important it is to bring back a man who caused pain to so many people – a real person who caused a lot of pain himself.”

Dastmalchian also said he found tapes of investigators interrogating DeSalvo and “just sat and lived with him and thought about his childhood.”

He added: “The man who drove around Boston – this dark, tormented soul who hurt a woman.”

Dastmalchian said shooting dark characters “wasn’t a fun job, but I’m grateful I did.”

Other stars attending the Film Society screening included Knightley, Carrie Coon and Chris Cooper. They were joined by Casey Affleck, David Burtka, Sarita Choudhury and Chris Henchy at the event at Le Rock.