Desmond Chiam, an accomplished Singaporean-Australian actor, is best known for his role as Dovich in Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, as well as his roles in “Hot Mess Holiday” and in Netflix’s drama series, “Partner Track.” Following “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” he landed the audience favorite role of Nick in Amazon Prime Video’s hit romantic comedy series, “With Love,” whose character has been in love with the series’ protagonist, Lily, since college. You can watch Chiam in the second season of “With Love” premiering globally on June 2nd or his lead role in Lionsgate’s brand-new comedy, “Joy Ride,” opening in theaters July 6th internationally and July 7th in the United States.

How did you get into acting and what attracted you to it?
It was a gradual process. I’d left my last gig and was sort of adrift in Australia, and I had some friends who were actors. They encouraged me to come help out with their self-tape sessions, and eventually had me reading lines. I jumped into a few classes while working with these lads, and then at that point I was in; who doesn’t want to play pretend for a job?

When did you know you wanted to become an actor?
Not until late. I’d finished a solid six years in university and worked for three months in another job before the penny dropped.

Before acting, you pursued a career in law and then breakdancing. Tell us about this and your journey to becoming an actor.
Breaking was less a career than the creative gateway drug that led me away from Law. I made the decision to go into Law with little more than the thought, “Oh, I liked literature in high school, Law also uses words, I guess I’ll do that,” which is no way to make a decision. As it turned out, you can do a lot more with words than jurisprudence. When I took breaking up, I met a lot of kids who wanted to do actual creative careers, and I think that’s what cracked the door open on the decision to quit Law.

**Left:**
Iridescent Blue Shirt by Tayground
Silver Shark Necklace by Ocean Rebel
**Right:**
Denim Jacket + Jeans by Levi’s
Brown Boots by Jean Baptiste Rautureau

Tell us about your character Nick in ”With Love.”
He’s an absolute himbo fuckboi, if you can excuse the language, and I love him. He’s a genuine soul despite those aforementioned traits, and I kind of like that he’s allowed to just exist there. Having said that, this season, he gets the opportunity to get wise.

What similarities or differences do you find between yourself and your character Nick in “With Love?”
I am extremely not a fuckboi. I’m intensely, serially monogamous. I’ve been married for eight years now, together for fifteen. Having said that I’m extremely quick with a gross joke, so that’s right in the pocket for Nick.

What was it like working with the cast of “With Love?”
Truly, pardon the pun, lovely. In a lot of ways, a healing process from some of the stuff you might read about in books like “Burn it Down.” We’re all supportive and genuinely joyful around each other. Definitively a good time.

**Left:**
Blue Stripe Set by 4funkyflavours
Gold Necklace by Sterling Forever
Gold Bracelet by IceLink Men
**Right:**
Brown Textured Jacket by Négligé
Necklaces by Sterling Forever
Gold Bracelet by IceLink Men

You have experience acting in projects of many different genres, from a Marvel action series to comedies. What genre do you enjoy acting in most?
Hard to say. It’s all extremely in flux. I wake up every day with different thoughts, different processes, different wants/needs. And I think that my comfort with sitting with the vagaries of human behavior reflects the range of work I’ve done, because, to some degree, it’s all me. I’ve been both the wisecracker and the rage-incarnate. It’s all one, for me at least, so it’s hard to put any role above any other I’ve done.

What was it like working with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?”
Solid masterclass in chemistry. Those two have so much experience between them and seeing where and how they deployed it in their dynamic was educational.

Tell us about your upcoming movie, “Joy Ride?”
It’s a proper return to the theatrical comedy. Direct line from those Seth Rogen movies’ DNA to this and it’s good. Very, very good. It’s an incredible cast - the core four are incredible and working with Stephanie Hsu was another one of those ‘healing moments’ I’ll reference forever. Mind you, along with being gut-bustingly hilarious, it’s extremely heartfelt.

**Left:**
Iridescent Blue Shirt by Tayground
Silver Shark Necklace by Ocean Rebel
**Right:**
White Set by Négligé
Gold Necklace by Sterling Forever
Ring + Gold Bracelet by IceLink Men
Shoes by Jean Baptiste Rautureau

You have two projects coming out this summer in which you lead roles. How did you balance both projects?
The way these timelines for projects go, releases being close to each other don’t necessarily mean they’re filmed in proximity. But there was an intensely busy period starting with “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” that didn’t stop until after wrapping “Joy Ride” and subsequently “Partner Track,” where we were bumping around the globe for a while. People forgot we live in Los Angeles, and we’ve been there for ten years. There’s not really a ‘balance’ required per se, though I’m lucky that I’m in a position with my wife that we can just surf the wave without having to think too consciously about the actual logistics of life.

How do you feel about the way Asians are represented in films and television?
Circling back to an earlier question, I’d say we’re coming into a new age of nuance, which is great. “Crazy Rich Asians” kicked down the door, and now we’re refining character in a big way off of that opportunity. Take “Joy Ride,” when I say it’s extremely heartfelt, it’s in the context of I think a relatively collective Asian diaspora experience where we always have to have a medium for our trauma. It’s rarely a direct confrontation. There’s a dynamic to the comedy in “Joy Ride” that Asians will just get, in that it gels with the ways we deal with our emotions very intuitively. [don’t understand sentence]

What advice would you give a person who wants to start working in the entertainment industry?
I love Bo Burnham’s bit about don’t take advice from a gambling addict. There’s a truth there. It’s brutal, and you have to get very, very lucky as well as frankly put up with a lot of trying stuff. I think the bigger picture is - set yourself on this path and then live your life. You have to exist in this weird quantum state of knowing exactly where the target lies, but never looking at it directly. The former will help you with the discipline, working the survival job (as much as is possible in late-stage capitalism) to perform the actual logistics of an acting career, and the latter will help you book. Never look Hollywood in the eye. I guess I’m advocating for negging Hollywood.

Blue Stripe Set by 4funkyflavours
Gold Necklace by Sterling Forever
Gold Bracelet by IceLink Men
Shoes by Cole Haan

How do you prepare for an acting role?
By living. You’ll only portray as much as you’ve lived. That’s the eye off the target stuff. The part of me that knows exactly where it works: lines, working choices, pushing hard in the stunt room, all of that to the nth degree.

Which actor inspires you the most and who would you like to work with in the future?
Hard to say. I’ve been around enough people and actors to know that while most are fascinating, not all are great people. Talents, certainly, but I now reserve any enthusiasm until I’ve really met a person and can take their measure.

What would you be if you weren’t an actor?
NOT A LAWYER. I’d probably be pottering away in a kitchen somewhere. I’ve recently taken up blacksmithing. Maybe I’d be making knives or something. Who knows?

What is your dream role?
Again, so impossible to say. I’ve been practicing a bit of a philosophy of “First thought, best thought” lately. The thing with first, instinctive thoughts is that sometimes they change, and I’m okay with not thinking about that too hard. Having said all of that heady bullshit. Make me a cowboy, chuck us a couple of revolvers, and I’d be a real happy actor.

Social Media.
Instagram: @deschiam

CREW CREDITS:
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz + @mikeruiz.one
Photographer: Justin Ayers
Talent: Desmond Chiam
Fashion Stylist: Kaij
Groomer: Diane Dusting at OPUS Beauty
Photography Assistant: Willa Salam Cutolo
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Mariana Apostolatos, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine