Most viewers, however, probably know Messina best for his work on “The Mindy Project,” playing the sometimes grumpy, sometimes charismatic Danny Castellano opposite series creator Mindy Kaling. . When casting began in 2011, Kling was specifically looking for actors who she “hadn’t seen do a lot of comedy” or, if they were experienced, “were not the usual suspects that they always give you.” send,” he said in a recent interview.
She knew she was perfect right away. Describing her as one of the funniest actors he’s ever worked with, he said Messina was “so rooted in the truth of her character that she couldn’t help but be funny. “
She clearly attributes this to the fact that she is not a traditional comedian. “Your average sitcom actor wants to kill his moment, make the day, and go home. Chris is not like that,” he said. “It’s almost exhausting, the level of honesty and truth he brings to every scene. He was really listening to my character and reacting if the character did something funny or funny. It made me a better actor. I was listening better when I was with Chris, because he set the bar so high.
Although Messina proved to be a good fit for the role, he didn’t even originally want to do it, having turned down the part several times before. (“The market wouldn’t take no for an answer,” he explained.) He was, he said, “very concerned about every aspect of it,” including a network with more than 20 episodes per season. A commitment to comedy, possibly several years — is probably making it difficult for him to do the kind of serious work he dreamed of as an actor.
“I wanted to do ‘Dog Day Afternoon.’ Of course, he was afraid of something else: style. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them comically,” he said. “I’m afraid of jokes.”
Fear, on the other hand, is what Messina wants. “Being intimidated by a role, by an opportunity, to be challenged, that’s what I’m looking for. Maybe it’s glamor or a lot of acting, but I like to find closed doors within myself.
