12 Fun Facts about Manish Dayal Star of The 100 Foot Journey

The Hundred Foot Journey opening today stars Manish Dayal along side Academy Award Winner Helen Mirren and is produced by two big entertainment heavyweights, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg. I had the pleasure of interviewing Manish Dayal at a press junket for the movie. Admittedly, I had not heard of this young actor prior to the interview but he has been in the business for quite sometime appearing in commercials and was in the cast of CW’s 90210. Not bad.

As Manish entered the room, I could see how the DreamWorks casting director suggested he audition for the role. He has an easy, confident presence that one would imagine his being able to hold his own with the dynamic and intimidating Helen Mirren.  In actuality he ran into the casting director by accident after an audition voiceover and that night he got a call to audition for unnamed project.  And then his audition tape was sent to Steven, Oprah and the director Lasse Hallstrom. And the rest is history.

 

12 Fun Facts about Manish Dayal Star of The Hundred-Foot Journey

1. Manish is a native of South Carolina.

2. For his audition tape, he had to read a scene 38 times.

3. He was alone in New York City when he got the call he won the lead role.

4.  He called his mom after he found out about the role.

5. He and Helen Mirren have the same sense of humor (and it’s not clean) so they got along famously.

6. Helen Mirren’s gave him great advice about picking roles – “pick them based on how much you will have.”

7. The most difficult scene for Manish were the scenes for the opening dinner of their new restaurant, Maison Mumbai  in which he has to bone a fish. It was a very choreographed scene  where he has to be still and quiet while chaos reigns around him.

8.  Yes, he did get to meet Oprah. His words to describe her “very giving and generous.” No surprise.

9. Manish knew he wanted to be in the entertainment business after seeing Jurassic Park.

10. His mom was extremely supportive of his interest, encouraging him to take a film class.

11. So what food evokes memories of home? Grilled cheese and Rice and Daal. His mom makes the best grilled cheese, not a meal she would make often but when she did usually late at night, they were the best. And Rice and Daal is a traditional Indian dish which is made differently based on where your family is from.

12. His favorite meal from the movie is Beef Bourguignon.

Manish offered this up that he would like movie goers to walk away after seeing the movie with the notion that “in order to achieve something great, you have to go after life’s uncertainty.”

And in  “The Hundred-Foot Journey”, the movie offers up  a portrayal of two worlds colliding and one young man’s drive to find the comfort of home, in every pot, wherever he may be and in the end,  a stimulating triumph over exile.

 

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THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY arrives in theaters today and if you looking for a delightful movie about two amazing cultures, distinct characters and just love food, you will love The Hundred Foot Journey.  Read my The Hundred Foot Journey review for more on the movie.

 

Disclosure: NYC Single Mom  was provided a trip to the Los  Angeles  for a Disney, Marvel, DreamWorks ABC Family hosted press event. Opinions are 100% my own. #GuardiansOfTheGalaxyEvent, #100FootJourneyEvent, #ABCFamilyEvent.