Summary
- David Dastmalchian reveals that Count Crowley was originally planned as a male character, but changed to a female protagonist for a more powerful story.
- By making Count Crowley a woman, Dastmalchian taps into the real-life experiences of women not being believed or taken seriously, adding depth to the character.
- Exploring women's trauma and the challenges they face in a world that dismisses their experiences elevates the story and makes Count Crowley a relatable and compelling hero.
David Dastmalchian reveals that Count Crowley was originally planned as a male character. Dastmalchian, a longtime fan of both horror and comics, created his own hero after playing so many on the big and small screen. Count Crowley follows Jerri Bartman, an aspiring TV journalist turned late-night Creature Feature host who learns there is more to the job when she discovers her predecessor was one of the last real-life monster hunters. Now Jerri will need to step into the role of fighting literal monsters while struggling with her own inner demons.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant during San Diego Comic-Con about Count Crowley, Dastmalchian explained why he changed the gender of his character. He broke down how her origins are more powerful because she is a woman, specifically because the world doubts her credibility. Dastmalchian also shared how this elevated his original idea. Check out Dastmalchian's full quote below:
David Dastmalchian: I love the character so much. She is my heart. I always imagined her as Jerri with a Y. I thought it was a dude. I was really building the character and talking to some of the really important women in my life and continuing to hear the story over and over again of not being believed, or not being taken seriously for the experiences that they had been having in workplace, school, social settings. I was like, "This person who, to me, thematically would be so dramatically compelling if no one believed her because she's trying to talk about werewolves and vampires, what about a even more terrifying monster? What about a guy who, in plain sight, is beloved by people and yet is predatory?"
That's where we're at, man. She's growing. I love her more every time I write a new script, and she's not even mine anymore. She's her own being, and I feel like she's like her own living, breathing person now. It's really amazing.
Why Dastmalchian's Change Was Better For Count Crowley
Count Crowley fighting monsters is the heart of the comic, but by creating a real monster from her past that people don't want to believe, Dastmalchian adds a new layer to the complexity of this story. People don't believe in the existence of supernatural-based monsters, but they are also dismissing the true monster that lurks: a predatory man who puts on a camera-friendly front. If Jerri were actually Jerry, this wouldn't have worked as well because Dastmalchian wouldn't have been able to tap into the very real story that so many women have faced.
Exploring women's trauma is a common thread in many stories, especially for those who are forced to step into the role of hero, whether a superhero like Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 or even Barbie in the new Barbie movie. Dastmalchian not only elevated the story by making Count Crowley Jerri instead of Jerry, but he also made the character feel more real. Jerri is forced to step into the role of monster hunter while struggling with the loss of her career, alcoholism, and her assault.
As she attempts to figure out how to fight monsters, she is forced to reckon with the fact that people refuse to believe her about both kinds of monsters. This change in origin has helped bring Jerri and Count Crowley to life in a way that not even Dastmalchian could have imagined. It also makes her a more relatable hero because she faces many of the same challenges that women face in the real world.
