This past Christmas season, I had the pleasure of watching Christmas Encore starring Brennan Elliott and Maggie Lawson, and because it was filmed in the Toronto area, I have discovered some actors with whom I was previously unfamiliar. David Tompa happens to be one of those, and upon further research, I realize I have seen him (without my realizing it) in a few other roles as well. Recently, David agreed to do a brief interview outlining and highlighting his life and career.
RH: Why did you decide to become an actor? What kind of training have you had?
DT: My uncle was the music teacher at the local high school, so every year when I was young we’d go watch him as the conductor for the school musicals. I always loved the shows and really wanted to be a part of them when I got older. I thought of acting as a fun thing to do after classes were done, like the dessert after your dinner. It wasn’t until I had completed a degree in Engineering that I even considered acting as a possibility for a career. Since I didn’t start pursuing acting until my mid-twenties and already had spent five years at a university, I didn’t want to go to a multi-year program at a theatre school. I decided to try to get an agent and then take professional classes to catch up with technique. Over the years, I’ve studied with Lewis Baumander for On-Camera, John Riven for Meisner Technique, David Smukler for voice and Doug Buller for Improv.
What was your first professional job in the business, and what are your memories of it?
The first time I got paid for acting was at the Waterloo Stage Theatre. The director of a new show, Darlene Spencer (long-time AD at Randolph!), had seen me in a student-run production at UW. She invited me to audition for The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged). I got a callback and booked the part. It was a defining experience for me working with real pros on a wonderful play. When I got my first paycheck, I teared up. I couldn’t believe they were paying me to “eat dessert”. That’s when I knew that I was hooked for life.
Phillips (Luke Humphrey) and Frewen (David Tompa) at the Arctic exhibit
I notice you’ve been on two seasons of Murdoch Mysteries playing two different characters. Please tell us about your experience with the show and what you enjoyed the most about being a part of this series.
My first time was early on when I barely knew what I was doing. Yannick {Bisson} was directing that episode and was there when I auditioned. It was only one line, but he was very generous with his direction and ended up casting me. I loved getting to wear a mustache and fake sideburns with the period suit and hairstyle. Even now, I find the dress up part of acting thrilling. The shoot itself was a pretty quick (just one scene, plus a photo), but everyone was so laid back and kind. It made for a great experience.
My second time was a much bigger role, so I was a bit nervous on my first day of filming. Yannick remembered me from the first time and greeted me incredibly warmly. That helped melt away my nerves and I had a great experience once again. The crew on Murdoch were still so kind and laid back. It really helps for the actors that are only there for a few days.
Odd Squad appears to be one of your best-known series. How did you get involved with the show? What is it like working with so many young people on that show?
Odd Squad
I had auditioned for the first episode for a couple different parts, but didn’t end up booking it. Six months later, I got a call from my agent that they wanted to book me for a one-liner. I wasn’t really interested in doing a kids’ show, but I knew a couple people involved in the show so decided to do the one-liner. When I saw the brilliant costume that Christine Toye had designed, I knew that I had to come up with something special for the character, Noisemaker. Her drawing reminded me of these old Austrian playing cards that my grandparents had, so I played around with an Austrian accent and found the basic vibe of the guy. The shoot went so well that they wrote me into another episode. Then another. Then another. And now I’ve done ten altogether, I think. I’m happy that I didn’t let my judgment of kids’ shows get in the way, because being a part of Odd Squad has been one of the best experiences of my life. The kids are all amazing to work with. They’ve done a wonderful job in casting super talented actors with warm demeanors and a real instinct to play. I’ve been able to be my most creative on that show because the kids and the crew are so eager to play around with the scenes. I’m very fortunate to have found them all.
I believe your first Hallmark movie was this past season in Christmas Encore. What did you enjoy about that filming experience? Any special memories? Were you familiar with Hallmark before making this film? Why do you think this particular network is doing so well in recent times?
Yes, Christmas Encore was my first Hallmark movie. Because they’ve done so many every year, I was expecting the crew to be a bit disgruntled, I think! (There I go with judging again…) But they were the opposite. Everyone on set was so happy to be working. They treated all the actors so well. We shot that one in Sudbury, which is a four-hour drive from Toronto. With the exception of the leads, all the actors that were going to be shooting each week loaded up in a big van and made the trip back and forth. I knew a couple of them already, but I have very fond memories of those trips getting to know them all. Nothing like a road trip to form some great friendships! I knew of the Hallmark movies before, but hadn’t seen one. I mostly knew them from auditions and my actor friends that had worked on them already. I think they’re doing well because they provide a delightful escape from our real-world challenges.
The Expanse
What are your current/upcoming works that you can tell us about? Anything special you wish to highlight about those roles/shows, feel free.
I recently appeared in the first episode of season three of the Syfy series The Expanse after making an appearance at the end of season two. If you keep watching, you’ll see me again. That was a real treat to work with super pros Shohreh Aghdashloo and Nick Tarabay, plus the upcoming phenom Frankie Adams.
I’ve got a small part in the HBO film, Fahrenheit 451, based on the book and starring the super talented duo of Michael B Jordan and Michael Shannon.
And I’ve got a challenging role in season two of the amazing series The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. I’m surrounded by incredible talent in that one, but can’t talk about it at all. I can say: “Watch it. It’s going to be a super important, tense, wild ride.”
I notice you have some writing/directing credits. Is that something you hope to continue to pursue?
My first love is acting. I find writing incredibly hard and slow, so I’ve only written sketch comedy with buddies. Maybe one day I’ll find the courage to write something solo that digs in a little deeper. Most of the directing I’ve done has been in indie theatre. I really love it, but it’s very time-consuming and pays very little. I’m pushing the TV/film thing now, so between that and my family there isn’t much time for theatre right now.
As you have a family, how do you balance your personal life with your career?
Speaking of… Haha! It’s tricky sometimes. But unless you’re a regular on a TV series, you aren’t on set that many days in a year. I often have a lot of time at home taking care of my boys. But as they say, “when it rains, it pours.” The timing of the work can be very frustrating. I’ve often been incredibly busy and have to let my wife take care of everything for a week or two. I had one week last year when I was driving back and forth to Toronto three hours each way every second day. Between family life, working on The Expanse, plus auditioning and taping for new roles, that week was exhausting. But I kind of thrive on that sort of challenge too, even though it can be incredibly frustrating being completely free the week before. Now we have a running joke: if I’m complaining that I’m not busy, my wife will say, “Let’s book a family trip. You’re sure to book a part then.”
It seems that Vancouver, BC has a booming film scene, but Toronto’s is beginning to see more filming as well. What do you think Toronto has to offer (filmwise) as opposed to other areas in Canada and the U.S.? Or what is the drawing card to Toronto as it seems to be growing?
It’s interesting because Toronto was the mecca of filming in Canada until Mad Cow/SARS/Tax credits all happened around 2003. Things really slowed down here and took off in Van. I have a lot of friends that moved out there to try to work more. But everyone but one of them has come back since then because Toronto’s been booming for the last six or seven years. The addition of some key studios here have really helped with that and it seems that there are more on the way. There are also a lot more people here in the industry. The biggest difference is that Van is a lot closer to LA. But look, I’m super biased. I love Toronto. It’s got some of the best food you’ll find on the planet, a big city feel with not as much crime as many other cities, and a wonderful mosaic of cultures and neighborhoods to explore.
What are some of your favorite activities to do when you want to unwind?
Well, I’ve got two young kids, so my time on set is my time to unwind. I joke. Mostly. <ahem> I love watching film and TV. I love good food, so getting out to a great meal is a wonderful treat. I love a good stiff cocktail with intense flavors. I play poker with some film types once a month and I like watching videos online to learn. When the weather’s warm, I love going to the park to toss a baseball or frisbee and have a picnic with family and/or friends.
One of the things I relish about my job is connecting with actors just like David. Not only does he have incredible work that practically speaks for itself as well as a wonderful, loving family, but he is an engaging “instructor” from whom I was able to glean information that I previously didn’t know, i.e., Toronto’s film history. Moreover, David’s transparency and humility come shining through in a myriad of ways. I sincerely hope that every set on which he is honored to work recognizes the gem they have in this “chameleon” who thrives on the diversity of roles in which he has been cast and always rises to the task of transforming into whatever the character requires. Everything from the Noisemaker on the innocuous but award-winning show Odd Squad to the dark, dystopian Hulu hit The Handmaid’s Tale and everything in between is within his undeniable abilities. David is a breed of actor who is able to make a living doing what he loves in order to comfortably support himself and his family. I appreciate his willingness to share candidly about himself and his career, and I hope that all my readers will check out his links below and consider following him via social media. And here’s hoping that Hallmark considers bestowing a more significant role on this deserving professional as he more than proved himself in last year’s Christmas offering. Regardless, I greatly anticipate following David’s career as it continues its upward spiral while he witnesses so many of his dreams and goals coming to fruition because of his hard work and dedication to the craft in addition to his inborn giftedness.
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