Can you tell us about your role as Daniel in Daredevil?

I wanted to play someone real and grounded. You’ve got superheroes in Daredevil, but it feels like it’s set in quite a grounded world. I really wanted to have a moral conundrum. I wanted to have him make difficult choices and feel like we were in a kind of pressure cooker.

I went to City Hall quite a bit to prepare for the role. I shadowed the director of communications and really went into the political aspect of that world. He’s a hard worker, he’s a wheeler and dealer, so I took a lot of things from the people I met at City Hall.

How would you describe your style? What are you into?

I’m big into workwear at the moment, that Americana look. I often get told I dress like an old person, which is a huge compliment to me. I recently went back and watched a ton of Robert Redford and Paul Newman movies. They’re so fucking cool, but they look like adults. I want to dress like that. So, more suits, more button-downs, a little more elevated.

Where are you finding inspiration?

A lot from those classic, naturalistic actors, like Robert Duvall, Jack Nicholson and Redford, not just for his outfits.

I want to take big swings, so when I watch something like Apocalypse Now, it sticks with me. There’s something about those choices that are grounded but are fun to watch. There’s a balance, too. If you’re the lead you can’t do it as much.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote is a big swing, and it totally works. But when you’re the lead, you’re the conduit for the audience and I don’t want to be that. I want to be the side character that’s really interesting. I hope I’m brave enough to pull it off.

I’d also love to play a villain one day. One of my best friends is Joseph Quinn. I thought what he did in the second Gladiator was brilliant, that is something I’d love to do. Play it in a way that’s big and interesting.

Do you have people who look out for you in the industry? Who do you call for advice?

Because my dad passed when I was so young, the idea of mentorship became more prevalent to me, this idea of seeking out elders who knew him. I’ve been very lucky to have guys like Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal and Chris Bauer come into my life to give me amazing advice. My dad and Brad Pitt were good friends, and he was one of the first people to congratulate me when I got the role in The Many Saints Of Newark, which was an amazing experience.

How do you think you’ve changed over the past year?

My mid-twenties were about learning. Now I’m getting into my late-twenties, I’m focused on personal growth. One aspect I’m lucky to have is the feeling that I’m going to be an actor is done. I am an actor. And, for now, I can do it for a living. And I’ll continue to do this for a living.

Whether that’s true or not long term, that’s my mindset. I hate calm, or when things are going too well, so learning to be OK with being content is hard, and I’m trying to focus on that.

What do you like to do when you’re away from set?

Coffee, house stuff, FaceTiming friends in London, some work. I love going to restaurants in New York. There’s a place called da Toscano in Midtown, which has such good food. Bubby’s in Tribeca has the best pancakes in the city – you’ve got to try those if you’re ever out there.

It could be a boozy one, so the Corner Store, Carbone, Torrisi. I love an Italian spot, if you couldn’t tell. I love a bit of pageantry and the setting of a great New York restaurant just as much as the food.