David Ajala has recently starred in some wildly twisty mysteries, including Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue series on MGM+ and The Woman in Cabin 10 movie for Netflix.
Ajala’s in another whodunit, though this one’s a little more down-to-earth. He joins the regular cast of NBC’s stalwart crime drama Law & Order, playing Detective Theo Walker.
Walker, coming from the narcotics unit and getting his first case as a homicide detective, is paired with Detective Vincent Riley (Reid Scott) in the investigation into the killing of a basketball star with NBA potential and the huge earnings and sponsorships that come with it. Ajala’s first episode is “Guardian,” premiering Thursday, Nov. 13, at 8pm ET/PT.
“Being the new kid on the block, there’s always going to be a part of this feeling a little kind of nervous and like, ‘Oh man, I’m the new kid joining this franchise and understanding the new dynamic,'” Ajala says. “But I have to say, the guys on set have been wonderful. They’ve given me the warmest welcome. And it feels like the infrastructure and the foundation of the show is all about teamwork.”
Ajala joined our team for this edition of “5 Questions With”:
1. Can you tell us about a strange, wonderful or interesting fan encounter?
It’s like early 2021, and things have started to really open up and I’m at a convention. My first season of Star Trek: Discovery had already aired during 2020, but because we were still shooting and other things, it was not possible to meet with fans. I got to meet the fanbase after my episodes had aired. And I’m at this convention in Chicago, and I had this guy — tall, tall guy — come to me just explaining how much my character’s journey touched him. And when he was talking, I could see he was getting a little teary-eyed. And, I kid you not, he just broke down and the floodgates just flooded everywhere. And I held space for him. It is deeply humbling and it is hard to talk about it without seeming like I’m taking credit for it. No, I’m just a vessel. He was saying that he was so moved by my character’s journey and my courage in the role that it felt methodically healing for him. And to have that moment of him just — and I held his arms and he was just crying for two minutes — was very touching. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.
2. Can you tell us about a time when you were starstruck?
Jamie Foxx. Listen, that guy, it is illegal how talented he is. Comedy, standup comedian, musician, piano, singing, acting — for one human being to have all those talents and to be so astute at all those talents. Incredible. Meeting him, I was a little shy and nervous at first. And then I thought, “Let me just launch into it,” and I had the best interaction. It could not have gone any better. It was wonderful.
3. What’s a movie you can watch over and over again?
Coming to America. All day, man. Yes, all day. That’s my jam.
4. What’s your favorite sports team?
Arsenal. That’s my team, those guys. And this season, my fingers are crossed for just something very special to happen for us. Feeling good.
5. What are some jobs you had before or outside of acting?
It was kind of that world of just selling food in school. I was just selling candy bars and sodas and stuff like that — any way of making little bits of money. But I’ve never really had a job, day job. Just little jobs here and there, like washing cars, for example.