Dracula might prefer to spend Halloween lurking in the dark, stalking his next victim, but James Daly, who plays the iconic vampire in Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, spent his night off from the show at New York’s 50th Anniversary Halloween Parade.
The show at New World Stages on W50th Street is “dark” on Tuesdays, and you would typically find Daly unwinding on his day off by watching Gordon Ramsay’s cookery show — Hell’s Kitchen. “You can usually find me at home with my feet up and a bag of sweet and salty kettle corn, watching Gordon Ramsay yell at people on Hell’s Kitchen,” he says.
Although he confesses to being a less-than-stellar cook, Daly enjoys critiquing the dishes on screen, often questioning the temperature of the braised duck from the comfort of his own couch, with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in hand.
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When he’s not critiquing gourmet dishes from his living room, Daly is likely to be found hanging out in Hell’s Kitchen itself. His go-to spot? Gossip Bar on 9th Avenue, where he enjoys the simple offerings of beer or wine. “I’m not much of a liquor guy if I’m being honest,” he admits. As for the wine, he naturally prefers red — fitting for someone who’s made a living out of playing a bloodsucker.
Since this Tuesday coincided with Halloween, Daly headed to Greenwich Village for the historic 50th Anniversary Halloween Parade. “I first heard about it when they told me I was going to be interviewed by Roger Clark at NY1, and I was very honored and excited to go down and experience it for the first time,” he said.
A Canadian native, Daly has loved dressing up since childhood — especially around Halloween. His mom, a seamstress, would craft costumes for him, fueling his aspirations to become an actor. “I’m sure I must have done a vampire at some point. I did a lot of Zorro, and I did a lot of Spider-Man. But I mean, Dracula is a classic!” he said.
As for what’s next, Daly seems to have his eyes on another iconic universe. “Yeah, it’s a quick leap from Dracula to Marvel, I think,” he joked during the interview. With Marvel’s Daredevil patrolling the gritty streets of Hell’s Kitchen in comic book lore, perhaps we could see Daly trade his cloak for some superhero spandex in the near future.
Thanks for the wonderful pix! And what a handsome Dracula……