Arman Darbo went from Beijing sets to the lead role in And Then I Go.
A Young Actor Worth Hearing From
Arman Darbo is a French-American actor who became widely known for playing Edwin in And Then I Go, the 2017 coming-of-age drama directed by Vincent Grashaw. Interviews with a young lead actor can feel routine, but this one stands out because the role was so heavy and the career behind it is so unusual. Darbo was born in France, grew up for about a decade in Beijing, and later settled in the United States.
That international path shaped his early work. His father, actor and producer Igor Darbo, has said that Arman began young, and that his first jobs came from modelling and commercials before acting opportunities followed. Few actors his age had already worked on sets in more than one country before reaching their teens.
Early Roles in China
Before And Then I Go, Darbo had already built a small body of work. He appeared in Chinese television, and at around eleven he played an American boy who is kidnapped and later rescued in a Sino-American kung fu film produced by Keanu Reeves, alongside Tiger Chen. The shoot involved wirework and physical stunts, which he reportedly enjoyed.
What he found harder, according to coverage from that time, was crying on cue. The directors encouraged him to think about real experiences that could bring out true emotion. It is a small detail, but it explains a lot about the work he would do later, where honest feeling mattered more than technique.
Defenders of Life and Early Recognition
In 2015 Darbo was cast in Defenders of Life, a performance that earned him a silver medal for Best Actor Under 18 at the Global Independent Film Awards. It was an early sign that his screen presence could carry a story. He also trained with the Playground acting school, and he speaks several languages, which has helped him move between very different productions.
Becoming Edwin
In And Then I Go, Darbo plays Edwin, a smart and increasingly withdrawn teenager who is the frequent target of bullies. His closest friend is Flake, played by Sawyer Barth, and their bond is tested as Edwin becomes more detached from the world around him. Barth originally auditioned for Edwin as well before being cast as Flake.
Director Vincent Grashaw has said they found Darbo in Los Angeles and that he was not a trained actor in the traditional sense. For a role this sensitive, that rawness was valuable. Darbo has said he did not have to become a completely different person; he had to explore a part of himself he had never explored before. That honesty is exactly what viewers and reviewers noticed on screen.
Handling a Difficult Subject
The film deals with bullying, isolation and the path toward violence in a school setting. It is not an easy story for any actor, and certainly not for a teenager. Darbo has spoken in interviews about bullying and the importance of kindness, and that conversation is a major reason the film continues to be discussed.
Audience reviews often single out his performance. One viewer called his portrayal of Edwin beautifully done and said he has a promising future, while another noted that the film sometimes repeats its points but that Darbo’s work remains strong. That is the right kind of praise for a performance built on restraint.
The Cast Around Him
Darbo was surrounded by experienced co-stars, including Justin Long, Melanie Lynskey, Tony Hale and Carrie Preston. Working beside established actors can be intimidating for a newcomer, yet the film’s power depends on how natural the two boys feel together. The film premiered at the 2017 LA Film Festival and reached wider audiences in 2018.
Growing Up Between Cultures
Living in Paris, Beijing and then the United States gave Darbo an unusual view of the world. Moving between languages and school systems asks a young person to observe closely and adapt quickly, and those are useful habits for an actor. Coverage of his early career also mentions that football was a passion that tempted him in another direction, and that few classmates knew he acted because he did not like to brag.
That modesty comes through in how he talks about his work. He treats acting as a craft to be practised rather than as a route to attention. It is a healthy approach for someone who started so young, and it helps explain why directors have trusted him with demanding material.
What Came Next
After the film, Darbo appeared in the horror film Itsy Bitsy and then took the lead role of Ulysses in the science fiction film Greatland in 2020. Moving from a quiet drama to genre films shows range and willingness to try different stories.
He is also credited as a producer and has worked as a rapper, which suggests a broader creative ambition than acting alone. Born in 2001, he is still early in his career, and the choices he makes next will say a lot about the kind of artist he wants to be.
Working Without a Safety Net
The part of the story many readers find most revealing is how Darbo prepared for emotionally difficult scenes. Early in his career he learned that real feeling cannot be forced, and that advice from directors to draw on honest memories can unlock a scene. Carrying that lesson into a film about isolation and bullying required patience from everyone on set.
Why His Story Matters
Stories about young actors often focus on fame. Darbo’s story is more interesting because it focuses on craft, curiosity and a willingness to carry a painful subject with care. He shows that a performance can come from listening, from honesty and from trust in a director.
For readers who have seen And Then I Go, an interview with its lead actor adds context and humanity. For readers who have not, it is a good reason to start. Arman Darbo is a young performer to watch, and the questions he answers about growing up on screen are worth reading.
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