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The rising senior at Miramonte High School starred in "Didi," the summer comedy-drama highlighting a coming-of-age Asian American story. The movie was critically acclaimed, winning several awards at the Sundance Film Festival.
Dial's acting career began early at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, playing musical roles like Charlie Bucket from "Willy Wonka" and "Peter Pan." "I've always loved the excitement and nervousness that comes with performance," Dial said.
Dial's talent continued to flourish into his junior year of high school, when prime opportunity struck with Didi's casting call. "My preschool teacher from Fremont posted this casting call on Facebook. My mom happened to see her post and asked if I wanted to go for it," Dial said. "I replied, `Of course!'"
After multiple auditions, Dial's performance led him to obtain the role in his first-ever movie. In "Didi," he plays Fahad Mahmood, who is the protagonist, Chris Wang's, best friend.
"Fahad is this funny guy that's a little crazy, but a good storyteller," Dial said. "He's fun to be around and has a great time with his friends."
Indeed, Fahad and Chris have the time of their lives being typical teenagers. Their mischief is exemplified by the opening scene, in which they blow up a mailbox and upload a video of their prank to YouTube.
"Didi" was directed by Oscar-winning director Sean Wang, who was raised in Fremont. The film centers around an adolescent Chris, who grapples with his relationship to his immigrant mother while trying to fit in with Fahad and the teenage social scene.
The filming process required immense teamwork. "There were countless people involved in every job, with each being just as important as the next," Dial said.
To this team effort, Dial brought his best acting foot forward. His greatest knack stems from his improvisation. "I've been told that my improv skills and ability to stay in the moment during a scene are my strengths," Dial said.
Starring in his first film taught Dial the value of independence and self-initiative. "I've learned how to trust myself more," Dial said. "The first time I was on set, I was pretty nervous. But now, I know that if I studied the lines and scene, I'd do just fine."
Of course, any good film needs a cast with rapport. "The best part about filming was meeting new people," Dial said. "I made close friends, like Izaac Wang, who plays Chris; and Aaron Chang, who plays another friend, Jimmy," Dial said.
Like puzzle pieces, Dial and his new castmates fell into place with one another, completing "Didi's" chemistry-laden cast. "Since Raul and I interact as best friends, our interactions required lots of improv," Aaron Chang said. "But everything came naturally because we were friends in real life too."
In acting, Dial's castmates had much to say about his skill. "Raul is such a grounded and funny actor," costar Alaysia Simmons said. "He's a natural and gives other actors things to work off of."
The castmates made lasting memories, whether or not the footage made the final cut. "My favorite memory with Raul was when we planned to push him and some other cast members into the pool," Simmons said.
In January, "Didi" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. It won both the Audience Award and Best Ensemble Award.
"I was nervous seeing myself on-screen for the first time at Sundance, but I was excited as well since we'd all worked so hard," Dial said. "We were ecstatic when it won two awards."
Dial cherishes the "Didi" experience and hopes to further hone his acting prowess. "It's been surreal looking back on how far "Didi" has come, and I'm grateful to have played Fahad," Dial said. "[Looking forward,] I want to work towards learning the Meisner technique, which helps you react naturally to anything happening during a scene."
Sundance propelled "Didi" to the national movie scene, and the film was released in mainstream theaters on July 26. It has garnered widespread praise for its heartfelt portrayal of the adolescent spirit: confused and reckless, yet adventurous and daring.
"I think people will love how relatable the film is," Dial said. "No matter how old you are, everyone has been a teenager."
"Didi" was released in the Orinda Theatre on Aug. 9, after which Dial did an in-person Q&A. With the film's release, locals can look out for his rise to stardom.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA