Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Morris.
Hi Zach, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It all started with one particular Prince Charming…me; I was Cinderella’s Prince Charming in our school musical when I was in the 5th Grade. Ever since then, I’ve had a passion for performing. Throughout Middle and High School, I loved Theatre and Choir classes, performed in numerous plays and musicals (including a full-scale production of Les Miserables my freshman year), and even moved from Jacksonville, FL to San Antonio, TX; then a few years later, leaving Texas to come back to Florida! Eventually, I rose through the ranks of the Florida-High-School-Social-Hierarchy and by Senior year, was: Treasurer of my school’s Thespian Troupe (a competitive and more fancy version of a drama club), had three student films under my belt (a franchise based off of a film I did my sophomore year), was a Senior Anchor and Content Producer for our school’s News Show, and was a vocal member of my school’s LGBTQ+ Club. Even with all that brewing and a part-time job on the side, college was around the corner and I had yet to figure out what the heck I was gonna do with the rest of my life! I.
After several months of auditioning for school, after school, after school, after…you get the picture, I finally received a large package from the New York Film Academy in the Spring of 2018 and I couldn’t believe what I was reading: “Congratulations Mr. Morris…”, I had gotten into one of my dream schools! AND I was going to be moving to L.A., the entertainment capitol of the world! In September of 2018, I packed up my life into three suitcases and with my parent’s help, flew from Jacksonville to Los Angeles. As we were landing, I distinctly remember playing “Wallflowers” by The Chain Gang of 1974 because it made me ‘feel’ like L.A. About a week and a half later, on the first day of school, I met 13 of the most wonderful and spectacular people. While we were all so different, hailing from South Africa to Hong Kong to even right here in the U-S-of-A, we instantly connected with each other and even collectively sobbed during our third day in class. We dubbed ourselves “1A” (mainly due to our school sectioning us off into different cohorts and that was our on-paper title) and very quickly, we became a tight-knit family.
Over the past two years, I’ve made so many crazy, awesome projects, met tons of interesting and loving people, and have begun to develop a serious career. One of my biggest accomplishments was meeting my acting coach, Kate Melton. One day on the set of a show, I was working as a background actor, I made a friend and throughout the course of the day, we kept each other entertained and hyped up. She eventually connected me her coach and the rest, they say, is history! Despite the transition from In-person classes to Zoom being difficult and having to overcome numerous obstacles and challenges as a film school now online, I didn’t let it deter me. The fire and passion for my education and career burn hotter than ever! Kate and I have worked extensively on auditioning for films, television shows, commercials, and also preparing me to take the next step: getting representation. In January of this year, I officially signed with MVP Sports and Entertainment Management, and now one thing is for certain: this…is only the beginning. “It isn’t what I do, but how I do it. It isn’t what I say, but how I say it, and how I look when I do it and say it.” – Mae West
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The life of an artist is never easy… “Oh…you’re going to L.A. to be an actor, but how will you make money?” “That’s not real work…” “What’s your backup plan when that doesn’t work out?” These and many more are empty threats to those who are serious about what they do. And of course, the novel Coronavirus has made this industry completely reshape itself; literally and logistically. We all have good days, bad days, and even really horrible, curl-up-in-a-ball-under-your-blankets-and-cry-while-ordering-hot-wings-bad days. But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that if you really want something, nothing will stop you from fighting for it. Another big obstacle a lot of people, even outside of my industry, face is their own self, or their “Inner-Critic” as my Movement Teacher, Tyler, would say. We love to praise others yet simultaneously compare ourselves to them. How can we succeed in pursuing our dreams if we’re constantly worrying about what others will think or say instead of taking risks and making art the way we want? Especially as a Gay person, I’ve faced criticism for my aesthetic, my art, or even for simply stating what it is I want to do when I grow up. Sure the industry is getting better, but I truly think my generation of in-betweeners are going to make some big changes as to the way things are done.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to make the world a better place. I loved art, music, and movies as a kid and always said I would one day make something like them, but better. As I grew up, I experimented with music and art but fell in love with acting. There’s something magical about performing that takes over me and it’s the most exhilarating feeling in the world. Now that I’m at a point in my career where I can start really shaping my image and persona, I want to make cool art. I know it’s not a super fancy or complicated answer, but I really just want to make movies and art that inspires people to be better, that makes a kid believe in themselves, and that says something about us as humans. One thing that sets me apart from my peers is my dedication to my craft and creating a well-rounded performance. There have been times where I’m up all night rehearsing lines, studying for hours for an exam, or even running from audition to audition. My ambition has gotten me this far, but it’s gonna take a lot more than a pretty smile to get me farther, and I am ready to fight for it.
One of my biggest accomplishments was being cast in Universal Hollywood’s 2019 Halloween Horror Nights. I loved going to the event when I was in High School and it was always a dream to play a scary monster. While it was surely not walk in the park, I met awesome people, scared the crap out of Ariana Grande (twice), and was awarded Rookie of the Year for all my hard work. Another big accomplishment was being casted in my first lead role for a stage play. Right before everything shut down, I was in a production of Mart Crowley’s “Boys in the Band”. I played Micheal and it was riveting to play such a nuanced character and to dive into the history of Gay New York in the 60’s. My latest accomplishment, and most definitely the biggest step so far, was being signed to MVP Sports & Entertainment Management. After almost a year of small gigs and hustling to make a name for myself, my coach Kate introduced me to MVP and within a few days, we had setup a meeting to discuss possible representation. After a lengthy first call, Don and I clicked and that week, I officially became a “managed” actor. The little middle – school theatre nerd in me was screaming and overjoyed! The next step, of course, would be to land a consistent gig on a show or be casted in a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster (or something along those lines).
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way to connect with me is via Instagram: @thezachmorrisla. There, I post pictures and videos of my work, auditions I’ve done, industry tips, and the occasional funny video of me flopping a self-tape. There is also a link to my professional email, so shoot me a line if you’d like to collaborate on a photoshoot or have any project-related inquiries. Any serious talent inquiries should go through my Management, MVP Sports & Entertainment ([email protected]).
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thezachmorrisla/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl28E7Flv_cNFGEBjE4svEg
Image Credits:
– Disciple (2020) – Sebastian LeCause & Roxanne Morrison – Igra (2019) – Dayana Yakhyarova – Igra (2019) Promo – Yuki Fu – Yellow Background Editorials – Not Your Boyfriend Productions, Ali Fox & Remo Rivero – Group Photo, March 2019 – (from left to right) Jay Light, Fenton Chavez, Michael Murdasanu, (above) Marina Silva, (white shirt) Natasha Lewis, Melissa Sullivan (NYFA Instructor) ^^top row – Iunia Dinu, Sihle Vilakazi, Darcy O’Toole, & Chloe Breen ^^bottom row – Alex Giarratano, Christopher Schmidt, Will Collins, Zach Morris – Nease High School, Class of 2018 Graduation (May) – My Dad, Hank, my mom, Tina, & my younger brother, Karsen.
