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Zach Villa has such a diverse range of roles as a rising star in Hollywood, including FX Goalkeeper Y american horror storyCBS’ NCIS: Los Angelesfox border townShowtime’s ShamelessABC station 19and Netflix file 81. In perhaps the most challenging role is the LGBTQ psychological horror thriller. Hypochondriacplaying Will, a Hispanic gay potter who tries to support his life with the support of his loving partner (Devon Graye), but is on the cusp of a breakdown as he tries to keep his past buried. Villa spoke to Bleeding Cool about working with the writer-director addison heimmannGraye, and commentary on the human experience.
Bleeding Cool: What attracted you to ‘Hypochondriac’?
Zack Villa:: I have it the old-fashioned way. Auditions are coming my way, and some of them are amazing projects that you can’t wait to do. Others are more common and current, and that’s how your life as an actor goes. When you have the opportunity to work on something unusual and spectacular, you enjoy the moment. [laughs]. When I read [the script]I was like, “What a gift. This is going to be a really amazing project.”
BC: What was it like poking around in Addison’s brain?
Town: Addison is a unique person: an incredible and inclusive man of America’s mental health experience. I see a lot of myself in it, both in our shared past experiences that are parallel and in our choices, aesthetic, artistic, what we would like to see in the frame and the choices that interest us. He is always an interesting mix of comedy and drama in acting. Immediately there was a camaraderie there that you can’t really teach or create or develop. This was a love at first sight situation, and that’s pretty rare with actors and directors or any workplace. He made my job easy and was an open book that allowed me to trust him to the point where I felt comfortable doing the same. We sway and roll immediately.
BC: Given the dark nature of the film, was there a particular part of the film or sequence that was difficult?
Town: There are some cutscenes, about two-thirds of the way through… I don’t want to spoil it for the viewers who are an Easter egg. I will say that day was emotionally draining, but it was worth it. My partner, Devon Graye, and I choose to maintain this intense and powerful state of mind for most of the day. Dropping it between takes made the job even more taxing, but the end result is that each take increased the energy, getting deeper and darker.
On a lighter note, one of the most challenging scenes in the film is the pottery sequence. I’m not a potter, but I had to be for this film. Every time you see pottery on screen, it’s me. At one point, I did two consecutive 20-minute takes that we didn’t cut where I sat in a room full of 40 people looking at me off-camera and made a pot. [laughs]. They both had to look 98 percent similar because they would be using both pieces interchangeably in different coverage and camera angles. That was a very interesting and fun challenge. Shout out to Bitter Root [Pottery] in Hollywood; I really appreciate you.
BC: What made your and Devon’s chemistry work so well?
town: A good cast is always very important in the film, and that is a testament to Addison and the team. There is a certain element of character inherent in the actor. As actors, we’re pompous transformation machines, and for the most part, that’s true. If you’re working with modern text, you often need someone who tends to mimic or shade elements of his character that are already in his daily life.
Devon had some aspects of his character in his own being and I had some for Will. Between the two of us, we really were a yin and a yang. I’m quite outgoing and adventurous, just like Devon in his way. She is incredibly smart and intellectual. He walks into a room and draws people in instead of pushing them out with his energy. That chemistry was already happening off screen. What more can I say? Devon is an amazing actor. He is so generous and he always said “Yes”. You can’t ask for anything more than that in an acting partner.
Hypochondriacwho also stars Paget BrewsterMarlene Forte, Madeline Zima, Yumarie Morales, Y Chris Doubek, it is currently On cinemas. It is available digitally and on demand on August 4.
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