POP INTERVIEW: “Confessions of a Marriage Counselor” Actor Zach Sale

Zach Sale refers to himself as “an up and coming actor,” but his IMDB resume is incredible for someone who didn’t begin acting tryouts until several years ago. His dreams of becoming a lawyer n the past and hopes for more lead roles in the future, you can catch his first big supporting role in Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, opening March 29.

Working on a Tyler Perry film is a huge deal. I firmly believe one day people will look back on our era with greater appreciation for what he has done for African-Americans to truly rival everyone else by not only having what mainstream moviegoers (wrongly) call “black movies,” but amazing movies with tremendous success. How did you feel working on “Confessions of a Marriage Counselor?”
I was just excited to work with Tyler Perry himself! Having started my acting roots in Atlanta and it being such an important place in my life, what Tyler Perry has done and brought to the actors, producers, and really just anyone in the business has been profound to the local community; there’s no misrepresenting Tyler Perry when you say he’s done a lot for the local entertainment industry in and around Atlanta. Meeting him for the first time was exciting and intimidating at the same time. I wanted to slap him a high-five and tell him how honored I was to get to work with him. I think T.P. has definitely made a mark for himself in history with his take on “black movies” and their great success, but also just making the niche he has in Hollywood. He really is a point of inspiration for everyone, especially an actor tackling this industry with no connections to start with, but rather building relationships throughout his career based off his talent and perseverance. I can relate to that.

What did you learn while working with him? What did you learn from other actors? And I hate to ask, but was it unbearable having all the paparazzi around the set when they covered Kim Kardashian?
Efficiency…I learned efficiency from T.P. He sets up shots, and he talks with his actors and crew with clear communication. Everyone knows what he wants when he says action. He doesn’t settle either, he’ll go for a shot until he sees it the way he saw it played out in his head. He really is something else to watch work. I truly look forward to my next chance to be directed by him. My co-stars were all completely fabulous. It’s so relieving and rewarding to walk onto the set of a project you have passion for and work with such talented actors who bring the best out of you. The paparazzi do love Kim, as far as myself, I’m an actor and I’m use to cameras so I really didn’t notice while I was on set.

As a recent Atlantan, how does/did the “Southern gentleman” aspect influence you and come out in your acting?
The “Southern Gentlemen” aspect of me can probably be seen in most everything I do as I was born and raised in the South. That was one of the big things after I moved to L.A. I remember people saying to me when I first got out here that it takes 6 months to lose the “hospitality thing.” Well it’s been a lot longer than that and it’s still hanging on to me. Haha. If a character in the script calls for it even better!

How does doing television compare to film for you? You just did “The Vampire Diaries.”
The cast and crew. When I worked on “The Vampire Diaries” and “Burn Notice” the cast and crew were just so tight, like an extended family. Everybody had been together for so many years that they just knew where everything went and where everyone needed to be. I have actually made some great friends whom I talk with frequently from both of those sets. The film sets that I have worked on have been great though. The cast and especially the crew have been awesome. I remember on the set of “Fast 5” there were a lot of practical jokes getting played.

You have since moved out to Los Angeles to further pursue your acting career. What kind of work, if you could choose which roles you land, do you want? Do you see yourself as a strong drama actor, a romantic lead or an action star?
Drama is definitely something I love and see a lot of action in. I love provoking emotion from a crowd. I want them to leave the theater with my performance still on their mind. I started exploring writing and have begun writing a feature with my wife and friend, Keith Hodder. We worked together on the award winning short, “The Tortured,” and have been friends since. My wife, Jax, and I do a lot of sketch writing and ideas slinging with comedy pieces. I recently just attended The Groundlings School and have been flexing my passion for Improv; absolutely love it!

You credited your wife for your successes so far in a recent interview. What about her makes you feel like you can take on the world and succeed at work?
Jax asked me once, if I could do my dream job what would it be? Three years later I’m talking to Brian Balthazar’s “Pop Goes the Week” about my part in a Tyler Perry film. There’s nothing I can’t do without my wife by my side. Everybody should have a “Jax” of their own. She’s my own personal MUSE…not to mention my soul mate. She’s the most accomplished person I’ve ever met. I love you Mrs. Sale.

What are your plans for the future?
Can you plan for the future? I’ll continue training and pursuing what I love…