ActorLink Issue No. 11 - March 2005
In The Spotlight - ActorWebs.com™ client Craig Zucchero

ActorWebs.com:  What's your latest project?

Craig:  I had a co-starring part in the feature independent film Pisser, playing the part of 'Luigi Testarossa'. It's an offbeat comedy and I played a mob enforcer who has aspirations of getting into the film business. It's a very funny film that is now in post-production. My part is a sort of over-the-top caricature, which was a lot of fun to play. The film was co-directed by Jason Campbell and Matt Cherkoff. It has some excellent actors in it such as Peter Linari, who has had nice roles in a couple of Woody Allen films, Greg D'Agostino, Richard Guerriero, and the very talented actress Laura Lee Lampasona. I recently had a nice part on Law and Order: S.V.U. playing the part of 'Tony' in a scene with the show's stars Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay, who were both very kind, supportive, and a pleasure to work with, as well as enormously talented actors.

AW:  Any new projects in the works?

CZ:  Right now I'm looking over some screenplays and figuring which ones would be good for my career. I'm also working on a screenplay of my own, that I plan on having a reading of in the near future. I'm also planning a trip to Los Angeles for the first time as I hear there is a lot of work out there and the scenery is beautiful. I absolutely love New York, but with agency representation out there, there is bound to be more work. I eventually would love to live on both coasts as I hear great things about L.A.

AW:  How has your website helped your career?

CZ:  I've just recently started doing mailings to publicize my website so it might take some time, but friends and other actors that I've had look at the site thought it was fantastic, and a tool that will absolutely lead to some nice work. Already a well-known agent has looked at my website and wants me to come in for an office meeting and bring about 25 photos and resumes, so this looks good.

AW:  Where are you originally from?

CZ:  I was born in Brooklyn, where I lived for about two years, and then my family moved to Wantagh, N.Y., which is on the south shore of Long Island near Jones Beach. And although I enjoy Long Island, I've always thought of myself as a New York City kind of guy as I've spent so much time hanging out with friends in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.

AW:  Why did you decide to become an actor?

CZ:   It was something I always wanted to do in the back of my mind and I took some classes in college, but it wasn't until my early thirties that I finally started studying at H.B. Studios in Manhattan, and had some very interesting teachers and fellow students from all different backgrounds, and ethnicities. I got to do scenes and monologues from excellent plays and films, and knew right then that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, if possible. I was also very influenced by the early Martin Scorcese and Francis Ford Coppola films, as well as the incredible acting of Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall, Mickey Rourke, and Eric Roberts, as well as many others.

AW:  What do you most love about acting?

CZ:  Everything!!! I love the chance to jump into a character, and use myself in the part, as well as trying to think as the character would think. I just love the camera on me, ad-libbing when appropriate, and trying to make the dialogue come to life in heightened reality. In theater I love the response from the audience, especially when doing comedy. I love comedic parts as well as playing interesting, charismatic villains.

AW:  What's your favorite role that you've played?

CZ:  Very hard to say. I loved playing 'Big Jule' Off-Broadway as this was a part I could really sink my teeth into. Of course playing 'Tony' in Law and Order: S.V.U. was wonderful as the director wants it subtle and very natural and real, which is just as fun as over the top parts. I loved having the recurring part of 'Rocco' on the soap opera Another World, and playing the part of 'Tall Max Rosenberg' in the indie feature Big Apple.

A lot of my favorite parts you can see on my reel which is on my website. I've pretty much enjoyed all the parts I've played though.

AW:  What is the role that you haven't yet played, but would love to play?

CZ:  It would be fun to play a nerdy, goofy, silly type of character as because of my size (6-5, 215 pounds) and my look I tend to get cast as the tough guy or psycho or very ominous which is very very fun to play but I'm interested sometimes going against type as I can do these parts very well also. I would also love to play a priest, a doctor, a lawyer, a slick hair stylist, a hot-shot yacht salesman, a preacher, and a very self-absorbed character similar to the part the great Jerry Lewis played in the original The Nutty Professor. It would also be fun to play the geeky character Jerry Lewis played in that same movie.

AW:  Are you currently working with an agent?

CZ:  I've just recently met an agent through my website, and will be meeting with her shortly.

AW:  How do you get most of you auditions?

CZ:  Sometimes through the trade papers, sometimes through friends recommendations, sometimes through managers, and so on.

AW:  I hear that you're also a talented pianist and drummer. What kind of music do you play?

CZ:  I play jazz, rock, blues, classical, funk, and popular. On piano I'm able to create my own classical compositions just by sitting down and improvising. I also read all kinds of music and can play virtually anything. On drums I love big-band type of music as well as rock, jazz-club type of jazz, pop and funk. I was very influenced by the drumming of the one and only Buddy Rich, as well as Carl Palmer, the percussion section of Santana, The Allman Brothers Band, and others. On piano I was very influenced by the greatness of Peter Nero, Oscar Peterson, and others. I also love playing the conga drums, bongos, and electric keyboards.

AW:  What do you enjoy most – acting or playing music?

CZ:  I love both, but ultimately I would have to give the nod to acting.

AW:  What's your favorite movie of all time?

CZ:  Very, very tough question. Films I find myself watching repeatedly are A Bronx Tale, The Godfather films, Mean Streets, The Pope Of Greenwich Village, Diner, Liberty Heights, Get Shorty, The Nutty Professor (with Jerry Lewis), The Crew, There's Something About Mary, La Dolce Vita, Contempt (Le Mepris), Mediterraneo, After Hours, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Broadway Danny Rose, Wild At Heart, Moonstruck, Buffalo '66, etc. . . .

AW:  Favorite Actress/Actor?

CZ:  As for the ladies in film and television - Michelle Phieffer, Meryl Streep, Kim Basinger, Uma Thurman, Ally Sheedy, Demi Moore, Brooke Shields, Daryl Hannah, Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Laura Lee Lampasona, Amy Russ, etc.  As for the fellas - Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando, Michael Madsen, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts, Chazz Palmintieri, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, John Travolta, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Dustin Hoffman, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Judd Nelson, Denzel Washington, Ving Rames, Harvey Keitel, Dennis Farina, Jerry Lewis, Nicolas Cage, Sidney Poitier, Sal Mineo, Ben Gazzara, Keven Spacey, John Cassavetes, Victor Argo, Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon, Alec Baldwin, Ron Silver, Clint Eastwood, Craig Zucchero (me), etc.

AW:  Do you have any advice for people wanting a career in show business?

CZ:  If you really believe in yourself, and feel the love and the need to act, then just do it if you have a way to support yourself while going for it. You need a lot of confidence, tenacity, the ability to take rejection and realize it has nothing to do with you or your talent, and you need to know how to network, as this is a business like any other business and so often it is who you know as opposed to what you know. It is a very very tough business as a lot of people who make it just happen to be related to the right person or are good friends with producers, directors, casting agents... If you don't have that, you just must work on your craft, try to meet the right people, be polite, respectful and courteous, without being a brown-noser and let people see your talent and charisma. Always be polite if possible as you'll be working some long hours on some sets and people want to work with people they like and are comfortable with. It helps to have natural talent, but you should be practicing monologues on your own, reading acting books by teachers, coaches, actors, directors and casting directors. You should also read and watch interviews with actors and directors you admire as you can learn a lot from them. And it helps to do plays and films, even if they are student films and low budget indie films as you can learn a lot and practice your craft in these projects. It helps to sometimes take a good acting class as long as you get along with the teacher and the other students and are comfortable around them. This is also a great way to practice new things in front of an audience that is not going anywhere while the class is in session. And read books and interviews about a wide variety of subjects, as this is fun and can only help in your acting. And take time to enjoy life and enjoy the road uphill. Smell the roses. This is important. Thank You, and God Bless.

AW:   Is there anything you would like to add?

CZ:  Just one more thing. Make sure to have the proper tools, such as excellent photos that actually look like you on a good day, a good resume, postcards with your photos on them, etc.  Also a really good website, like the incredible one that Amy at ActorWebs put together can do wonders as you can send a promotional post card or e-mail to anyone in the country or world, and just ask someone to look up your website, and they can see your acting reel if you have one, your photos, your biography, your contact info, and upcoming appearances. Thank you so much Amy for providing me with such a professional site that I will now begin to market myself with to the fullest. You're the best. And I wish all the best to all the aspiring actors out there. It's a profession that you should be very proud of, and even if you have no desire to make it on a large level, it's still such a great outlet and art form that you could possibly do it forever. Thank you very much.