**Thank you to Disney for bringing me out and covering most expenses during the entire trip. Opinions are my personal views**
We know his voice as the “one who smolders” AKA Flynn Ryder from Disney’s Tangled, but Zachary Levi has transformed from smoldering prince to a warrior who will fight for Asgard in Thor: The Dark World. It was hard not to stare when he walked into the room, he is very easy on the eyes and looks completely different from Fandral, the role he took over for Thor: The Dark World.
With such a fun personality the interview was full of laughs and while we didn’t succeed in getting him to sing live, we did get to learn a lot about the role, who he may or may not have a crush on, and what it’s like playing such a tough guy! We’ve known him as Chuck, Flynn Ryder, now let’s get to know what he’s like as Fandral
What’s it like to now play such a bada**?
Bada** is what it feels like. To get to be a guy who as definitive a bada** as can be, is just fun. He’s blonde and British. British Asgardean, whatever that is again. I’ve had some people tweet me internationally where the movie’s now already been released and I’ve seen some tweets like, “I didn’t know it was you until the credits. Oh my god, that was the guy who played Chuck.”
To me, that’s the greatest thing I could ever hear. I think any actor hopes that your performance and your look and whatever you do is so kind of transcendent that people don’t know that it’s you, they’re just lost in whatever the character is until the end. Even with Tangled, although it’s a lot easier to not know whose doing something in an animated movie, but a lot of friends didn’t know I did Tangled until it got to the end of the movie. They were like, “Wow, that’s Zac, and Zac did that voice.” To play Fandral is a real treat. It’s very different. I really hope I get to do it again, I hope I get to play more roles like that.
Do you have to do any extra training to get you more in shape for this role?
What’s interesting is that I was on like a really strict workout regimen until I got to London. And then I tried on my wardrobe for the first time and I realized nobody will ever be able to tell whether I’m ripped or not. I am covered, I got a big collar, you don’t see any skin other than my face. I’m even wearing gloves, you don’t even see my finger. So, the whole point of working out….well I don’t really need to do that.
Then once I learned my fight choreography I realized that, was more than capable of doing that in my physical state. So then my training just became drinking beers and eating chips, thank you Elmer Fudd.
I seriously busted out laughing, he is simply hysterical. What was the most challenging aspect of taking on this role?
I think probably just deciding, how to step into the shoes that somebody else has already started. I’m very much about respect and respecting people in my world and in my vocation. Ultimately fate had it that Josh played that role (in the first movie) and I didn’t. I wanted to do right by him, I wanted to do right by Marvel, I wanted to do right by the cast, and do my own take on it. I didn’t want to emulate what he did. But I also wanted to do him right, through that process. He’s an incredibly sweet guy. We got to talk right before I shipped off to London. Actually I saw him at Comicon and he was incredibly kind, he and Jennifer. We all caught up and laughed about it.
Were you a fan of the Marvel comics before this?
Absolutely. I was really big in X-Men, the whole kind of mutant category, like X-Men, X-Factor, and X-Force, New Mutants, all that kind of stuff I really loved. Spider-Man, Iron Man, and to an extent, Captain America. I went through phases. Depending on how old I was, or what I was into at the time.
The-the mutants were always, to me, the most relatable. Because you felt like as a kid, well maybe I have that in me it just hasn’t manifested yet. You know what I mean? Like I can get to a place and eventually I’ll realize, I am super human and this’ll be great.
I think my boys think that exact same way. Last we wanted to know what it was like for Zachary singing live at the Oscars (remember him singing in Tangled), here is what he had to say about that…
The most nerve-racking experience of my life. I’m surprised I didn’t wet myself at any point during that. It was a dream come true, but a dream that I didn’t even realize that I had until it was happening. As a performer, you know, I’ve dreamed about performing on Broadway, and now I’ve finally gotten to do that now, I’m so incredibly blessed to have that opportunity in my life. I’ve been so blessed on every level.
Since I was a little kid, all I wanted to do was entertain people and do film, television, and theater at the highest level. God continues to go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go. I know that doesn’t happen for most people in the world, so I don’t take that lightly.
He said he had to remind himself not to look at Halle Berry, who was on the front row during his performance for fear of getting distracted LOL. The fact that he knows God has blessed him and doesn’t take that for granted really touched me. I could truly see how grateful he was to be where he is at. Getting to know Zachary Levi was such fun and it was refreshing to see all these actors be so humble, Zachary being one of them.
Keep up with all things Thor:
**Thank you to Bare Minerals, Fusion Day Spa & Salon, and Simply Dresses for products/services provided for this event.**
Toni Patton
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He is cute! I wouldn’t mind meeting him 🙂
I just loved meeting him! He was not only super sweet but pretty easy on the eyes too.
He’s so handsome! You’re so lucky you got to see him up close!!
Very handsome! My son just went to see this movie tonight.
What a great interview!
I didn’t even know he was in this movie. I’m excited to see it!
He’s so yummy! You’re so lucky you got to meet him!
It’s so interesting to hear straight from the actors what it’s like to be in a hit film. I cannot wait to see this one!