ActorWebs.com™ Client
Craig ZuccheroActorWebs.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.
Craig's site is Design 8 in black.
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