If at all you are an aspiring actor whose break is yet to come, then Zachary Knighton’s story will give you all the hope you need to keep pushing. For twelve years, the actor trained because he felt he was born to be an actor. However, doors were not opening, yet he never gave up, even when he went in debt and could not afford to live the luxurious life he so admired. His persistence has paid off, and you might know him from “Happy Endings” and “Magnum P.I.,” to mention but a few. The facts below will let you in on what it took for Zachary to be the renowned actor he is today.
1. His favorite show as a kid was “Magnum P.I.”
Some actors have ended up being cast in shows they enjoyed watching as children, and one lucky person is Zachary. Although he is not in the original show, the remake is still quite as good, and he loves being a part of it. He loved Rick in the original series, and getting to be the character in the remake is a dream come true. Watching the series frequently influenced the actor so much that he thought of moving to Hawaii.
2. He is addicted to V-neck t-shirts
Fans of “Happy Endings” may have noticed that Dave cannot do without V-neck t-shirts. While that may seem like the character’s addiction, it is Zachary’s. The actor loves V-neck t-shirts hence pitched the idea to the producers. His reason for his addiction is that he fluctuates from skinny to fat, and the t-shirts offer a smooth transition since even with a few extra pounds, he still looks great in them.
3. He wanted to be a theatrical actor
Zachary was a bright student who managed to get himself the Irene Ryan Award, which offers two national and sixteen regional scholarships every year. Consequently, Zachary got a fellowship to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The experience opened him up a world of theater, and Zachary got his first agent since he was enticed to become a theater actor. Upon graduating from college, he moved to New York, hoping to coin a successful career. Unfortunately, with time he realized that the money he was getting from theatrical acting was barely enough to cater to his needs; thus, he had to supplement the income through bartending. As a result, he thought about venturing into the film industry.
4. One of his best experiences was bartending
Trying to put a roof over your head will have you doing jobs that you most probably never dreamed of, but in the long run, you learn to enjoy them. That happened to Zachary, who had to juggle acting and bartending. Fortunately, it became one of his most memorable experiences since he got to hang out with an old guy that taught him everything about bartending. Currently, Zachary boasts of having the skills to make the perfect Manhattan and martini as he told TimeOut.
5. His first promising job
Most actors hope that they will get their big break with every audition, and Zachary shared this belief. He, therefore, kept auditioning during pilot season keeping his fingers crossed. For three months, Zachary was miserably broke, and his car was a letdown with constant breaking down. He had almost given up when he was cast in the pilot of “Life on a Stick,” which was later picked up, meaning that Zachary had a full-time job as an actor. For the first time like he told Creative Teacup, he had so much money that he could afford living in a beach house whose rent was $2,000 per month.
6. Why he ended up in the real estate industry
When “Life on a Stick” was canceled after the first season, Zachary found himself trying to minimize expenditure. He not only had to move to a cheaper house, but he kept borrowing and then getting a job that would pay him enough to cover the loan. What made matters worse is that he had a daughter whose expensive taste in ice cream kept Zachary on his toes. He consequently moved to Malibu, looking for another income source and wound up in the real estate industry.
7. His supportive girlfriend kept him going
When you are living on the edge, it is only your hope for a better tomorrow that keeps you alive thus, when it is taken away from you, you can easily forget all your achievements. Zachary kept hoping that each audition will turn into a permanent job that will guarantee a regular paycheck. So when he auditioned for a role that seemed to be ideal, and everyone assured him he would get the job, he was heartbroken when at the last minute, it was given to his friend. At that point, Zachary felt he had had enough of acting and would try something else. His girlfriend, however, reminded him he was still a regular in three other major shows, including “LA to Vegas” and “Santa Clarita Diet.” It dawned on him that there was so much he had to be thankful for; hence he stopped being upset about that one failure.
8. He has been married twice
According to Celeb Gossip, Zachary was previously married to Hang with whom they have a daughter Talula; she turned nine years last year. The marriage, however, ended in 2015, and Zachary has since moved on with Betsy, whom he married on August 27, 2018; they have a son, Bear Analu Knighton, born on October 26, 2019. Of all the things that Zachary is proud of, top of the list has to be being a dad as per the Instagram posts. In one post, he shares that Bear Analu was the best birthday gift he has ever received.
9. He is a licensed captain
Zachary has always loved the water, and surfing is his favorite pastime activity. Even when he barely had any audition, Zachary still enjoyed going to the beach. He, therefore, got his dream of living in Hawaii since he bought an apartment by the beach. The actor is enthusiastic about surfing; thus was glad he did not need a double to do the surfing for him in “Magnum P.I.”
10. What encouraged him to pursue acting?
Zachary had no given acting any thought until he went to a high school with a great drama program thus became involved. By the time he graduated, he was set on studying theater at the Virginia Commonwealth University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He was serious about becoming an actor and went ahead to get his Screen Actor Guild card while in college.
Follow Us
