Exclusive Interview: Gregory Zarian Talks That’s Amor, How the Film Celebrates Inclusivity, and More

Gregory Zarian is cooking up quite the performance with his Netflix’s debut in That’s Amor.

The must-see romantic comedy follows the life of Sofia. After her job and relationship implode on the same day, Sofia starts from scratch and meets a dashing Spanish chef who might be her missing ingredient. Gregory shines as David, one-half of a hilarious duo that Sofia meets at a couples cooking class that her mother signed her up for.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Gregory again to chat about That’s Amor, how he got involved with the project, how the film celebrates inclusivity, and more.

PC: Tell us about That’s Amor, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Gregory: It’s a delicious love story. It’s a rom-com. It’s my first Netflix film, so I’m excited about that. It stars Riley Dandy and Isaac Rossi. They’re phenomenal. It’s about a young lady whose life turns upside down on her 30th birthday. She is looking to do something different. Through heartbreak and betrayal, her world collapses and she spends more time with her mom. Her mom checks her into a cooking class where love awaits.

I play a character named David. I am married to a character named Todd, played by one of my dearest friends, Paul Witten. We are part of this really fun ensemble at the El Corazon cooking class.

I got to work with some really fun people to tell this delicious love story. Especially with where we are in the world, we all need some hope and laughs. Who doesn’t need some love?

PC: Paul actually recommended you for this role. How does that collaboration process differ when you’re working with someone who’s not only a fellow colleague but also a friend who you have history with?
Gregory: Paul has been a great friend of mine for years. I’m not grateful for COVID, but it did bring some beautiful gifts. No one was going out. Places and gatherings were shut down because we didn’t know what we were dealing with. Paul would come here and sit in my backyard. Being one of my dearest friends, it made me look at our friendship differently. Our connection became a lot deeper. It became a lot more intimate. It wasn’t that it wasn’t deep, friendly, and intimate already, but when you’re not living on your phone and you’re not distracted by all that’s going on, you really connect.

We have this policy that you have to put your phone down. We would spend hours connecting, talking, and sharing our deepest secrets. I did that with a handful of people. They know everything. I know everything. Paul got the call to be in this movie from his friend Christina Moore (who’s also in the film). She’s phenomenal. Her husband, John Ducey, wrote the film. They said, “Paul, we want you to play this character. Do you know somebody that could possibly play your husband?” He called me and said, “What do you think?” I said, “Well, one, I’m married. So that’s a betrayal. [laughs] Two, I would love to.” So they brought me in.

A few days before we went to film, I bought us matching bracelets. We both wore wedding rings, of course. I just said, “How do you hold hands?” He’s one of my dearest friends, but I asked, “When you’re in a relationship, Paul, how do you hold hands? Is it like this? Is it interlocking arms?” I’m like, “Are you boxers or briefs? Do you snore?” There were intimacies that I personally wanted to know. I shared mine.

As an actor, you can see what’s real and what’s not. I’ve seen some of our material and I believe it. I do. They brought in this really fun married couple that happens to be gay. It wasn’t just, “Let’s check this box.” It has a husband and wife, a mom and daughter, a boyfriend and a girlfriend, and then a married couple. It was really lovely to be part of all of that and to do that with somebody that I truly love.

PC: This industry has made really slow progress in terms of representation. I think early on when we started to see more diversity, it became a focal point in the character’s identity in the narrative. With projects like That’s Amor and couples like David and Todd, we’re finally at a point where we’re representing the world that we live in without having to call attention to it. What has it meant to you to be a part of a project that’s really pushing inclusivity forward in this next evolution of storytelling?
Gregory: What a beautiful question. It means everything to me. We don’t watch movies and say, “Here we have so-and-so and so-and-so and they happen to be straight.” We live in a world that is a lot more inclusive. We live in a world that I want to believe celebrates people. It means the world to me to have Netflix, ESX Entertainment, and Ali Afshar present these two people that happen to be gay characters. It doesn’t matter. As I say to my nephews, “Love is love. Who you love is who you love. Be kind and say thank you and please.”

Suleka Mathew plays John Ducey’s wife in the film. There’s no big explanation for that. I do not believe in today’s world that we need to explain who we are. It’s fantastic, and I’m grateful that I got to be part of a great love story.

When we spoke last time, we talked about Venice, this great series that I’m in. In every interview that I gratefully did, I said, “It happens to be about two women.” Love is love. Our hearts get touched. It’s about love, generosity, and kindness of spirit. If we could all be more openhearted then I believe that we’re all going to get along more. We’re going to communicate better, and it’s going to be an easier ride.

PC: What is the experience like when you’re working with a director who also has experience in front of the camera? Does that film experience differ in any way?
Gregory: Shaun [Paul Piccinino] is phenomenally talented. He really is. Of course, being an actor, I Googled his work. He allowed us to share. That’s great to have. I’ve had directors that are just directors and they’re phenomenal, but they’re very militant and very like, “I want this. I want this. I want this.” As an actor, you’re like, “You hired me because I can give you this and this and this.” One thing I’ve always asked is to let me do one more take. It lets us take the rigidity out of it. There’s more freedom to be had. I love amazing directors who say, “Give me this,” because they are seeing something I’m not. But Shaun just lets the camera go because he’s an actor and knows what it’s like.

Some of the best moments are at the beginning of a take and at the end of it. When you’re getting set up, there are times when they don’t tell you that they’re rolling. They let the camera go. There’s this sense of “I’m not working right now. I’m just being.” Then you get these beautiful moments. Some of the best material that I’ve ever been part of has been in the quiet of the storm. Even when I feel like we’re going too fast sometimes, we’re trying to find the moment and let it breathe and be in it.

There were moments between Paul and myself where we were actually learning while cutting. I wasn’t an experienced cook. Learning how to chop and cut and do it all right and being part of that story with these people and being directed by Shaun—they’re golden moments. I’m so grateful for all of that.

PC: You’ve also said in the past that every character that you put on becomes a part of who you are. What will you take away from this project and playing David that you’ll apply to future projects?
Gregory: His curiosity. I really am connected with David. My mother was a very generous spirit. My mother said hello to anybody and everybody. My father used to say, “You’re like your mother.” It’s those bits of David that I’ll take.

Daniel Mora plays the chef. Of course, being the chef, he has to be very inclusive of everyone. We really created this lovely connection. He was sharing something with me as a character and human. There was this earnestness between me and him. Every time David said something, he looked at Chef Daniel for approval. There were some really smooth moments where Shaun let us go.

I was like, “How am I doing?” I want to be teachable. I want to learn things. I really made a point to make David inquisitive and curious. I threw Paul into the front line. I’d be like, “You chop. You do this. You get your hands wet and sticky from the paella.”

There’s something very sweet and genuine about him. I believe that we bring some of ourselves to each and every character. I want David and Todd to have a spinoff and be in That’s Amor 2.

PC: What do you hope audiences take away after they see this project? What is your vetting process like deciding what you want to attach yourself to?
Gregory: Don’t give up on hope. Don’t give up on love. What I love about this movie is that these two characters don’t meet on their phone. They’re not meeting on an app. There is a moment in life when they meet.

I’m married. We met at a moment in life. I believe I’m a hopeful romantic. Be open to love. Be curious and get off the apps. The world is opening up again. Take classes. If you meet somebody on an app, say, “Let’s go for a walk. Let’s get to know each other.” People are fearless behind a phone. When you’re face to face, it’s a whole different experience. Be bold when you’re face to face and ask questions.

I don’t really like to say no. My team sometimes gets upset with me. They’re like, “Oh.” But it always plays out well. Listen, I want to be invited to the party for as long as I can go to the party. I will do everything and anything.

I have a horror film coming out next year. It’s a great film. Hopefully, I can come back and we can talk about that. It’s called Margaritas and Murder. I play the bartender, Roger. Roger’s very different from me in a great way. I want to be able to put on my acting chops and play different characters and dive into who I am. Every character for me is a gesture and a physicality. Why not do a lot more and see how much more I can do and play? As I said, I want to go to every party.

To keep up with Gregory, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch That’s Amor on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Brian Kaminski