Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Helstrom’s Zachary S. Williams

Zachary S. Williams has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after young talents. He’s starred in projects like Rays Rookies, I Am Frankie, and I Am Not Okay with This.

He’ll next be seen in Marvel’s Helstrom. The must-see horror series follows Daimon and Ana Helstrom. They’re the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer. The siblings have a complicated dynamic as they track down the terrorizing worst of humanity—each with their attitude and skills.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Zachary about Helstrom.

PC: Last time we spoke, you were starring in I Am Frankie. When you look back at that experience, what do you remember most?
Zachary: I remember thinking that I had the coolest job in the world. Also, I loved Miami. I would go back to live in Miami any day. I love LA, but Miami is home too.

PC: That was a breakout role for you, and you’ve gone to have a ton of success since that. When you look back at the past two years, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Zachary: I would say moving out here. When I worked on I Am Frankie, we filmed in Miami. But I’m from Florida, so it wasn’t much of a journey. But once I moved out to L.A., things started to change.

PC: Tell us about Helstrom, your character, and what drew you to this project?
Zachary: Helstrom centers around Daimon and Ana Helstrom. They’re siblings, and their father is a very, very evil person—or creature, if you will.

My character, Bryce, comes in. He’s a student of Professor Helstrom’s. He basically gets possessed. He goes to hunt down Daimon and his sister. Then he gets exorcised, and he deals with PTSD and some anxiety from having been stuck with whatever he was in.

PC: How did you prepare to tackle your character’s journey throughout the first season?
Zachary: I spent a lot of time trying to prepare these scenes in a way that was dark. I know that’s vague, but the show itself is very dark. I let myself explore and try different things and really let my surroundings have a big influence over what was being said in those moments.

PC: A lot of actors dream about being a part of the Marvel family. Did that bring any pressure to this project? It’s also Marvel’s first foray into the horror genre.
Zachary: I was definitely nervous. It’s funny too because when I auditioned I knew it was Marvel, but I knew nothing else. I was like, “Okay.” Then when I got it I was like, “Wait, really?” I had a meeting and they explained everything. It was super hush, hush. When I found out the scope of everything, I was like, “Wow.” I definitely felt some pressure—a bit of nervousness too—because this was a whole new genre for me as an actor. It was fun.

PC: Marvel is really secretive, and a lot of the times actors only get their sides or their lives. Was that a similar process for you? What did you learn about yourself as an artist working on this project?
Zachary: When I auditioned, they sent me a revised version of what was actually filmed. The biggest difference was that all of the characters’ names were in code. The only similarity between what was in the audition and what was on the show was that the characters’ names started with the same letter. That was pretty cool. It was pretty much along the same lines of what you saw, but that was definitely a tricky one.

PC: This character is unlike any that you have played before. He has a lot of different layers and a unique circumstance that he finds himself in. What did you learn about yourself playing Bryce?
Zachary: Probably that it’s okay to not be okay. After Bryce got exorcised, I allowed myself to be in certain situations that would produce some of the same reactions Bryce has during his experiences. To me, that was an eye-opener because I know people have to deal with and suppress similar things.

PC: There’s this incredible action sequence between your character and the Helstroms. How did you prepare for that scene? Have you had a chance to see that final product?
Zachary: I did see it. Lots of high training fight choreography. When I went up to Vancouver, there were at least two days out of the week that were dedicated to learning that fight sequence and trying different things and seeing what was the most comfortable and most realistic. But it was also my first time doing stunts and fight choreography. It was exciting.

PC: You got to experience a lot of firsts on this project. When you look back, is there a particular scene or moment that stands out to you?
Zachary: Probably the fight scene. That was the biggest thing that I had ever done and also the biggest day of filming on set so far. There was a lot of excitement around it, and it turned out great. It looks awesome.

PC: We’ve seen you post a couple of covers on social media. Will we ever see you venture into that musical side? Could we expect a debut single sometime soon?
Zachary: One day. Soon? Maybe. We’ll see. But one day. One day.

PC: As you look ahead to the next five, ten years in your career, what are some things that you hope to accomplish and do you have a dream role?
Zachary: My dream role would actually be Aaron Burr in Hamilton. But over the next ten years, I would love to direct. I would love to experience Broadway at some point. Music has been a big part of my life for a very long time, so I would love to delve into that one day. Right now, it’s just kind of more personal—something I just kind of do for fun. But one day I’ll venture out.

Make sure to follow Zachary on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Helstrom on Hulu today.