Zachary Levi on Becoming a ‘Refreshing’ DC Hero in ‘Shazam’ and a Possible Cameo by Gal Gadot (Exclusive)
Zachary Levi is living his dream.
The 37-year-old actor has become beloved by fans throughout his nearly two decades in Hollywood with roles like Chuck Bartowski on Chuck and Flynn Rider in Tangled, but it’s only recently that he’s reached a point in his career where he feels he’s really made it.
“This business is a really gnarly one, and you put yourself out there and work hard, and a lot of times, that's not enough,” he told ET over the phone on Friday, while promoting the season finale of Tangled: The Series. “You know, you have these moments that kind of are blessings or luck, or whatever you want to call it, that kind of drop into your lap, and all of a sudden, your entire life changes. And I feel like this is that.”
Levi -- fresh off the success of Tangled: The Series, which was renewed for season two nearly a year ago, before the premiere of its first season -- is referring to his latest role as the titular character in DC’s Shazam!, which he’s currently filming in Toronto.
“When this movie comes out in April of 2019, that will be 20 years to the month that I started auditioning in Hollywood, and that's a really crazy thing to reflect on,” he shared. “So, it's all very humbling, and the script is great and the cast is great and I love our director, David F. Sandberg.”
Shazam!, of course, follows Billy Batson, a boy who can transform into an adult superhero by uttering “Shazam,” an acronym of the ancient gods from which he derives his powers in adult form. Levi’s signature enthusiasm made him the perfect choice for the role when his casting was announced in October. Three months later, it’s clear he hasn’t lost it.
“I can't tell you much, as you can probably imagine, but what I can say is I am just out of my mind excited!” Levi expressed. “I get to do my version of Big, basically. It’s like Superman meets Big, and that’s just so fun.”
“I get to be a superhero that’s excited about being a superhero, and I think that’s refreshing,” he continued. “It’s not glum, and like, ‘Oh, I have to save the world again.' So I think it’s all really gravy.”
