Fourteen-year-old Zac Pullam has always loved being in front of an audience. He began his acting career by performing in school plays, talent shows, and local theatre in his hometown of Tallahassee, Florida.
In 2011, he participated in a fashion show with Marsha Doll Models and learned of an open casting call at the prestigious and world renowned Florida State University Film School. A month later, he was cast in a lead role in his very first short film.
He has appeared in over 20 Florida State University films, landing the lead role in a number of them, three of which have won College Television Emmy Awards: “Cootie Contagion”, “The Hatchling” and “Lemonopolis”.
He can currently be seen on the MTV series, “Finding Carter” which will be premiering its third season on October 6, 2015 at 10pm EST.
Keep reading to see what Zac had to say about his character and the upcoming season!
What is the most fun thing for you about playing Grant?
“I’d have to say just being able to be a different person but still kinda being the same person because Grant and I are very similar. And also hanging out with the cast and filming with them ’cause it’s such a great environment and that’s always fun.”
There is so much chemistry between all of you in the cast and it really seemed like it was there right from the beginning. What do you think has helped to make that chemistry possible?
“Definitely being in Atlanta because if we were in L.A. filming, they all have their own friends out there and on the weekends or whatever they would hang out with their friends. But we’re here and we’re all together and, you know what, they’re also at the hotel together and I’m in an apartment and I come over and visit them a bunch. So with the chemistry, it helps that we’re all in this little section of Atlanta having to stick together. And also, we’re all really good friends and I treat them all like they’re my brothers and sisters, you know, and stuff like that.”
So they’re kinda like your on-screen and off-screen second family?
“Yeah.”
Do you guys hang out off set and everything, too, then, since you guys are there together and don’t really know anyone else?
“Oh yeah, yeah. We hang out all the time. We go to dinner. Actually, last Sunday we went go-carting to celebrate my birthday which was last week.”
Happy late birthday!
“Thank you. Thank you. We hang out all the time. We go to baseball games. We go to the park, Six Flags…We also do dinner and lunch and stuff and sometimes we just hang out at the hotel and stuff like that.”
Are you and Grant at all alike or are you pretty different?
“Me and Grant are very, very alike. We’re both like really sarcastic and funny and we have the same interests like, you know, video gaming, I like video gaming. The biggest difference between us is that I don’t have any siblings and if I did have any siblings, I doubt they would be kidnapped, so… (laughs)”
What are your favorite video games?
“Um…right now, Grand Theft Auto 5 is my favorite ’cause I just got it for my birthday. One of the guys on set gave it to me. Yeah, so that, and I’m also really excited for Star Wars Battlefront to come out.”
Do you have really good one-liners like Grant does?
“Um…occasionally. I like to think I do.”
He really does get some of the best one-liners on the show.
“(laughs) I think he has the only one-liners on the show.”
What do you think of Carter’s nickname for Grant? The whole ‘Armadillo’ thing?
“Oh, um, I don’t know. I mean, it’s in the script and when people call me that, it’s just…whatever. You know what I mean? I mean, it’s cool we have nicknames and stuff. I’m not really like ‘Oh, I love it’ or ‘I hate it’ or anything. It’s just another name for people to call me, ya know?”
What is a typical week like for you when you’re filming?
“I wake up pretty early. I have a call time of 9 or 10 most of the time so I wake up at 8, eat my breakfast, and then we get in the car and we go to set. I learn my lines, go to the hair and makeup trailer, get dressed, and shoot the scenes for probably about 4-5 hours on set. Sometimes maybe longer. Then we come home and I just chill out and do the same thing, just repeat it. And it really depends. Sometimes I’m in every day of the week and sometimes I’m only in like one or two days.”
How long does it take for you guys to film a single episode?
“It takes six days to shoot one episode.”
Do you have a favorite person to interact with in character?
“I don’t know. I mean, they’re all really good actors and I love being in big scenes with all of them. The last person I really liked to interact with in character was Jesse Carere who played Ofe. He was just a genius. He was hilarious in anything he was doing. I mean, he and I were only in a couple scenes but he would make all of us laugh. He was like the funniest one out of us all. But, I just like being in scenes with everyone really. It’s always fun to be with the family. And then to be with the friends and stuff.”
Is there anyone you wish you had more scenes with?
“I really wish I had more scenes with ‘Crash’ – Caleb [Ruminer]. Because me and Caleb, we’re really like, we’re like brothers. When we’re here, I always hang out with him and stuff. Him and Grant don’t really get many scenes together, but, um…in this season, season three, I wanted scenes with the new brother. I wanted a few more scenes with him because I wanted to build up that brother relationship, you know?”
It really seems like you bring a lot of depth and emotion to Grant. How do you do that? Where do you draw it from?
“I don’t know. I just, if the script says to be sad, I’ll be sad. I’m not really a method actor. I would say I can be…sad for a scene and then when it’s over, I snap back again. I just do my best to be whatever it says in the script I need to be.”
How far into season three are you guys with filming at this point?
“I think we’re filming episode 2.16?”
How many episodes are going to be in the season? Will it be the same as the last two, or…?
“Yeah, it’s another twelve episodes, but the ending episode is twenty-four, so…”
Is there anything you can tell us about what’s coming for season three? The last season really ended on a big cliffhanger with a lot of loose ends there…
“Uh, yeah. Grant is really, like, shocked that there’s another kid in the family, and what’s new with that. Grant gets a lot of development this season. First with the video gaming, then he has a lot of teenage experiences and stuff like that so stuff gets interesting with him and with the season. It’s gonna be a lot more fun. Not as much drama, like with the parents. It’s kinda like season one again.”
So will Grant be getting some extra screen-time?
“Oh yeah. A bunch more screen-time. He’s in most of the episodes and stuff like that. He’s in a lot of scenes and a certain someone from the past two seasons comes back.”