Actor Chris Zylka has a supporting role as a police officer in Piranha 3DD (opening June 1st) as well as the coveted part of Flash Thompson in the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man. In this Q&A, Zylka chatted about making Piranha 3DD and playing bad boys, as well as his thoughts on B-movies, bathing suits, and breasts.
Gary Kramer: You just made Shark Night 3D and now you’re in Piranha 3DD. What is it with you and water-based horror films?
Chris Zylka: I have no idea! It’s aligned with the stars. If it’s about fish, I’m in it….
GK: Are you a fan of “cheap sleazy exploitation” pictures? What is the appeal of playing in a film like Piranha 3DD for an actor?
CZ: No matter what way you look at it, as long as you know the genre, it’s art on some level. The B-horror genre, it’s awesome! It’s not trying to be “art.”
GK: Do you go see these kinds of films?
CZ: Yea, I go and see them. You know you’re going to have a good time. They are good time movies.
GK: How do you think Piranha 3DD compares to Piranha 3D?
CZ: Obviously, they have different scripts and different storylines, but it’s like the first, in that it’s funny, it’s sexy, and it’s also scary.
GK: Do you prefer to play funny, sexy, or scary?
CZ: I like all of the above.
GK: Your character, Kyle, in Piranha 3DD is described as Maddy’s “untrustworthy smooth talking ex-boyfriend.” Can I believe
anything you tell me in this interview?
CZ: [Laughs]. Absolutely. But it’s obvious [in the film] that maybe you shouldn’t trust him.
GK: Do you like playing villains/bad boys? How did you identify with or get into your character?
CZ: I think anyone can identify with a bad guy, or wanting to show that side. They’re fun characters to play, and you have to find a likable quality out of a bad boy or evil character.
GK: What is redeemable about Kyle?
CZ: You have to find out for yourself.
GK: I understand you played football in high school in Chicago. Are you adept at swimming or into water sports?
CZ: I actually had to learn how to swim during the making of Shark Night 3D. I wasn’t around water much [growing up], I had to learn how to swim and act at the same time. It worked out, and now I love to swim.
GK: As a former A&F model, you probably look very good in a bathing suit. What’s your choice of beach or waterpark wear? Board shorts, square cut, speedo, or skinny-dipping?
CZ: I don’t own a bathing suit. Most of the time my suit is usually my Nike gym shorts.
GK: Nike’s going to love that shout-out. You did some very memorable nudity in the film Kaboom. Did you dare to bare here?
CZ: There’s quite a bit of nudity in Piranha 3DD, but none of it’s me. I think as long as it serves a purpose in the story, I have no objections to nudity.
GK: Can we discuss breasts, which are showcased throughout Piranha 3DD? Are you into DDs?
CZ: [Laughs really hard, is probably blushing.] No comment!
GK: You were spared the soon-to-be famous—let’s call it the “piranha vagina dentate” sequence of having your penis bitten by the critter lodges in his girlfriend’s crotch. Did you do any bloody stunts in the film?
CZ: That is one memorable scene! There is a graphic, bloody stunt with me in it. I think [shooting violent scenes] is work—you try to make it look real, and it’s a little uncomfortable, but you go with it. It was mostly being in cold water that was uncomfortable. But that comes with the territory.
GK: Baywatch’s, David Hasselhoff, is in Piranha 3DD. What can you say about being on set with him?
CZ: I didn’t do a scene with the Hoff but he’s a wonderful guy!
GK: You’re going to be seen next as Flash Thompson in The Amazing Spider-Man. Can you tease us with anything from that film?
CZ: No, I can’t. It’s a movie about Spiderman
GK: How do you go from making Piranha 3DD to The Amazing Spider Man?
CZ: You take each job as seriously as you can, and each role like it’s your last role. Hopefully there’s a next.
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