John Emmet Tracy – iZombie

By starrymag | July 25, 2019

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

 

 

 

Q) What was your audition like for Enzo on “iZombie?”

A) It was a fun one! It came at the end of a long day of very serious auditions for intensely heavy and dramatic projects. By the time I arrived for the “iZombie” audition, it was so great to let go and have fun with this larger-than-life, stylized character.

 

Q) How was Enzo originally described to you?

A) The casting notice description of Enzo read: “This character, who sports a cape over his uniform, has an obnoxiously affected manner and a phony French accent that you could cut with a knife. A Fillmore-Graves investigator, he barges into the team’s murder investigations much to their irritation.” So, you can see why it was such a fun audition!

 

Q) Did you have any idea that Enzo would become so integral to the dissolution of zombie and human relations at the start of this season?

A) Not at all. Of course, he has never been a big fan of humans; he has made fairly regular insulting comments about humans and supported a separation between humans and zombies. Then again, at the end of Season 4 he was last seen collaborating with the U.S. military to take down Brother Love and his followers – and saving many human lives by stopping a potential zombie apocalypse. So, I suppose there was a dichotomy there that could have potentially tipped him in either direction.

 

Q) This season Enzo has become less of a Fillmore-Graves right-hand man and more of a snake in the garden. Which aspect of his role is more fun for you to play?

A) I’d say it is the variety of ways the writers have utilized and developed Enzo. He has been able to be so many different things to different people at different times. With Liv, Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) and Ravi (Rahul Kohli) he is usually a silly, annoying but generally harmless thorn in their sides, always getting in the way of their work. Then again, he was brutally violent and sadistic with Liv (Rose McIver) at the end of last season. At Fillmore-Graves he has long been a loyal and unquestioning company man following the rules and his superiors. But we now know he was capable of betrayal and plotting treason against his commander. The same range can be seen in his relationships with both Angus and Martin (Bill Wise). So, whether he is being loyal, violent, subservient or condescending the writers have found a way to do so much with him and to keep it all very “Enzo” – attitude, accent and all! [laughs]

 

Q) What’s it like working with Robert Buckley and Rose McIver?

A) This is such a great cast and crew and they are two of the best. Buckley is one of the wittiest and most easygoing people I have ever worked with. On my first or second day on the show (although he and I had no scenes together) he went out of his way to find me on set and welcome me to the show. Great guy! I can’t imagine a person who wouldn’t immediately love Rose. She is genuinely interested in everyone she encounters and has a way of putting focus and energy on those around her – both in her work and in her personal interactions. She’s a great leader in that she’s a hard worker who clearly wants everyone to succeed and have a great time doing so. And she loves to laugh!

 

Q) Is there anyone that you wish you could have had more scenes with while filming “iZombie?”

A) Absolutely. I had only one or two scenes each with David Anders, Aly Michalka, Bryce Hodgson, Tongayi Chirisa and Jessica Harmon. I had a great time working with all of them and would have loved to do so more. Then, there are so many others that I never got to work with. For example, I knew Robert Salvador before I was on “iZombie” and had always hoped to get to work with him. Maybe there will be a spinoff where Detective Cavanaugh and Enzo Lambert are “Odd Couple”-esque roommates!

 

Q) Enzo has been quiet these past couple episodes. Will we be seeing more of him soon?

A) That’s true – he has been working a bit behind the scenes recently. In episode 511, “Killer Queen,” he stepped forward in a very clear way. In the wake of that event, he will have to make some choices about what his next steps will be. So, yes, we will be seeing him as he navigates the aftermath of that.

 

Q) What were some of your favorite moments from filming the show?

A) Many of them are from off camera, working with the crew. It is a cliché to say that the crew is like a family, but in the case of “iZombie” it is absolutely true. Many of them have been together for the full five seasons and have developed such a great working dynamic. As for on camera moments, driving the little yellow Citroën was a lot of fun, as was being frozen and thawed. And although the hair department might not have had a lot of fun keeping the Enzo sideburns curled, I remember sharing a lot of laughs while doing so, so I’ll include that as well!

 

Q) “iZombie” is a fan favorite for live tweeting and feedback on social media. Do you enjoy the social media interactions with fans?

A) Yes, as far as I’ve seen, the fans of the show are really active and supportive online. I’ve definitely enjoyed the social media conversations I’ve been able to have with fans of the show and would love to do more. I’ve been sent some really great fan art and messages on social media as well. I’ve also had some cool in-person time with “iZombie” fans. I was just at Comic-Con and loved meeting fans of the show there.

 

Q) You’ve had an illustrious career working on stage as well as on the big and small screens. Which medium do you prefer?

A) Thank you. It is so hard to choose a favorite because each medium has its own unique qualities. For example, filming moves much quicker for television than it does for the average feature film. On a TV show, we are generally filming more script pages per day so we are working at a different pace. So, on the one hand, I can enjoy the opportunity to do a few more takes in a film, to maybe take a bit more time to discover a character. Then again, I could look at the television model as better since it forces actors to trust their instincts and to be ready to make it come alive instantly. If I had to choose, it would be theatre. It is what I have done since childhood and the foundation of what drew me to acting. Theatre also has a combination of the qualities I mentioned about film and TV; a rehearsal period allows for reflection and time for a character to develop, while the eventual live performance requires sharp instincts and a living, responsive relationship with other actors and the audience.

 

Q) What other projects are you currently working on?

A) I’m grateful to have had the chance to work with some really talented filmmakers recently and have a couple projects coming out. One in particular is an improvised feature film called Open For Submissions, which was directed by Bryan Skinner and will be on the festival circuit next year. I appear briefly in an upcoming film called Little Fish, directed by Chad Hartigan and starring Olivia Cooke and Jack O’Connell. I loved the script – about a young couple trying to maintain their relationship amid a pandemic of a virus that causes memory loss. Also, I’m currently working on a TV project which I can’t announce yet, but will be able to do so very soon. Stay tuned!

 

Q) Is there anything you would like to say to fans and supporters of your work?

A) Thank you a trillion times over. With any project, there is a genuine hope that you will somehow reach people. When anyone tunes in to take part in that process, it is meaningful and truly appreciated by everyone who works on the project.  Thank you!!