Zach Appelman – Sleepy Hollow

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) The last couple of years I have been bouncing back and forth between TV stuff and live theater. After I did my “Sleepy Hollow” guest star in Season 2 I went out to play Hamlet at the Hartford Stage in Connecticut. Then, I bounced back to the genre world where I did a few episodes of “Beauty and The Beast” for the CW. After that, I went out to San Diego to do a George Bernard Shaw play called Arms and The Man.

Q) How was Joe Corbin originally described to you?

A) When I first got that script for Season 2…Even though I was a guest star they had really sort of written it as a fleshed out character with a full backstory, which doesn’t always happen when you are playing a guest star role. I think the thing that the writer of the episode, Heather Regnier, and I talked a lot about was he comes back with a lot of anger and resentment towards Abbie (Nicole Beharie) because he feels she is responsible for his dad’s death. Underneath that though there was a strong sort of sibling relationship there and they really love each other. So, it was trying to find the balance between those two things and there is this tough exterior, but there is somebody who really cares about these people.

Q) Talk about the chemistry between Joe & Abbie.

A) It was so funny because I hadn’t even met Nicole until the first day that we shot together, which was that first scene where we met at the bar and she breaks up the bar fight. We’re on set, shake hands, say “nice to meet you” and then we were doing the scene. So, it was just really, really fortunate that we had that chemistry. She is such a fantastic actor and a really generous actor that she immediately made me feel part of the cast and welcomed me in. We felt it that whole time doing that episode during Season 2 that there was that chemistry and that we were really there for each other. A lot of the scenes we had together we had to be really raw and vulnerable, which can be hard to do when it is someone you have never worked with before. We just decided to trust each other, go for it and really try to create something nice.

Q) How did you prepare for your role?

A) Obviously, I caught up on Season 1 of “Sleepy Hollow” before I filmed that episode in Season 2. Since I was playing someone just getting back from the Marines, I did a lot of research on that. I actually watched a lot of interviews with soldiers, which was very helpful because I think Joe had a little bit of PTSD going on (especially when we saw him last year and he was coming back from the war after losing his whole platoon). So, I did a lot of research into that and I think it is really interesting that when you watch a lot of interviews with soldiers that there is a vulnerability that they have that is covered up because of their training. They have been taught to have that tough exterior and to sort of grin and bear it. That was something that I found really useful.

Q) What can you share was one scene where you are eager for fans to watch?

A) The last scene where we sort of reconciled last season and I asked her to write me the recommendation to Quantico – I really liked that with the two of us coming together at the end and showing that sibling relationship that they had. I was hoping that fans would really enjoy it and I think they did.

Q) What has been your most memorable moment from filming “Sleepy Hollow?”

A) I can’t give too much away because they haven’t aired yet. But what has been great is that this season I got to work a lot with Lyndie Greenwood who plays Jenny. She and I really didn’t have any material together last season and these two characters pair up really, really well. They are sort of these tough lone wolf soldiers with hearts of gold (in a way). I think they get each other. They are both outsiders, but really understand each other. We have a lot of really, really cool action scenes as well as the two of them spending time to learn more about Sheriff Corbin who was like a father figure to both of them. It is kind of an emotional journey and a soul searching journey that the two of them have amidst a whole lot of butt kicking and demon fighting.

Q) Who haven’t you worked with that you would like to on the show or who do you wish you had more scenes with?

A) That was definitely Lyndie and we’re getting to do that! Now, I’m actually looking forward to working with Tom [Mison] and Nicole more. As the season goes on, you’ll see more storyline with Lyndie and my storylines with Ichabod and Abbie start to come together and that is starting to happen now in filming. It’s exciting because when the four of us get together it really starts to feel like The Scooby Gang. It’s a really fun group so it is great to see all of them. I’m also looking forward to working with Lance Gross, Shannyn Sossamon and Nikki Reed. I’ve crossed paths with some of them a little bit, but not a lot. Nikki Reed and I bumped into each other in the hallway to do some audio dubbing together. We were in the waiting room and were like, “This is the most we’ve seen each other all season.” [laughs] We are separated by 250 years in the script so we haven’t crossed paths.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy that instant fan feedback you receive during episodes?

A) I think, for me, it is a little bit of a mixed bag. I love, love being able to interact with and engage with the fans. And the fans of this show are so supportive and enthusiastic. That’s been a new experience for me and I really enjoy it. I’m a terrible multi-tasker though. So, trying to live tweet is so hard because if I’m trying to watch the show and tweet it is going to end up in tremendous autocorrect fails, which could be amusing…I like it though and for me it is really exciting to get that support from fans and to see how excited people are for the new season. I think that is a wonderful gift when we are shooting late into the night doing tough scenes with long hours. We’ll get those tweets from fans that say, “We’re so excited! Thank you so much for the work you are doing,” and that is a real boost of encouragement.

Q) What do you think it is about “Sleepy Hollow” that has made it such a fan favorite show?

A) I think it is the fantastic characters that they have, especially Tom, Nicole and Lyndie. Those three just have such incredible chemistry and they are really unique. We haven’t seen those characters in other shows before and they manage to really bring a lot of humor and warmth to it, which I think is important when you are doing a dark show like “Sleepy Hollow.” I think a lot of sort of the most successful genre shows strike that balance between humor and not taking themselves too seriously while still completely going over into that world of fantasy. I think there is a real charm to the show that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Q) Is there anything else you want to make sure fans know about your role?

A) I think what’s nice about this season is we’re going to get to see some other sides to him. The episode I was in last season he was pretty angry most of the time. Now that they have moved forward a bit, I think you are getting to see some more fun sides of him and playful sides to him especially in the dynamics with Jenny. And I think the fans are going to enjoy the exploration into Sheriff Corbin’s history, too.