Emmy-nominated actor Gregory Zarian (“Venice: The Series”) chatted about starring in the new film “Martinez, Margaritas and Murder!”
It was directed by James Helsing, and it will be available on Digital and On Demand October 15th.
Aside from Zarian, the ensemble cast features René Mena, Nicholle Tom, Danny J. Gomez, Nicky Endres, Luis Jose Lopez, Bonnie Aarons, Time Winters, Dyana Ortelli, Eric Stanton Betts, Al Coronel, and Shamin Shukkoor.
Experience doing ‘Martinez, Margaritas and Murder!’
On his experience doing this movie, Zarian said, “My experience was fantastic! The movie is a murder horror mystery. It was a great deal of fun.”
“As a cast, it was extremely inclusive of all communities,” he noted. “From LGBTQIA+ to multi-ethnic and also having a disabled actor, we all became a family. The shoot days were long but we all bonded to tell this story.”
Working with director James Helsing
“Our director, James Helsing, is a classic horror film murder mystery buff,” Zarian admitted. “Most fans of these genres will see his commitment to detail in these fantastic shots as an homage to the classics.”
“It was fascinating to watch and also be directed in the vein of the following masterpieces: ‘Psycho,’ ‘The Birds,’ ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ to name a few,” Zarian added.
Playing Roger in the movie
Zarian opened up about playing his character, Roger. “I loved playing him,” Zarian exclaimed. “Since the film is a ‘whodunit,’ it was super fun being the ‘normal guy,’ you know. There is nothing flashy or over the top about him.”
“Also, since we all are suspects, it was a test to not let anything out or give anything away as a character,” he added.
Working with Danny J. Gomez
“One part of filming that stood out to me was working opposite disabled actor, Danny J. Gomez, who plays Steve,” Zarian said. “Danny was in a horrible accident short of 10 years ago and is paralyzed from the waist down.”
“We spent hours together shooting one of my favorite scenes,” he revealed. “Danny was an open book about and educated me about what it is like to live and work as a person with a disability.”
“I asked questions and did a deep dive into what was safe for him, as our characters are the closest of friends in the film. Danny is such a pro,” Zarian exclaimed.
“Hats off to him and his courage and to anyone that has a disability. I am so glad we are seeing more representation of people with disabilities in film and TV,” he acknowledged.
The movie “Martinez, Margaritas and Murder!” is available for pre-order on Apple TV by clicking here.
To learn more about Emmy nominee Gregory Zarian, follow him on Instagram.
