In 2004, the family moved from New . Zahn lives on a 360-acre horse farm just outside Lexington, Kentucky, where he raises horses, goats, and sheep with his wife, Robyn Peterman, who is . I take that back. I, for one, would love to see you play the commander of a U-Boat. You'll die laughing at STEVE ZAHN's story of NOT being recognized Really Famous with Kara Mayer Robinson 7.19K subscribers Subscribe 69 Share 4.5K views 1 year ago #SteveZahn #ComedyActing Get. Steve Zahn: 'I've never been a slacker. Then my wife wakes up and starts her writing. But That Thing You Do, Saving Silverman, Sahara. Obviously Bad Ape is a very tragic character. 1. I was like, "Oh geez, no, this is crazy." What appealed to you about the role of Mark and what sort of personal touches did you want to infuse in the character? Were actually seeing a body double wearing a prosthetic, but what did you think when you first read it in the script? But really anything of value, anything thats good, you need to fight for. We caught up with Zahn at the New York offices to talk about the craft of acting, the difficulties of Skype auditions, and how he can identify what movie you recognize him from before you even say it. This is a show about some of the luckiest and most privileged people in the world, who are completely incapable of being happy. And I remember asking Mike, "You don't want full frontal, right?" You mentioned to GQ the last time we talked to you that you're now cast as the dad in everything. Do you draw from your own experiences as a parent in these roles? Of course." The funny thing is, Mike actually stopped by here. Are you kidding? It's kind of too late, it's too far down the road, but they do have this connection. Matt didnt do that to you, I hope.No, Matt didnt. Im an outdoorsman. Weve been there for 13 years, outside Lexington, Kentucky. Apply Bed Bath and Beyond coupon and save 25% off your entire purchase, Target Circle: up to 50% Off with Target promo code, With Asos Promo Code you take 70% OFF Select styles, Michael Kors promo code: sign up for KORSVIP + Get 10% off on First Order, 2023 Cond Nast. Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Carleton Edward Zahn, a Lutheran minister, and Zelda Clair Zahn, a bookstore clerk and later a YMCA administrator. I love to hunt and fish. The guy is phenomenal. That made me laugh: "Oh, I've been a monkey in two films. In 2017, Zahn played Bad Ape in War for the Planet of the Apes. I think that was just too shocking for most people, to have a colonial soldier knocking on your door saying, "Did you go vote?" The actor talks pandemic productivity worries, landing a role in HBOs darkly comic miniseries, and that revealing first-episode moment. When I'm not working, I get up early and feed all the animals, then I get most of my stuff done by noon. I said, "You know what, man? When I was a lot younger, I was like, "I don't know if I'm going to wear this." While The Crossing received generally favorable reviews, its mix of heady plot lines and somber tone never quite connected with audiences, andwas canceled after just 11 episodes. Yu Tsai These days, Zahn, who is starring in the new HBO Max film 8-Bit Christmas, is back to working out on the Kentucky farm he calls home and running about 25 miles every. He's like, "No, no, we're going to use a prosthetic." That was fun. In the last five years, I've said it daily. And I'm kind of like Mark in a way. [Co-star] Fred [Hechinger] and I both got our PADI [scuba] license. 17-Down, Three Letters: Party for One artist Carly ___ Jepsen. I pick tomatoes, I go grocery shopping. Theres a script in front of you and youre kind of pretending to pretend. Did you dream about being an actor when you were a kid?No. Its nun versus AI in Damon Lindelofs new series. And now I'm finding, "Oh yeah, no, I'll wear this.". What do you get recognized for the most these days? So everybodys famous because everybody knows everybody?Well, actually, Sam Shepard lives out there. View this farm for sale with 7.6 acres by Liberty in Casey County, Kentucky 42539. He has said, "I'm the guy who gets up at six without an alarm clock. And then I had to approve it. Filming in Hawaii wasnt a bad deal either, and at least the cast seemed to appreciate it more than their fictional counterparts. Is an accomplished singer/guitarist. Any glimmer of hope is beautiful in this show. GQ: In one of your more memorable scenes, you pretend to be a drunk ape seducing Connie Britton. But when youre acting that youre dying, it gets difficult. [5] He also has a lake cabin near Pine City, Minnesota,[19] where he enjoys tubing and fishing with his two children. Is that pretty much all you wear now? By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Filming in Hawaii wasnt a bad deal either, and at least the cast seemed to appreciate it more than their fictional counterparts. Zahn is an avid fly fisherman, and he owns a farm in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Saving Silverman, interesting. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. He went on to deliver equally memorable supporting turns in '90s staples like Crimson Tide, That Thing You Do!, Suburbia, Out of Sight, Safe Men, Stuart Little, and You've Got Mail, not to mention a scene-stealing turn on Friends as Phoebe's ice dancing "husband of convenience" Duncan. And its not even about acting. Instead, he got to hang out at four-star resort with Connie Britton, who plays his wife. And then when it happened, it was like, "Oh right. Any glimmer of hope is beautiful in this show. How does this show compare to your own familys vacations? They told us wed be underwater for 30 seconds. Kentucky Refugee Ministries is hosting its Passport to Flavor event with a special twist: You could win a meal with actor Steve Zahn. [citation needed] Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School, and moved to the suburbs of Minneapolis for high school, where he acted in school plays and became a two-time Minnesota state speech champion. Great.". Just one. You werent really a slacker.I mean, Im the guy who gets up at six without an alarm clock. He was photographed June19 on his farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. It's sad to me to see him try to connect with his son. And I remember asking Mike, "You don't want full frontal, right?" Zahn plays the young man's lovably affable father, bringing a welcome sincerity and quick wit to the to the kid-friendly films. Its somebody else wearing a prosthetic. Whether it registered or not, you've actually heard his voice in handful of popular animated releases over the years. [Laughs] And Im totally opposite that, yknow? Did Cirie go too far by bringing family matters into the game? I did more of a silverback gorilla. If you were late, you were sprinting.. Off we go with Steve Zahn on a four-wheeler throu Graduated from Robbinsdale-Cooper Senior High School, New Hope, Minnesota. [22] In 2007, he was awarded an honorary Ph.D. in Fine Arts from Northern Kentucky University. Oh, it made me laugh. Maybe I was just kind of dumb, but I came into it and really started watching Andy [Serkis] and those guys and, you know, I really take offense when people go, Hes such a great motion-capture actor. I go, No, hes one of the greatest actors Ive ever worked with. Matt Reeves is this incredible director whos totally passionate and connected to this story. The women of, Sam Levinson and the Weeknd Allegedly Turned, Theres No Red Button You Can Push to Stop. If you were late, you were sprinting.. I was that guy. With special guests and the latest news from the NBA, hear personal stories as Rex and Josh rose to the top of their careers from humble beginnings in Lexington, KY. To play what? To play a new ape. I got really excited, of course. But I love the culture. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. Then I realized, you know, if youre the stoner, guess what, youre the stoner for a while. Its just looking at yourself, and you end up calling each other because its too bizarre. That kind of stuff that I think maybe people take for granted. I thought that there would be these hurdles. [18] He and his wife also run a local community theater, in which Zahn occasionally performs. Thats about as absurd as it gets, right? Also known as Steven F Zahn. I assume people started to think you were a big stoner, right? In addition, it has been verified that he made a whopping . But the irony is that I played a chimpanzee in Planet of the Apes. Thats what we do. To have this brilliant script fall into my lap and have it be in Hawaii? Its insane, yknow? Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Id say Saving Silverman or Sahara or That Thing You Do. With a list of nearly 100 film credits including Dallas Buyers Club, Saving Silverman, Diary of A Wimpy Kid and so many more, Steve talks about his beginnings in acting and what You know what's crazy? I live on a farm' The classically trained actor on his new film Cowboys, working with Werner Herzog and being branded a Gen X funny guy Expand Steve. When Zahn and I talk ahead of the shows finale, the beloved character actor (lately I've been seeing the word Zahnaissance floating around) is at the Kentucky farm his family moved to in the early aughts. Even (or especially) if you havent watched any of the movies. I mean, what happens in my business is, we're telling stories about people. "Is this good?" I think of myself as Hamlet, but I'm not. Seriously Zahn and his crew actually own and operate a quiet little farm in a quiet little town just outside Lexington, Kentucky. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Purvis of Woods & Waters with KDL LLC to learn more about this farm. I was going to ask if you were happy with the final product. The way he did it was just great. When I was a lot younger, I was like, "I don't know if I'm going to wear this." This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google It was great. Because youre hunched down the whole time, right?Yeah, and the process of learning how to do this was with Terry Notary, who plays [the ape named] Rocket. I mean, you see it everywhere. "I remember sitting through the second act thinking, I'm as good as that guy standing on the barricade," Zahn recalled. It was green lights all the way. Of course, one of his most frequent collaborators is his old Reality Bites pal Ethan Hawke, who appeared in the title role opposite Zahn's Rosencrantz in the marvelous 2000 version of Hamlet before directing Zahn in Chelsea Walls and his 2018 indie hit Blaze. I think you pull it, Joshua Jackson says to Lizzy Caplan sensually. GQ: In one of your more memorable scenes, you pretend to be a drunk ape seducing Connie Britton. Rick Gomez is my partner. Additionally, he's played romantic sidekick to the likes of Drew Barrymore in Riding In Cars With Boysand to Jennifer Aniston in the underrated rom-com-drama Management. It's not even your kids anymore, it's these people who live in your house. That was actually for a Mardi Gras outfit. Zahn made the most of the moment, managing to stand out in a film that also featured Hawke, Winona Ryder, Janeane Garofalo, and Rene Zellweger. I'm like, "Yeah, it's fine. Youve got to look for opportunities to wear it. Thats a Youve Got Mail.. Zahn has also kept one foot firmly on the stage throughout his professional life, honing his skills in productions big and small, including the occasional appearance in plays produced by the community theater group he operates with his wife in Kentucky. I dont know. Now I'm just all those guys, but they have kids.. I just wanted to kick ass in the next thing I did. I wouldve done anything, really. He literally says the words what is real?" And were like, "Wow, we can't play Hamlet anymore. We just drove around Normandy doing this World War II tour. I worked with New York actors in it. Riding in Cars With Boys is dramatic. We sat down in chairs looking at each other, breathing, and talking about core and talking about strength and talking about presence and how we hold ourselves as humans, but apes dont, but theyre not lazy just breaking it down. Cynicism is dead. [Mimes seeing someone coming toward him.] I remember having to ask Mike, Just total raw, primitive? I don't think I was doing it correctly at first. It's like, "Bam!" Lived In Stanford KY, Fort Lauderdale FL, Biloxi MS, Indianapolis IN. For the past 15 years or so, Zahn has been living the working man's life with his family in rural Kentucky. I remember sitting through the second act thinking, Im good as that guy standing on the barricade. Theres a flavor of what you might do. He just doesn't know how to do that. Don't worry, we've got you and his recent activities covered. What about when you were canvassing as a Revolutionary War soldier? Mark is going through this big existential crisis. Doing this crazy, kind of stylized theater that was rooted in truth and honesty. Our instructor was a little bewildered. I wanted his honesty to come off as a good thing, even though it's really his Achilles heel. It was great. Its like, Hey, remember this? And youre like, Yeah, I havent even seen it! I want to think that there's a glimmer of hope, but man, I don't know. It's true. Are you kidding? pal Liv Tyler. The rest, as they say, is history. And I read somewhere that you made an appearance in some local Kentucky theater a little while back.Yeah, my wife and I started a theater company. Seriously Zahn and his crew actually own and operate a quiet little farm in a. I went to the bathroom at intermission and everyone was peeing and talking about how great the show was, and I remember thinking I dont want to be out here. And that's what I love about the show. Theres a scene where were all drowning in the sub. He was the coach on set. Fox and Nathan Lane in 1999's M. Night Shyamalan-scripted animated/live-action confection Stuart Little. Steve Zahn has established himself as a home name in the movies of comedy-action genre due to his highly consistent and diligent acting prowess. Great.". We've got a script called Hot Fruit that's being auctioned right now and were writing another one right now called She Dances, about a father and daughter going to a national dance competition. But just, you know, your responsibility as a leader on set, your responsibilities. Was that a prosthetic penis you wore? I have a wide variety. He played lead guitar and sang in That Thing You Do! With a list of nearly 100 film credits including Dallas Buyers Club, Saving Silverman, Diary of A Wimpy Kid and so many more, Steve talks about his beginnings in acting and what projects he has coming up next. But I loved to act. And I remember telling them, "Hey, don't get all crazy here. Do something. There are closets in this house they're filled with coats that have never been worn and still have the paper over the buttons. We've got a script called Hot Fruit that's being auctioned right now and were writing another one right now called She Dances, about a father and daughter going to a national dance competition. Usually it's That Thing You Do, which is having its 25th anniversary, which I can't believe. We just talked about [Sergio] Leone movies and Westerns, and then he asked me if Id read for him and I said, Of course, Id love to. I think theres an idea that once youve worked for a while, there are just piles of scripts on your desk, and offers. Just work. My dayliliesare insane. I did 30 percent what I thought a chimpanzee would do. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Have there been any times in your life when youve worked through something similar? Planet of the Apes' Steve Zahn on His Farm and His Craft Steve Zahn. Its like, I just wanna be on set. I never had to restrict games and stuff like that because there was a lot of shit to do. I like Westerns and I like war flicks, and if I get something like that, I get really excited like I'm 12 years old. So HBO, isn't it? And you know, maybe thats partially living on a farm and just wanting to be around funny people. I have kids this age [of Marks], a little older. Total opposite. Steve Zahn was running a few minutes late because he was tending to a horse who had had surgery and needed bandages redressed. Every Christmas was insane, getting J. Peterman stuff. [23], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 21:01, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Motion Capture Performance, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, "Steve Zahn: Filming 'War of the Planet of the Apes' was 'physically the hardest job I ever did', "Steve Zahn talks craft and Kentucky at UK's Singletary Center,", "Why Steve Zahn's 'Bad Ape' in 'War for the Planet of the Apes' made director Matt Reeves cry,", "Interview: Steve Zahn Talks 'War of the Planet of the Apes,'", "Steve Zahn Replaced in 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid,' Couldn't be Happier", "Steve Zahn plays 'Mind Games' in new ABC series", "TV star Steve Zahn may save the world but saving his Minnesota cabin comes first", "The HerKentucky UK and U of L Fan Elite Eight", "Steve Zahn Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Zahn&oldid=1139775579, Denotes works that have not yet been released, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 21:01. 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