Zach Paul Brown, B.F.A. Theatre Performance 2014
zachpaulbrown1@gmail.com
When a rink opened outside his house in Dale City, Zach became a competitive figure skater from age 7 to 14. He decided not to go pro, “I needed something else and my grandma suggested I audition for the local community theatre.” After a few shows, he ended up at Woodbridge High School for the Performing Arts.
While at VCU, he took Acting for the Camera and The Business of Theatre class from Wesley Broulik, Visiting Professor. “He gave us a breakdown of what it’s like to live in a major hub and go through budgets, casting sites, etc. When I got to LA, I had a nice booklet of information and started auditioning for indie projects.”
Two days after graduating VCU, he went to the LA and New York showcases and got an offer for a rep in LA. In September 2014, he made the move to the West Coast, along with fellow alum Maddy Bryan (BFA 2014) and Maggie Monk (BFA 2014).
Zach makes his living as a bartender and “acting is extra money every year.” He’s been in a number of films, including Something’s More Than One Thing (starring Richmonder Emily Skinner), Zach Snyder’s Rebel Moon – Part Two and Under The Influencer (2023) which is now streaming.
He worked on The Rehearsal, the Max series created by Nathan Fielder, “to watch that experiment was so cool and reminded me of the documentary and experimental theatre classes I took at VCU.” Recently, Zach just finished filming for a horror rom com called It’s Presence Between Us.
When Covid slowed business down, he found a new way “to sustain myself creatively.” Zach has written a web series, as well as shorts and features. He’s optioned a feature and has produced a series of shorts with his friends.
He reflects on his time at VCU, “I would have these moments, when would I think, ‘Will I ever use this?’ And I’m finding that throughout these ten years, I go back into my toolbox and use a technique or trick from VCU. I liked the toolbox that VCU provided me.”