originally posted to Instagram Stories on @/dzwarchive.
Here’s why I find Zach Woods so interesting as a person:
It’s not just because he’s talented as an actor, director, writer, improviser, etc—it’s because all of his work is rooted in a deep and unmoving sense of empathy. And then there’s all the stuff outside of work—activism, progressivism, charity. Zach cares about being a good person. Full stop.
During this Tribeca talk, I asked about how he was able to make something as personal as The Accompanist, recognizing so many themes that have echoed in dozens of interviews, TikToks, podcast appearances. He cited needing to “ricochet the truth of your experience off of a fictional wall.”
The other thing that’s fascinating about him and his celebrity is how he manages it while still being approachable. He doesn’t live in a castle, looking down at others; he doesn’t take swims in a vault of money like Scrooge McDuck (or maybe he does! make that coin, Zachary!).
Zach understands that people are people and they deserve to be loved and seen—but he doesn’t demonstrate this understanding in an obvious or showy way. He just operates under this assumption and brings that into every aspect of his work. This takes high emotional intelligence. I believe his time at UCB was fundamental for the development of his EQ because
A) UCB taught him what earns him respect among his peers—being a pleasant person to work with—and,
B) he learned this lesson at a very young age.
While we have seen glimpses of this appreciation for his empathy from the actors and colleagues he’s worked with over the years (some of them mentees), Zach has had a deep impact on his fanbase. He doesn’t have throngs of “little monsters” or whoever flooding red carpet events or social media channels; BUT the people who appreciate and adore Zach to bits carry the same intensity as any fan of a major pop star, K-pop band, whatever.
Because they feel seen.
They feel seen and acknowledged because Zach doesn’t put up a wall (unless he absolutely has to, I assume, but so far I can’t really tell when he has).
And he learned how to hold vulnerability and surface it through humor in improv (besides other factors like, you know, a supportive family and intense self awareness).
And it’s that empathy that allows fans to feel SAFETY. They can be themselves. They can come as they are. That’s what Zach’s characters have in common; for better or worse, they don’t try to change for other people. They are grounded in their own awkward, sometimes selfish, and hilarious truths. Which makes it okay to not be perfect.
What a relief that must be.