In a recent interview, Zachary Mooren shared details about his collaboration with Mia Goth in the film “Maxxine,” highlighting the intensity and dangerous dynamic between their characters on set.
Zachary described his character, Buster, as a Buster Keaton impersonator, whose preparation involved immersing himself in the iconic actor’s films. The complexity of the character, who may or may not have the best intentions for Maxine, added intriguing layers to his performance.
Comparing his recent projects, “Maxxine” and “Cat Person,” Zachary highlighted the different atmospheres and challenges of each set. “Cat Person” had a lighter, more heartfelt vibe, while “Maxxine” brought a heavy darkness that required intense focus from everyone involved. Zachary shared his expectations for the future, expressing a desire to collaborate with innovative studios and directors like A24 and Ti West.
Zachary, how was the experience of working with Mia Goth on the film “Maxxine”? Can you tell us a bit about the dynamic between you on set?
Working with Mia was just as intense as I’d hoped. I’ve been a fan of Mia for a while. She and I have a similar approach. When we first met we tried to keep things light hearted and get to know each other a bit . However, once we started filming, things felt dangerous. As they should have given the dynamic between our characters.
What can you share about the character Buster in “Maxxine” and how was the preparation process for this role?
He’s a Buster Keaton impersonator and may or may not have the best of intentions for Maxine. My prep for the role was a blast – binging as many Buster Keaton films as I could get my hands on. Once Keaton started to make talkies, his voice shocked me. I had never heard it before I started my research and was surprised at how deep and monotone it was. Very much the opposite of how I perceived him to be from his silent films.
“Cat Person” was a significant project for you last year. How did you prepare to play Bernhardt and what were the biggest challenges of this role?
There wasn’t much to prepare for Cat Person. It was mainly about developing an ease with Nicholas Braun’s character so that we had a sense of history with one another. My biggest challenge filming this one was to not break character during a take to compliment Emilia Jones. She’s a great actress and I was just trying to keep up.
Comparing “Maxxine” with “Cat Person,” what main differences did you find in the approach to your characters and the atmosphere of each film set?
The films had a totally different vibe on and off set and are completely different types of films. Cat Person has a lot of heart to it – the characters are for the most part good people that just misunderstand one another. Filming it was easy. Maxxxine on the other hand has a heavy darkness to all the characters and the world that we were creating. From my experience, the cast and crew were very focused on nailing that tone and filming my portion of it was as heavy as it comes across in the film. Sometimes it’s good to go to dark places for projects you feel are worth it.
Could you tell us what your favorite moment was during the filming of “Maxxine”?
My favorite moment on set was actually ona pick up day. I had shot all of my sequences with Mia and had to just come in a month later to do a pick up of the very ending. Seeing the prosthetic and filming the close up had us all cracking up. It felt like we had gone through the tough bit and were able to laugh at how ridiculous what we were making was.
How have these recent roles influenced your career and what are your expectations for the future after the release of “Maxxine”?
These roles are opposite some of my favorite actors working today. I’m extremely grateful to get a front row ticket at their process and to be able to steal ideas for my bag of tricks. It’s also been a reminder that it’s sometimes okay to say no to projects that aren’t aligned with where you want to go creatively. You might not be paying your bills but you are making things you genuinely feel audiences want to see.
Besides “Maxxine” and “Cat Person,” is there any other project or role you would like to explore in the future?
I’m not so much concerned about roles as I am with studios and directors. I want to work with studios like A24 and directors like Ti West who are taking big swings on films and pushing things into the future rather than make the same shit over and over again. Not knowing what type of role is in your future is part of the excitement for me as an actor. I want to be surprised, scared, and completely abandoned before I go to work.
Follow Zachary Mooren’s career on IMDB