Popeater: Zach Gilford Goes From High School to ‘Grad’ School — Popeater

Do you prefer TV or movies?

I love my show dearly and I’ve been spoiled with it. It’s such a great experience. All the movies I’ve worked on have been very different from each other, very different from my show. I think I just know that everything is going to be different … If you only have a few expectations; they are going to be valid. There’s going to be a camera and there’s going to be other actors, besides that, you never know the vibe on the seat. Like maybe you’ll get stuck with that person … [who] just sucks at life. Or maybe it’s going to be all sunshine and unicorns.

On ‘Friday Night Lights,’ your character – Matt Saracen – graduated from high school last season, but he will be back for the next. Do you know what’s in store?

I just know I’m delivering pizza. That’s all they’ve told me.

What do you want to see happen?

Good stuff …They’ve always given me really good storylines. You know, there’s so much that could happen between Julie [or] my grandmother. I don’t know if my mother is going to be back or not and then my best friend Landry. I mean, there are so many opportunities for really good stories. I’m just excited to read the script and see what ends up happening.

Aimee Teegarden recently said she wanted Matt to take Julie to the prom. Can Saracen dance?

If you remember in season two there was a scene at a La Quinada …or not a La Quinada. Quinceneara. What is wrong with me? Sorry, it’s been a really long day. What is a La Quinada? I made it up. And I’m studying Spanish right now …Anyway, there was a dance and [he] could clearly not dance.

Can you dance?

Yeah, I’m amazing. I’m going to be on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ next year.

Are you really?

Nooo. [sings] ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’

Oh that’s a good show.

I like ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’

Do people think that you are much younger than you are because of the roles you play?

Yeah, sometimes.

Not that you’re old.

I think I’m younger than I am … Yeah I guess people tend to think I’m younger than I am. And then when they get to know me, they really think I’m younger than I am.

But it helps.

Yeah, with the longevity of my career.

How much of you is in Matt Saracen?

I think we’re pretty different in some ways. I think at our core, we’re pretty solid. He’s a little better of person than I am. He makes better decisions than I do. In case you can’t tell, I think I’m a little more outgoing.

You are.

And goofy, and I don’t have a southern accent. I’m a pretty caring person … but he always seems to do the right thing.

He does. Sticking around to take care of his grandmother instead of going to school?

He’s a good kid. So selfless. I always say nobody likes a martyr. But in his case, people do.

‘Lights’ gets phenomenal praise from critics, yet is never recognized at the Emmys or the Golden Globes. Is that hard on the cast?

Who cares if we don’t get to go to a trophy ceremony? People who watch the show really really like it. And there are plenty of other shows that aren’t recognized at certain award ceremonies, like ‘The Wire,’ which is one of the most amazing shows … so we got over it pretty quick. We’re really just happy to be making the show still.

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 21st, 2009 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Zach Gilford/Matt Saracen. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.