While waiting for Marvel and DC Comics executives to come to their senses and sign this budding star, we catch up with the affable actor as he prepares for whatever comes next.

By Richard Pérez-Feria / Photography by Mike Ruiz

It’s hard not to stare at Zane Phillips. Stating the obvious doesn’t make it less true. That face. That body. That everything. Wait! Is Zane Phillips, that red-hot, on-the-verge-of-greatness, Hollywood actor actually the perfect man? Well, Phillips himself would certainly laugh off that hyperbolic assessment, but it’s a bet I’d be willing to take. Have you seen him? It’s as if Brad Pitt and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made a baby. And no one’s complaining one bit.

But here’s the thing: Once you get past his undeniable aesthetic and physical attributes, Phillips reveals himself to be, well, a delight (not exactly the word most would expect). But it also happens to be true. He’s funny, articulate, ambitious and goofy. Actually, he’s still sounding kinda-sorta perfect. But to know Phillips’ story is to understand that for the better part of his life, our protagonist has defied the expected and time and again has chosen to throw himself into the fray, wherever he may be. In some very real ways, this fearless man could very well be the living embodiment of “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” And, boy, is Zane Phillips gaining.

After spending his early childhood in Denver, Phillips attended middle and senior high school in Texas in a town not terribly far from Austin called Fredericksburg. Upon graduating, in 2015 he earned a B.F.A. in musical theater from Elon University in North Carolina. Then, the openly gay aspiring actor moved to New York City and things then really got busy.

After a cameo (“Young Guy No.2”) in an episode of CBS’ Madam Secretary in 2016, Phillips had a two-season recurring role in The CW’s The Vampire Diaries spinoff Legacies followed by another recurring role in Netflix series, Partner Track. In 2022, Phillips made his film debut in the gay rom-com, Fire Island, written and starring Joel Kim Booster. His big break was supposed to be his principal role in Glamorous, a splashy Netflix comedy-drama portraying the rich, douche-bag (with a heart) senior executive son, Chad Addison, opposite Kim Cattrall as Madolyn Addison, a former supermodel and founder of the beauty brand Glamorous by Madolyn and mom to Chad. I loved the sweet, push-and-pull sexy faux drama every episode delivered, and it must be said, Phillips makes this particular douchebag at once sexy and relatable. A deft trick, to be sure. I was also swayed by the cast that Phillips got to play with including the sublime Cattrall and veteran actor, Diana-Maria Riva. Genius.

Most recently, Phillips had a recurring role in the current season of Freeform’s Good Trouble as well as starring as Tucker on stage in Pretty Perfect Lives at The Flea Theater in New York City.

As Phillips navigates his next moves, I keep thinking about two obvious (to me) truisms about this young man: 1. Being a handsome, out thespian can work for him in myriad ways; and 2. Similarly, why the Marvel or DC Universes aren’t beating this man’s door down I’ll never understand. You mean, this willing to jump in with both feet acting stud, who would be perfect as, say, Thor’s and Loki’s cousin or Deadpool’s hunky nemesis hasn’t been locked down and offered a major superhero contract yet? Oh, and, yes, he can also act.

“There’s not really a model, a set pathway to be a young, out actor,” Phillips says. “I think we’re all just kind of finding our own way through it. That’s what I’m currently doing. I am really grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. But the reality is that you have to constantly juggle this balance of, ‘How does my sexuality interface with my work?’ It’s a mental game, and it’s something that I’ve been thinking a lot about.”

As a musical theater graduate, Phillips reveals that his dream project would be a film adaptation of the most recent revival of that old Broadway nugget, Oklahoma!. “That score has always been near and dear to my heart,” he says. “And I think that was a really interesting interpretation of it, and I'd love to see that. There are so many opportunities for bringing musicals to the screen and making them good nowadays. So, yeah, I'd love to play Curly in Oklahoma!.”

Glancing over his Instagram account—@zanethan and his 400,000 followers—one would think that Phillips is strictly a supermodel with a dash of fitness posing on the side. I mean, he looks good. And for someone who grew up secretly obsessively watching Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model, there are worse things to be called than an accomplished, in-demand, sexy AF mannequin.

"You know, I really like creating and being creative,” Phillips says. “It's a muscle that artists are always looking to flex, work out and finesse. I’m not really a model, but now I feel comfortable enough on set and on shoots. You also learn where you can actually offer input and be more involved. It's a really interesting world.”

Our photographer Mike Ruiz certainly captured Phillips’ daring, adventurous spirit on the cover and throughout this exclusive. But yet our man needs his spandex in a major superhero role. I got it! Phillips should replace the secretly evil Homelander as the next “supe” on Amazon Prime’s smash hit series, The Boys.

Wherever he goes next, I know a lot of eyeballs will be following this up-for-anything, self-aware actor (there’s not too many of those). Looks, charm, humility, talent—seriously, what are the Hollywood studios waiting for? Call this man!

Do you remember the moment you knew performing was your calling?
I don’t know if I ever felt like performing was the thing that I absolutely had to do. In high school, I realized that storytelling was something that needed to be a part of my life, but I was open to the idea of that manifesting in multiple ways. I just wanted to give it my best shot and see where it got me. I feel like in the past couple of years, as I’ve gained some confidence in who I am artistically, I’m feeling much more sure that this is the thing I need to be doing.

Did you realize you were gay then? And how did that impact you during your teenage years in small-town Texas?
Growing up in a very conservative small town in Texas, I knew two things pretty early on. One, I was definitely attracted to other men. And two, this was not something that I could accept. And so I spent a lot of time at war with myself, when, frankly, I should have been experiencing adolescence like everyone else. I felt like I wasn’t able to know myself very well because there was so much I was trying to either neutralize or push away.

What current role on TV or film do you wish you were starring in?
I’d be happy to go back into something lighter and more comedic. Brian Jordan Alvarez’s English Teacher is going to have a lot of longevity, I feel - I would absolutely love to step into that world one day.

Tell me one thing no one knows about you.
I am unfortunately not sure that such a thing exists. I am an open book to a fault.

Now, tell me a second… just kidding… What do people say to you when they recognize you?
Generally they ask me if they’ve seen me in something and I have to respond that I don’t know a stranger’s complete watch history.

How was it working with Kim Cattrall and Diana-Maria Riva? I love them both.
Absolutely both incredible performers. Kim is obviously an icon, and I felt like I learned so much being in scenes with her. Diana is one of the warmest, most generous people I’ve ever worked with. My character’s growing attachment to hers was absolutely not feigned.

How did you approach your character in Fire Island because in lesser hands, it could’ve been pretty much a cliché, but you gave him unexpected layers (and a tiny speedo).
Well, I can’t take responsibility for any costume decisions (actually WAIT that’s a lie the ripped black jean shorts were mine and we ended up using them when I wore them into a fitting) - but! I think any actor will tell you that you don’t look at villains as if they’re villains. Almost every character is a hero in their own mind, right? And in my mind, Dex was an example of someone who pushes away so many parts of themselves that they lose some crucial self-knowledge. That kind of person is a very real type of figure within the community, and true to form, they can end up wreaking quite a bit of damage.

Are you as fearless as your childhood and roles imply you are? What are you most scared of?
Do I come across as fearless?! That surprises me. I’m a very fearful person by default. I think over the years, I’ve realized that, while the hardest path is often the scariest path, it’s just as often the right path. While I might be scared of many aspects of moving through this world, I am slightly more scared that I will let myself down. In that way, my biggest defense against fear is my desire for integrity.

Is there a reason why you think Marvel or DC hasn’t snatched you up yet?
I try not to concern myself with that, to be honest. What’s meant for me will come for me.

I propose you get signed to play the formerly unknown kid brother to Alan Ritchson on the hit Amazon Prime series, Reacher.
It would be an honor to get beat up by Alan Ritchson, for sure.

We know you’d love to play Curly in a film adaptation of Oklahoma! Is there a comedy or drama you’d also love to play?
I truly just throw everything at the wall, don’t I? Every day, it’s something different. It’s the fall now, so I’m ready to do something spooky. Something in the line of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, maybe.

Finish this sentence: Right now, Zane Phillips is…
How very classic Facebook status update! Right now, Zane Phillips is galvanized and ready to make some shit happen.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Zane Phillips
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director + Photographer + Producer: Mike Ruiz
Story + Interview by Richard Pérez-Feria
Videographer by Mike Vernazza for MAV CINEMA
Fashion Stylist: Michael Sui
Custom Crystal Armor, Crowns, Wardrobe: Michael Sui
Fashion Stylist Assistant: Abigail Rojas
Groomer: Dmitry Potapov
Photography Assistant: Dani Sax
Original Music: “Revengers,“ Written and Performed by John “J-C” Carr, Courtesy of Peace Bisquit
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine

Zane Phillips, Superhero