Zack arrives in Albert Square
NEW EASTENDERS HUNK JAMES FARRAR LIFTS THE LID ON PLAYING SHARON’S LONG-LOST BROTHER…
The moment I heard they wanted me to play Zack, everything just fell into place,” grins EastEnders newcomer James Farrar, whose character arrives in Walford this week, after discovering that he is Sharon’s half-brother. “My wife and I were at home when I got the call, and it was hard not being able to celebrate with other people. So we got a bottle of beer from the local shop and walked back, sharing it together. That moment will always stay with me.”
Landing such a great soap role in the middle of a pandemic – when acting work has been tough to come by – is definitely
a huge win for James. And it sounds as if Zack is going to be causing lots of mischief now he’s on the Square to stay! As we chat with James over Zoom, he fills us in on what we can expect…
How have your few rst weeks at EastEnders been, James?
I didn’t expect it to be such a family – I thought that the families within the show might be separated out a bit, but I feel as if everyone has been looking out for me. From those people working on the floor, to cast members who’ve been there for more than 20 years, it all feels very equal. In my first episode I was working with Gilly and Tish [Gillian Taylforth and Letitia Dean, who play Kathy and Sharon], and I love that I was introduced with such iconic characters.
What can you tell us about Zack?
He’s kind-hearted and looks out for people – he wants to look after his sister, but he keeps messing up along the way. He’s charming and charismatic; lots of people
think he’s nice, but he annoys others! There will be some trouble, and maybe some fights – a lot of Zack’s mistakes are down to the way that his dad Gavin treated him. Although he’s desperate for Sharon to embrace him as her brother.
Do you think the two of them can forge a nice sibling relationship?
Well, they’ve already clashed at their dad’s funeral! But as with any relationship, they just need to work at it, communicate, and realise where each other is coming from. Zack adores Sharon from the moment he sets foot on the Square and finds out what she’s about. She’s self less, she looks after people, and she’s strong. Sharon’s also an entrepreneur, which Zack is too, so I have a feeling they’ll probably run a business together at some point. I think their intention is to take on the world!
We know that Sharon and Zack’s dad, Gavin, was not a nice man. Did Zack have a tough upbringing? There’s trauma from his childhood, definitely. I’d tell you more about Zack’s upbringing, but I don’t know much about it yet. However, from the scenes that Tish and I have filmed already, I think there are reasons behind why Zack acts the way he does sometimes. Even though the mistakes he makes are innocent, Sharon may well see them as Zack being just like Gavin all over again.
And might there be some romance on the cards for Zack?
There’s a certain blonde returning soon who I have a feeling there might be some friction with! Considering a lot of my scenes have been with the Carters, I’m sure you’ll be able to guess who that is…
Is there anyone else you’ve been working closely with on set?
I’ve actually met quite a lot of people, considering the way we’re having to work at the moment. I’ve had some scenes with Ruby, some scenes with Jean, some scenes with Bobby… I love the fact that there’s so much history on screen with all these characters, but Zack has no idea who any of them are, or how much they mean in Walford.
What was it like for you stepping on to Albert Square for the rst time? It was incredible! I’ve watched it on the box for years and years, and the other night I just sat out there, in the middle of the Square, and it was silent. I sat there on the bench and thought, ‘This is surreal!’ I’m looking forward to the sun coming out soon, hopefully the cast can all sit out in the Square and have our lunch together. I’ve done a lot of filming there already. My wife Ali actually came on to the set recently, we were in the Vic and she turned to me and said, “Barbara Windsor [Peggy] has walked on this carpet!” I looked at her, and we both had goosebumps – it’s just really special.
Being on the set of EastEnders is just really special…