As 2011 sets off at a gallop, the city’s majority has undoubtedly set about making resolutions for the new year. Artists are no different, raising the stakes with the fresh first of the month in the hopes that “this year will be the year”, the year to book the high-profile gig, the year to quit that secondary catering job, the year that luck will change. For actor/artist Trevor Zhou, there’s no doubt that this year will be lucky. But then again, so was 2010, and – at the rate he’s going – so will be 2012 and beyond.
It all started when Trevor attended an audition to support a friend and ended up with an “accidental” national IBM commercial in his pocket. Then comes an episode of Law & Order: SVU, a commercial agent, and his first play (ever), quickly followed by a role in the 20th Century Fox movie “The Sitter” with Jonah Hill and Sam Rockwell. Now a member of SAG and with several more commercials and small films under his belt, the whirlwind of the last year and a half has left Trevor seeming like the luckiest actor in this city. But is it just luck?
There’s no denying the importance of believing in one’s product which, for an actor, is one’s self. So often, this necessary confidence can seem insincere or off-putting, but with Trevor, it was nothing but natural. In fact, he spoke of himself and his career so genuinely and openly that we lost track of time, forcing us to reschedule to continue with Part II of the interview. It says a lot about a person that he can talk about himself for over an hour and leave us wanting more.
His faith in his work is inspiring, as is his steadfast belief that “things will work out.” Sure, there are actors everywhere that wake up to this same credo. The difference with Trevor is that he doesn’t simply sit by and wait for things to happen, but actively seeks out opportunities for himself, all the while working on his own creations. When we sat down with Trevor, he was not only beginning to write his own material but working on an idea for a web series and continuing his ongoing search for positive and passionate people with which to create. “So many people talk about making things happen but it’s about doing it and not waiting around,” he said. These are the people that Trevor seeks.
It seems to me that these people are at the same time seeking Trevor. His fun personality and contagious positive outlook in life make him an ideal work partner, while his natural approach to humor opens the door for him in this business. He shared, “I find that humor is a shortcut to connecting with someone and especially if it’s an audition, I want to connect”. This desire to connect shines through even in our coffee shop talk, as does his deep interest in the collaborative effort. Both in the material he works on with the other actors and artists he meets, and in the casting/agent side of the business, it always comes down to building that human connection.
I asked Trevor how much he views his success as a result of his relentlessly positive attitude, perhaps even more so than talent, and he was in complete agreement that it has played a large role in carrying him this far. Of course, one might argue that he is able to remain positive because of his success but, rather than getting into a circular “chicken versus egg” debate, I will say that positivity must come first. Though success may help to reaffirm ones positive outlook in life, it is the choice to remain positive and always view the half-full glass that makes a person a target employee, creative partner, and cast mate. It is his positivity that makes people want to work with Trevor and his positivity, rather than mere luck, which keeps him buoyant in this industry.
As we hit the halfway point of the first month of this new decade, I wonder how many of this city’s resolutions are still in tact. For Trevor, it’s not a matter of a new year’s resolution, but a lifelong personal resolution. He laughingly told me that his resolution this year will be to fail his new year’s resolution. His opinion is that goals set just for the beginning of the year are not part of one’s ongoing process and will ultimately fail. He shared, “I always have goals that I want to achieve and I’m always trying to do better and improve. Because I know there’s always someone else working harder and smarter than me. But if I keep pushing and creating and persisting, I’ll get there.”
Can every year be the year? According to Trevor, it has to be.
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Trevor Zhou lives and creates in New York City. Find out more about this artist/actor/positive person on his website.
