Meet Zan Aspero | Actor, Writer, Film/TV, SAG-AFTRA Member since 2015 and Digital Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zan Aspero and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zan, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from Morristown, New Jersey. I have been in and out of here over my lifetime. I was raised in New Vernon, New Jersey, a small town outside of Morristown. My upbringing was very protective. I come from a family who was proper, always taught to look and be the best, do the best you can. On my father’s side I saw Lawyers, doctors, architects. On my mothers side I saw art, interior design, creatives, thinking outside the box. With all of this mind, the values I was taught were honesty, integrity, believing in yourself and trying very hard. They are still in me today.
The major condition I had to deal with, and it was major as a child and a teen, was epilepsy. It was hardest. It was a big road block for me, as a teen I kept strong and overcame it. I was told to always not let that hold me back, just plough through. Despite other naysayers, I did and still do to this day.Through these experiences, I went in different career paths-customer service, medical- but always in my heart was acting since I was 8 years old. Since 2013 I have experiences many different TV and movie sets, actors, directors, Associate producers. It has all been incredible and since 2015, have been a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Today I have become very devoted to work ethic, being dedicated to helping others with special needs. In fact I want to put together a film soon with those with disabilities. It’s something film needs more today.
Presently, I am still devoted to my passion, craft, creativity to bring life experiences to the small and big screen.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is in film, tv, and photography. I acquired it from the last 15 years mostly.It was not easy to finally break out and do it. I knew that I wanted to be in these industries when I was young it was because of the limits that were put on me when I was younger. I mentioned before, my epilepsy which was a factor in my challenges along the way. People think of it as something to be intimidated by, or scared, all which I did but, did not last long. I was trained, with a no-holds-barred attitude, you may be the hare in the race, but you are a winner in the long run. I felt limited my opportunity. As I got older, I tried different approaches to my true calling and took odd jobs to earn income. Through this time, in 2012, I had my biggest life-changing event. I became very sick, coma, in the hospital and rehab for 90 days. Came out of that and realized new chapters had to be written. Since 2012’s event, in 2013 I decided acting in film/tv was my true calling. I have since been on many tv shows from 2013 – present The Marvelous Mrs. Mazel (2017-2022), to Billions, to Law and Order: SVU,Law and Order: Organized Crime. Such Movies as Bridge of Spies (2015) directed by Steven Spielberg to Amazon movie The Report (2021). I recently started my photography endeavors. This came about through my affinity for nature, culture, different city skylines. From New York City, various parts too like Central Park overlooking Columbus Circle skyscrapers, Cleveland, Lake Erie, and without question, Los Angeles. Nature, I see the beauty in trees illuminating the blue sky, Cherry blossoms, ocean sunsets, my own town I live in, Morristown with its rich history.
I was also trained under theatre at HB Studios and Roger Hendricks Simon Studios in New York City and film and television through Kimberly Jentzen Studios in Los Angeles, and soon to be at The Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory.
I have overcome my challenges by remaining persistent, and reminding myself to get back up, and do it again. In my life I have referred to many quotes, A few I refer to a lot. “You Create Your Own Universe As You Go Along” -Winston Churchill, “You’ve got to just keep coming back to the plate” – Liam Neeson “If you are working on something you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The Vision pulls you” -Steve Jobs From all of these I take the essence of ones truth and true desires is only from within your own heart and mind. The heart and mind must be in sync for what we desire, to happen or for us to stay consistent with it until it happens.
I want the world to know about me that there is a choice in our lives we must make between 2 paths or roads we can choose from. One is where some other people have gone, whether its family, or other people whom may try to always bring you to the negative and take the same easy road to travel. There is also a road that no one has been down. A road which we create. Along that road there may be detours, roadblocks, but we find our own way around it and still in the en we are the winner because we kept going and striving for us.
From this reference, about me, I want people to know that it is you that matters, once you are happy and keep going inside, it percolates outward. As for my brand, I have the look of a lawyer and a doctor, which I have played on tv, but I have the mind of an actor, entrepreneur, and the imagination of an artist.
Let me end with this lyric from a song by George Strait,
The Road Less Traveled:
For The Road Less Traveled ain’t for the faded heart. Those who choose to play it safe and never stray too far. Me I want to live my life, and one day leave my mark. And I all may come Together, or it may all come unravelled on The Road Less Traveled.
I keep mine together as best I can, and continue for the long haul and keep striving for better. That’s my story, what the world should know about me, Zan Aspero.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Wow, this is an action-packed question. So, my brothers Tom, Joe and Steve, and another very close friend, Steve would fly into Los Angeles. I would send Ubers to pick them up at LAX. I would pay for their stay at The Loews Hollywood Hotel.
On the 1st night, we would all go out to Little Tokyo section of downtown LA and go to a cafe and have a light dinner at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar. After that we go back to my place in Hollywood, hangout for a while more.
Next day, Day 1: Go back to downtown to the centre and see City Hall, visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, see the old school architecture in the downtown
Day 2: Get up 8:00a, Meet at their hotel for breakfast at 9:00am. Around 10:30 go to see the Los Angeles Conservatory, ride and take a walk around the Hollywood sign up in the hills, take in the beautiful cityscape of Los Angeles. After that, around 2:00pm we would go to Exposition Park to see the Los Angeles Colosseum as well as the Hollywood Bowl at night at 7:30pm for a live concert. We like to be fun, so we would go to Street Tacos, get a quick bite to eat before the concert.
After the concert we would head back to my place, relax, then go back to their hotel via Uber, since its late at night.
Day 3: We would Get up at 7:00am, go to Santa Monica to for breakfast, walk the boardwalk, spent time at the beach. See downtown and historical landmarks in Santa Monica. In the afternoon at 1:00pm we would go see Culver City. Its landmarks, as well as Sony Studios. Dinner in Chinatown hangout at Songbird Cafe.
Day 4: Up early, Breakfast at a cafe in Downtown Los Angeles along Wilshire Blvd. Then from there, go to North Hollywood to Universal Studios at 10:00am take a tour of its rich history, the studios, rides, etc. After that, at 2:00pm take them to see Beverly Hills sign, walk through downtown Beverly Hills. At 4:00pm take them to see the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Dinner in downtown, at .
Day 5: Up early, breakfast at my place, got to visit Paramount Pictures Studios at 11:00 am for a tour, seeing the directors actors, producers all in action. Show the various studios for different movies and tv shows, have them meet directors and producers I do business with there. We go out to lunch on Sunset Blvd. at a nice Italian cafe. Go back to the studios. We would then go to a play at 8:00pm at the LAPAC, the one in fact that I am performing in, Les Miserables. I do have a great singing voice. I only break out with it in such events.
Day 6: This is like a calm day. We all get up around 8:00am, go to Venice Beach at 10:30am, relax, sun, ocean waves, cool off. have a beach umbrella with us. At 2:00pm go to see the Griffith Observatory, at 4:30pm, go to Los Angeles Fashion District, have dinner at a French restaurant. Come back to my place at 8:00pm, relax. They go back to the hotel.
Day 7: they come to my place, we hangout, I pay for an Uber to take them to the LAX for a !0:00 am flight back east.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this Shoutout to my brother, life long close-knit friend, Thomas Roman. He has been there so much for me. He has so immensely had an impact on my life. It was in high school we met. I almost left, had it not been for him, meeting his brother Joe, and Cousin Mark, both seniors and Mark was star football player. From then we’ve been family. He helped me in my darkest days, we help each other still today. He took me places I’ve never seen, events, gave me a place to stay when I really needed it. He always motivates me”make it happen”, “go for it, bro!”, “do it, bro!”, “you got this!” He always is an inspiration and influence on my life, and always will be. We are still there for each other to this day.

Website: working on it

Instagram: @zanactorla2023

Linkedin: Zan Aspero

Twitter: @xanaspero

Youtube: Zan Aspero

Other: iMDb: Xan Aspero cell: 973-424-3113

Image Credits
Zan Aspero