(Lt. Angel Batista from Dexter) Taking another Command in JUNCTION
Screening at AMFM Festival, This Weekend, Cathedral City
By Lisa Morgan
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, David Zayas’ aspirations of becoming an actor seemed lofty and unattainable. After graduating from high school, he joined the Air Force and then pursued a career as a NYC policeman, in order to support his family. But in the early 90’s David, enrolled in acting classes while still working as a cop. “When I took the leap into acting, I worked hard and took it seriously. I tried to absorb and learn everything.” It wasn’t long before his talent was recognized, and he began to appear in many plays and became a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company. He eventually earned roles in television and film, often portraying a cop. Eventually, David was able to leave the police force and focus solely on performing. One of his most memorable roles was as the terrifying and powerful prisoner, Enrique Morales, from HBO’s Oz, but many NYC theatre goers can attest to his ability to play more comedic roles. David has done it all, and in all three medias, theater, television and movies, David is able to tap into a part of acting that he loves. Currently, Zayas is best known as Lt. Angel Batista on Showtime’s hit series Dexter. I asked him if he misses being a police officer and without hesitation he responded, “No. I’m doing what I am meant to do.”
This Friday night, at the AMFM Festival in Cathedral City, David Zayas will be attending the screening of Junction, an intense, crime drama in which he once again plays a police officer. Junction follows four strung-out meth-addicts who discover a dark secret about a homeowner during a burglary, pitting them not only against the police but against each other. Written and directed by Tony Glazer, Zayas explained why he was drawn to the film. “The script was sent to me, and I really liked it. I spoke with Tony and felt that he was really on top of things and passionate about it, so during my hiatus between seasons with Dexter, we were able to go out to the East Coast and shoot it. It was a really great experience.” The movie trailer is dark and gritty, as it shows Zayas in character as Lt. Tarelli in charge of a hostage situation. “He gets called in as a hostage negotiator after being involved in a couple of failed negotiations in the past,” explains Zayas about his character. “He has to find a way to resolve the situation.” David went on to compliment the film’s director. “Tony has a knack for bringing originality to an idea and communicating the nuances of the characters that he had written. He was a first time director, and from everything that I saw, you couldn’t tell. Everything ran smoothly, I think, due to his maturity and his talent.” Zayas will be present at the screening and available for Q & A afterward. “I am really looking forward to being part of the festival,” he shared, “watching the movie and observing the audience response.”
In retrospect, he says, “There might be a part of me that says, ‘I wish I would have made the leap into acting earlier. But I think I came into it right on-time. I am really grateful and humbled by the amount of work I’ve been able to do.”
For tickets and event schedules, go to AMFM Fest go to AMFMfest.com
You can view the trailer for the movie Junction at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772292/
And you can follow David Zayas at http://davidzayas.com/Bio.html
