Zach Hoffman
Zach Hoffman is an actor based in Los Angeles with credits in theater and television.
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On TV, Zach has mostly recently worked with Emmy winner Seth Rogen and Adam Brody on the hit Netflix series Nobody Wants This Season 2. In 2019, Zach acted alongside singer/songwriter Olivia Rodrigo on Bizaardvark, and way back in 2015 he played lightsabers with William Baldwin in Christmas Trade.
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In theater, Zach just finished up a production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along on campus at UCLA, a production that he directed (as well as produced with a new student company on campus), all the while playing Franklin Shepard, the lead character. Likewise, Zach just had the unique pleasure of portraying RFK Jr's Brain Worm in an original work by Brooke McCree as part of UCLA's annual Bruin Fringe Fest. Currently, he is working on the role of Philip Elton in a musical adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, part of the UCLA TFT Mainstage Theater Season for 2025-2026.
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Zach has been acting since he was 11 years old. When he was younger, Zach was known for his strong relationships with Nintendo, Disney XD, and Mattel, working jobs for them all on numerous occasions.
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Ever since the mentorship of a member of the Acting faculty at his high school, Zach has dabbled in directing. He directed an original work for OCSA's annual New Play Festival, and taught alongside his mentor as a TA for "Introduction to Acting". Zach has also directed select scenes for 3 productions and led workshops on stage combat/swords at Braver Players Musical Theater Foundation, where he learned to love what he does and acted in over 20 productions there. At UCLA, he has independently produced and directed a production of Elegies: A Song Cycle, by William Finn.
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Zach studied at the Orange County School of the Arts in the Acting Conservatory, where he received First Prize at the Annual OCSA Shakespeare Monologue Competition.
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Zach will receive his BA in Theater (Acting Emphasis) from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television in the spring, where he was the recipient of the Jack Nichsolson Prize in Acting, the George Burns and Gracie Allen Scholarship and Fellowship in Comedy, and the Joel Siegel Fellowship
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Zach Hoffman loves acting above all else, especially if it's topical, heart-wrenching, and/or seriously hilarious. The work we create will always be best when the community it's founded on is full of love and hope. His hero will always be Stephen Sondheim, his favorite TV show is Andor (2022-2025), and his favorite movie is The Boy and the Heron (2023).
My dad always taught me to lead with love and empathy, no matter who it was. He never outright verbally taught me this, but he did when he ran to help a girl stay in her seat as she initially fell during a seizure in a cafe; he did so when, after I told him I didn’t want to play soccer anymore, he cheered me on like mad as I scored my final goal; he did so when he told me in the car, “I’ll always be someone for you to talk to with honesty… and the safety to do so.” His dad struggled to speak vulnerably to him for all of his youth, so he taught me to be brave, embrace the uncomfortable, and always lead with the heart. I’ve been pursuing that lifestyle all my life. I was never brave in the way that some kids were at recess, risking it all in a kickball game or whacking the tetherball with all of my might. Instead, I was the brave leader of “playing pretend”, coming up with emotional stories for my friends to play a part in every day. After treating each playtime like a D&D Dungeon Master, I began to act in 5th grade, discovering howI could tell stories on a larger scale and feel the impact, even if, back then, it was just laughter and applause for my seagullish squawking in The Little Mermaid.
Though I’ve watched Jonathan Groff’s 2024 Tony Award acceptance speech 1 billion times, the career I dream of isn’t rooted in the shiny idol in his hand. It’s rooted in this phrase he utters: “Even if they didn't always understand me, my family knew the life-saving power of fanning the flame of a young person's passions without judgment. I walk through life with an open heart because you let me know that I could.” If I can achieve one thing as an actor, I want to touch somebody’s soul by letting them see mine. I want them to know that it’s ok to have questions; to not understand; to have hard conversations. I want people to live comfortably in uncertainty, having a hand to hold while they work it out. Whether it’s political, social, or mental, if I can showcase the importance of pouring love into the cracks and corners of everyday life, then I have succeeded. My favorite director, Hayao Miyazaki, concludes his deeply personal work, The Boy and the Heron (2023), with a moment in which the protagonist, Mahito, rejects his Granduncle’s offer to inherit the ignorant fantasy world he has created and sustained, recognizing the importance of dealing with the malice and struggle of the world, showing off his self-inflicted scar. When his Granduncle rebukes his decision, Mahito simply states, “I’ll make friends.” Like Mahito, I will lead a career of love and friendship, even in the face of endless turmoil.