Zane Phillips is everything casting directors look for in a leading man.
Body like a Greek god, mesmerizing blue eyes, and most importantly, incredible talent.
It’s no surprise that he exploded into the acting scene, where, despite being relatively new, Phillips has made his mark in a few short years.
The Legacies star has gifted us an assortment of various queer characters, showcasing his range.
This range extends to his performances, a testament to Phillips’ talent, and we eagerly await more from him.
In this article, we discuss some of his most memorable roles so far and what made them stand out.
4. Mason – Mid-Century Modern (Hulu)
This character could have been higher on the list if he had appeared more in the Hulu comedy about three gay men living together.
The role required some comedic chops, and Phillips rose to the occasion beautifully as the Mormon gay kid who is engaged to marry a woman.
The chemistry between Phillips and series star Matt Bomer was off the charts in this one.
3. Jay – Good Trouble (Freeform)
Phillips joined Good Trouble in its final season playing Jay, Gael’s (Tommy Martinez) love interest.
The only reason this character doesn’t appear higher on the list is that he came in a little too late and wasn’t fully developed.
Jay was a significant improvement over Gael’s past relationships, which were marked by drama and chaos.
Despite Phillips’ imposing physique, he reached deeper to make the character softer to be a better match for Gael.
It would have been interesting to see how their relationship progressed had Good Trouble not ended.
2. Dex – Fire Island (Hulu)
In Joel Kim Booster‘s romcom Fire Island, Phillips takes on another challenge.
Dex is the movie’s antagonist.
Physically attractive but unattractive personality-wise, Phillips was appropriately cast.
His sly smile, coupled with short shorts, made him attractive to watch, even though the character was despicable.
It’s hard for hot people to pull off such characters, but alas, Phillips did it.
“When we first found Zane, I looked him up on IMDb, and I was like, ‘Oh, he hasn’t really done much [in TV and film],’” Fire Island director Andrew Ahn told Xtra Magazine. He added:
“I had to ask my casting director [Jessica Munks], ‘Is something wrong with him? Is that why he’s not in things?’ And she was like, ‘No, he’s just new.’ I was like, ‘Great!’ Then, when he started booking other jobs, I was so glad that other people were seeing the talent that I recognized.”
1. Ben – Legacies (The CW)
Legacies took us for a loop with MG and Ethan.
Ben’s introduction was a welcome development since it provided an opportunity for the show to right its gay wrongs.
Ben came as a fully realized gay character, which is always welcome.
Remember the Greek God physique? Phillips was appropriately cast because the character was indeed a god, Prometheus, who was cursed by his father.
Ben started a relationship with Jed Tien (Ben Levin), and they would become one of the most notable gay male couples in The Vampire Diaries universe.
Despite appearing as the show was nearing its end, Ben and Jed’s relationship was well-crafted with the writers taking the time to hit all the right emotional notes.
This role demanded all of Phillips and he delivered.
It required some physically attractive, built like a greek god, and capable of hitting all the notes the storyline required.
Honorable Mentions
Phillips has also played some characters in two Netflix shows. He seems to have the luck of joining shows in their final seasons or cancelled Netflix shows, but we’ll take him where we can get him.
In Partner Track, he plays Hunter Reed, while in Glamorous, he plays a proper himbo aptly named Chad.
Both shows were cancelled but if you’re in your Zane Phillips obession era, they’re worth checking out.
He has also starred in some music videos.
Is Zane Phillips Gay?
Phillips has discussed his sexuality before and said that he is gay.
He has been in a relationship with Teen Wolf star Froy Guttierez.
As an artist, Phillips aims to bring more representation to our underserved community, as evidenced by his choice of roles and productions.
Check out the conversation below where he discusses his journey in life and the industry with Johnny Sibilly for Logo Spill.
Which character played by Zane Phillips is your favorite?