Acting is not for the faint of heart. It’s a constant series of ups and downs on a ride which is founded on never being satisfied with one’s own work for longer than a moment. Just ask Canadian Zach Leblanc. The idea that you never know what productions his name will be attached to is in no way hyperbolic. From crime/drama/fantasy Lucifer to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, LeBlanc is undefinable and often unrecognizable. It’s a trait which is both a blessing and a curse for the actor whose malleability has made him so desirable by such an eclectic array of productions. It’s been years since that fateful day when John Dunsworth (ACTRA and Gemini winning actor or Trailer Park Boys) pulled him aside following a performance and told Zach that he should seriously pursue acting as a career. He recalls, “It was that day that I decided to I wanted to be an actor.” The increasing frequency of his name on the credits for projects worldwide reinforce that this was a course well undertaken.
For many actors, the holy grail of work is animated productions. They are more prevalent than ever before and allow the voice talent who brings them to life to assume any form. LeBlanc has voiced characters in some of the most popular shows of the genre. Lego is one of the preeminent names in animated films and television. As Omega Oni in the recent season of Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Zach unearthed his dark side. The leader of a demonic race as ancient as time itself, Omega is the most powerful foe the Ninjago have ever faced. Omega Oni seeks nothing short of the total obliteration of creation from all sixteen realms. Inhabiting a creature so dark was fun and far from typical for LeBlanc. Actor Kirby Morrow, who voices Cole, one of the leads of the series confirms, "Zach is known for playing upbeat youthful characters, so to see him play a dark demonic villain like Omega Oni is a testament to his range." Viewers in the US, China, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, and other locations were enchanted by the dichotomy of menacing entities in Lego form. The Japanese cartoon (TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, airing on Disney Channel Teletoon, Disney XD in the US) Beyblade Burst exhibited Zach’s duality in the character Diago Kurogami. A conflicted Beyblade competitor who cheats and then regrets his actions, Diago allowed LeBlanc to portray a youthful character in the midst of a very realistic character building moment. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has aired for nearly a decade, accumulating twenty awards and forty-five nominations such as Daytime Emmy Awards, Hugo Awards, Leo Awards, and Joey Awards. In season seven of the long running program, Zach lent his voice talents to the characters of Skeedaddle and Star Tracker. Nothing confirms range like the span from demonic overlord to friendly animated pony. Those more interested in actual face time for the actor might be inclined to watch his work on the Jerry Bruckheimer Television series Lucifer (previously on Fox, now available on Netflix). It’s more physically demanding for Zach and much less pony personality.
Especially in Los Angeles, the heart of the TV and film industry, acting can be a constant struggle for any actor. There’s more than enough rejection to go around. While LeBlanc has carved out a successful career for himself, he embraces the journey of always seeking new projects. While many in his vocation abhor the audition process, Zach pursues it. He relates, “When it comes to auditioning, you have to realize you’re not there to get something from these people…you’re there to give them something, to share a piece of yourself. When you feel a room become elevated by your performance, that feeling is amazing! This has also spilled over into to my social life. Learning how to be around people and give off positive energy rather than sucking up energy because you have some unmet need, has been very enlightening.”