MM: You do a lot of fun MTV promotion videos featuring games with the cast, and your snapchat stories are always awesome. How much time would you say you spend on social media, and how important do you think it is for you to interact with the fans?
ZP: I don’t know. I get on social media at least once a day, obviously, but I try not to spend too much time on it. I think it’s important for interacting with fans, and that’s basically how most shows these days make it. But for me, I try to do the best I can on Instagram and Twitter and all that. I boost more people into watching Finding Carter. I think it’s very important for upcoming shows to have social media pages and stuff to boost their ratings and all that.
MM: When you aren’t filming, what kind of activities do you like to do?
ZP: Mostly, when I’m not filming, I’m doing school. I have to do at least three hours of school when I’m not working. I’m mostly on my computer a lot; I watch YouTube, Netflix, movies… stuff like that. I like to skateboard. When I’m down in Florida when I’m not working, I go fishing, hunting, biking, and stuff like that.
MM: Sounds like fun! Now, since the show premiered, do you get recognized in public? Has anything changed in your day-to-day life since you became an actor?
ZP: Oh yeah. I get recognized pretty regularly when I go out. It’s always funny, because you get recognized more when you’re by yourself. When we’re with the entire cast either one of us gets recognized or none of us gets recognized. They don’t realize that we’re all together. The whole cast and I went to six flags a couple of weeks ago, and this girl walked up to Jesse Henderson, who plays Gabe. She goes, “Hey, can you get a picture with us?” Then, she looked around and it took her a few seconds to be like, “Oh my gosh! You’re all here. Can we get a picture?” So it’s pretty funny, but I get recognized off-set when I’m just out shopping or doing whatever.
MM: Are there ever moments where you don’t really want to be recognized? Do people know their boundaries and get a picture and let you go on with your day?
ZP: Yeah. Whenever I see a group of teenage girls walking around on their phones looking at me like two or three times, I’m like, “Okay, here we go.” I can handle like one or two teenage girls walking up to me and saying “Oh my god, you’re so cool” or whatever, but if there’s a group after school and they’re all surrounding me… I can’t really take that much. It really bothers me when there’s a lot of people talking at once so… yeah.
MM: Yeah, it has to be a little overwhelming. Now, you said you watch YouTube and all that stuff, but what kind of shows do you enjoy watching? Do you have any that you’re really obsessed with?
ZP: I don’t really get to watch TV that much, because I’m either in my room doing schoolwork or working on set, so I don’t get to watch too much TV. But I do watch Netflix, and I do watch a couple of shows- Friends, which is one show that’s amazing. I also watch Dexter. A couple of other smaller shows that are on Netflix.
MM: What’s something you can’t live without?
ZP: Something I can’t live without… family and friends. If you don’t have any family or friends, you’re kind of alone in the world. You can make new friends, but if you don’t have family, why am I even here? Family and friends is a big thing.
MM: Lastly, is there any message you have for the Finding Carter fans? Anything coming up that you want to share?
ZP: Yeah. Stay tuned! It gets pretty crazy in the last six episodes of the season. I’m glad you’re enjoying it- I hope you’re enjoying it. If your friends don’t watch Finding Carter, make them watch Finding Carter! We need the viewers!
Finding Carter airs Tuesdays at 10 on MTV