Even as Megacon 2019 wound down at the Orlando Convention Center on Sunday, Zachary Levi kept the energy level high during his Q&A session.
Levi, of course, is a hot TV and film star right now, coming fresh off the success of his role in Warner Bros.’ Shazam! However, he’s also known for his role in the TV series Chuck, and as Flynn Rider in Disney’s Tangled, a role he reprises for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III.
Hoverboards, Self-Help, and The Jungle Cruise
The previous panel (a Q&A with Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, and Michael Rosenbaum of Smallville) ran long, causing a delay for Levi’s session. As Levi put it, though, “we’re the last panel of the day,” suggesting his session would run long as well. He seemed to have little interest in the chair set up for him, preferring to stand, pace, and occasionally flip across the stage throughout the session. He’s a powerful personality, talking fast and rarely standing in one spot for more than a second or two.
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Fans brought a wide variety of questions to the star, covering everything from self-help advice to the ramifications of time travel. Despite Shazam! being his most recent work, most of the audience seemed interested in Tangled-related questions. Levi handled every topic, though, with great energy and humor.
“We don’t know what time travel will do to the spacetime continuum,” Levi said in response to one fan’s question about going back in time to speak with a younger version of himself. “But, if Back to the Future taught me anything…it’s really cool, and I get a hoverboard.” He also noted The Jungle Cruise as his favorite Disneyland ride, describing the attraction as “Roughly eleven minutes of dad joke standup, which is right up my alley.”
Of course, Levi’s session also had an unmistakable level of sincerity to it and genuine love for his fans. “I’m not always bubbly and an extrovert,” Levi answered when one fan asked how he managed to be so outgoing. He said that, like any extrovert, he feeds off the energy of those around him, pointing out he is “incredibly grateful” to fans who spend their time and money coming to see him. He even offered to sign a yearbook for a member of the audience afterwards.
Levi mentioned being a strong advocate of seeking therapy, and also credits his spirituality with much of his success and happiness. As he says, the four keys to a successful life are “empathy, gratitude, humility, and trust.”
“Be patient with yourself,” Levi says. “You’re worthy of being patient with yourself.”
The topic of fanart also came up; specifically, what he does with all the fanart he receives. Levi explained that when he receives a new work (presumably a common occurrence), he typically autographs it and then auctions it off for charity. “I think ‘that’s lovely…but what do I do with it?’” Levi said, illustrating his response when presented with fanart. As he put it, he didn’t want to “build a shrine” to himself in his house by hanging on to it. Instead, he opts to direct it toward generating money and attention for a good cause.
…and yes, by audience demand, he did the Flynn Rider “smolder.”
