What makes Zachary Levi well up each day?

SUCCESS IS NEVER guaranteed in show business and, although having made more than a pop culture dent in programmes including Chuck, 38-year old Zachary Levi is aware just how much the triumph of this week's top-grossing movie Shazam has already brought and the safety net it provides for the future. In a free-wheeling interview at this year's Middle East Film & Comic Con, we spoke with the instantly likeable actor on topics involving the surprise and joy at his latest movie's achievements, why there shouldn't be such division between Marvel and DC Comics fans and how a trip to watch Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur was one of the most intimidating experiences of his life.  
You're sitting on this huge hit, how does it feel?
It's a perspective shifter, a context giver. Hopefully if we did all the work we needed to do, which we did, then I'd be at peace with that and secure in the knowledge we tried our best no matter what. Thankfully, though, the work has paid off.
But, you wouldn't have signed on to the film if you didn't think you could make it work?
It's a misconception I hear often, or an assumption that actors have any say in the trajectory of their career. Of course I can one hundred per cent say I want to go on that audition or not, but it's feast or famine. You have to go get a job. You're trying to build. Sometimes you take jobs you don't love so much because you need to take the money and keep yourself going or do stuff for your demo reel. Sometimes I've gotten jobs just because that was the job I had to get. You still hope it'll come together, but you never know.
So how did Shazam feel different to 'just another part' when you read it?
This is the best job I've ever had. It is one of the best stories I have ever started with - one of the best scripts I have read in my career. Still, you never know. We had the ingredients to make a really tasty cake, but you're not the only cook in the kitchen. But in this case, truly I'm not even exaggerating, daily - at least once, sometimes a couple of times a day - I will at the very least start to well up a little bit if not full on just have a little crying jag out of the deepest of gratitude. I cannot believe that at this point in my life and my career I not only get to be the titular superhero in a massive franchise, but it's number one in the box office for its opening weekend and it's looking to go into this weekend at the top and I'm hoping next because [Avengers] Endgame won't have come out yet. Just give us another week, Endgame!
Even the typically sniffy papers have given it favourable reviews...
The most important thing to me is, even without the money, people are enjoying the movie. Even if it had just recouped its costs, the reviews we have been getting are a massive win. The outpouring of unsolicited love, it's incredible. I have legitimately seen people write it is the best movie they have ever seen. I don't necessarily think that. I hate watching myself, so clearly it is never going to be the best thing for me, but it is the dreamiest dream I have ever dreamed.
Some outlets have written you are the 'saviour' of the typically dark DC movie universe. What do you think of such claims?
I've heard that bandied about. Every time I say: it's very kind for people to have such regard, but I vehemently disagree. In order for that to be true it would mean that DC needed saving, which it didn't. Sure, did they have a couple of films that maybe didn't fully get to where they wanted them to go...perhaps? But there are still a lot of people who love those movies. And while they didn't do all the money they thought they were going to, they still made a bunch of money. And those are the ones considered the 'not-wins'. Then they follow that up with Wonder Woman and Aquaman, which crushed and everybody really liked. So it's not like DC were about to shutter their doors! It didn't happen. Perhaps we have brought in a few people who didn't watch DC movies? Some people have said that to me - they were exclusively Marvel and Shazam brought them into their first DC movie. That's amazing if that's the case, but that's it.  
Do you buy into the Marvel/ DC conflict?
No. I understand it's because people find a lot of identity with these characters and they become very passionate about them. They become defensive and protective of them. That's per character, per universe and then people feel like they need to be vocal about it like two rival baseball teams. It's okay to have some spirited competition, but that's all it should be.
Do you have any news on the Shazam sequel?
It's official now. Apparently they have tapped Henry Gayden to get writing. I know not a thing about it. I have been included in conversations about how we're going to go forward, but that has been very cursory. I love selling the movie and will have to when it's ready to come out, so it's great to be included. I have every faith we'll collectively figure out a great idea. My only thing is I hope we shoot it ASAP because these kids are growing way too fast!  
The hairiest real life situation for a hero...
"I went to my very first Premier League match: Arsenal verses Tottenham at White Hart Lane (Tottenham's former ground). I was in the visitor's section in the little corner with the Arsenal fans. I was with all these American actors. It was when I was doing the TV series Chuck. Me and Jared Padalecki from Supernatural were like, 'great we get to go to a game'. None of us had any idea what kind of tickets they had got us. And then we find out we're in the visitor's section in one of the fiercest derbies. All the Spurs fans were around us looking over, making gestures and screaming. I thought: 'what is happening? I am an American. I'm not part of whatever war is happening!'"
Zachary on his Dubai and MEFCC visit
"I really didn't know how incredibly international this city is. I didn't know how many people from Europe and all over Asia live here. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the fans out here and learning about the culture and the city. I like people. I hope I get to use the platform I've been given in my life to love people and bring them together more. At conventions I get to look people in the eye and say, 'hey I see and appreciate you. We can learn from each other.'"
david@khaleejtimes.com