Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538811
1. What's been the most defining moment in your career so far? I wouldn't say I have a defining moment yet—I've only been in the industry for five years—but I can point to a period that changed my perspective completely. I spent a year abroad in Spain without doing anything creative (apart from a few voices over ads here and there), and the absence made me realise just how important the arts were to me. When I returned to Malta, I was determined to get more involved whenever I could, and so far, I've kept it up. 2. As a creative, how do you navigate the world and speed of social media? I tend to keep my social media use to a minimum, mainly to share updates and promote any upcoming or ongoing projects that I'm working on. In today's world, it seems like just being good at your craft isn't enough—visibility matters just as much. Without an active online presence, your work risks going unnoticed, and that could limit opportunities. This applies to nearly all industries. Plenty of people have urged me to get on TikTok, saying I'm missing out on a huge platform for promotion and creativity. They're probably right, but I'm simply not comfortable showing my face online outside of my work. It's a strange contrast. I've appeared in adverts, series, and films, yet prefer to keep my personal life out of the digital spotlight. Go figure. That said, I do maintain a website as my portfolio (bernardz.com), where people can see some of my work in one place. For now, I'm happy letting my work speak for itself. That mindset pushes me to deliver my best, maintain professionalism, and treat even the smallest projects with the same level of commitment as the biggest ones. 3. Do you consider artificial intelligence a threat to your career, or an opportunity? Oh, for sure. AI is already reshaping the creative industry, and yes, I see it as a real threat. We're already seeing adverts, posters, songs and even comedy sketches created with AI instead of using real actors, singers and models. In many cases, the results are already convincing and the technology is advancing at a speed that no one, not even the people driving AI forward, fully understand. Voice-over work is already feeling the impact too. In Maltese, it's not quite there yet at the time of writing, but it's only a matter of time. For me the threat is twofold: it's not only impacting acting and voice-over works, but also my full-time profession as a software developer, so I've been considering other career options for my future. I don't think people are taking it as seriously as they should. Theatre feels safer for now. AI would need to perfectly replicate human emotion and physicality before it could replace live per- formers, and I'm confident in saying we're a long way from that. Still, the pace of change is unsettling and that unpredictability is exactly why we need to take it seriously. 4. How do you stay motivated and inspired, especially during tough times or when the work feels hard? For me, motivation starts with choosing the right project. If the script excites me and the collaborators—especially the director—are dedicated and passionate, that's already half the battle. I look for people who are willing to work hard and push each other creative- ly, because that energy is contagious. Of course, I never expect everything to go per- fectly, but I want to know that the work will challenge me and help me grow as an actor. I also make sure the timing is right. If I'm overloaded or not in the right headspace, I would rather pass than risk delivering a performance I'm not proud of. Being fully present makes it easier to stay focused when rehearsals get intense. During difficult moments—these have been few and far between—I remind myself that my character's emotions and my own need to stay separate. Letting personal feelings leak into the role can undo weeks of work, so I tend to focus on breathwork before a rehearsal or performance. And when the process feels demanding, I take it as a good sign—the director is pushing me because they know I can deliver. 5. How do you balance your creative instincts with the expectations of your audience or collaborators? So far, I've been fortunate enough to work with directors who gave me room to exper- iment with a character, while offering sug- gestions that strengthen the performance rather than restricting it. That freedom is invaluable. They chose me in the audition because they trusted I could handle the role, so I feel it's my responsibility to explore it fully. It's always a two-way process. Discussions about the character are ongoing throughout rehearsals, making sure we stay as aligned as possible. That collaboration helps me push boundaries while still respecting the director's vision. As for the audience, I'll be blunt—when I'm on stage, they don't exist. At least not in my mind. By that point, the cast and crew have done the work, I've done mine, and my focus is on delivering truthful- ly in the moment. The audience simply joins us for the journey we've built. This approach keeps me true to my instincts while ensuring the final performance honours the shared vision of everyone involved. 6. How do you approach a new project? Do you have a specific process or routine you follow? I'll focus on theatre, since those projects usually involve two to three months of rehearsals. When I first get the script, I read it once without taking notes, just to absorb the sto- ry. Then I go through it again, highlighting all my character's lines and actions. From there, I start with the basics by answering Stanislavski's five 'Ws': Who is my character? Where does their story take place? When does it occur? What do they want? Why do they want it? As I move from scene to scene, I note how these answers change, because those shifts often reveal the character's journey. Once I've done that homework, I discuss it with the director—this step is crucial to make sure nothing important is missed or misunderstood. Then I expand each W into a more detailed backstory. The character evolves from the first rehearsal to the final performance, and I enjoy seeing that growth. Some people like to watch other renditions of the production from the start, but I usually wait until about halfway through rehearsals. Partly it's out of curiosity, and partly to see what I can borrow from another actor's interpretation without directly mirroring their performance. That delay helps me keep my own creative instincts intact before being influenced by someone else's choices. After the run ends, I like to ask audience members whether they saw Bernard acting, or simply believed the character. The answer's never been a perfect "yes" to the latter—I respect that, and that's my fuel to keep learning and improving. 7. Can you let us in on some of the future projects, works? I don't have any theatre projects lined up yet, however I am currently involved in a large national project, providing voices for educational videos that will be shown in classrooms for Year 7 students. I would also like to explore a diploma in acting to build on my studies, but it's not high on my list at the moment. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 AUGUST 2025 BOOKS The possibility of falling short PAGE 2 ART MSA announces winter courses featuring vibrant new offerings PAGE 3 ARTS • TV • WHAT'S ON BY LAURA CALLEJA suggestions by email lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt The Q & A BERNARD ZAMMIT 7 questions for... Extra round What's the most memorable or trans- formative role you've played, and what did you learn from it? In 2022 I performed in It-Talent Li Jmiss, a short play written by Gilbert Mallia and staged at the Bormla Short Play Festival of that year. We were a troupe of clowns, and there was no dialogue, it was purely physical. That was a first for me, and it complete- ly shifted my appreciation for the discipline and precision that clowning demands. Every gesture, every movement had to be deliberate and honest, because without words there's nowhere to hide. It was physically demanding but deeply rewarding, and it's a style of performance I'd love to revisit in the future. The play went on to win Best Production, and three of my fellow cast members won Best Actor/Actress awards—a testament to the talent and teamwork that made it such a memo- rable experience. Bernard started acting in 2019, discovering a passion for the craft after one acting workshop. Soon after, he landed his first television role as Ranjeet in TakeTwo's comedy Min Imissu? and made his first stage debut in MADC's annual One Act Plays, winning Best Actor for his role as Paul in Nina. Since then, he has appeared in a variety of television, voice- over, and stage productions, most recently portraying the Duke of Albany in MADC's King Lear. MaltaToday is supported by Arts Council Malta PHOTO: JUSTIN MAMO