EoM Senior Interviewer Thomas Manning recently spoke again with actor and martial artist Marko Zaror, this time focusing on his sci-fi action thriller Affinity. Directed by Brandon Slagle, Affinity features Zaror in his first English-language lead role, starring alongside Louis Mandylor, Brooke Ence, and Jane Mirro.
Marko Zaror as Bruno in AFFINITY. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA.
In this conversation, Zaror talks about the long gestation of this project over a number of years and the importance of character-driven action storytelling.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Thomas Manning: The very first time we see you in this film, it’s an extreme close-up on your eyes, and that’s something that we return to over the course of the film – these close-ups on your eyes and your face. I’m curious for you as an actor, what are some things going through your mind [in those moments] and significant things that you have to consider for yourself with those tight close-ups on your face?
Marko Zaror: Well, I think each moment is different. The eyes are very important to express what’s going on inside. Sometimes it even changes from take to take. You want to connect with that emotional content. And sometimes it’s not about thinking about something. It’s not about remembering something that happened. It’s just to be in the moment and be aware. Sometimes it’s gratitude. When you just surrender to the moment – for me, it works when I try to be so aware of what’s going on and understand what’s going on. And suddenly, that’s how emotions start flowing. It’s being very aware and understanding why you’re there, and then things happen. You just open yourself. I like to listen to some music before a scene, and some music and some types of instruments open different doors and leave me ready – then, when I sit in front of a camera and the scene starts, things start happening. It’s not so calculated, it’s so strange. But that’s how it works for me.
Thomas Manning: “Affinity” is directed by Brandon Slagle, and this is your first time working with him. What stood out to you about his direction and his voice as a filmmaker that made that collaboration work?
Marko Zaror: For me, this was a strange project in that [regard], because this was a script that I wrote a long time ago, and I had a very clear vision of what I wanted. This I created with my partner Ernesto Diaz [Espinoza] – [we did] Kiltro, The Fist of the Condor – and I had a very clear idea of how I wanted to tell this story. Then, because there was conflict with the schedule, the producers introduced me to Brandon. He came in and understood, “Okay, this is Marko’s vision.” And then he supported me with the acting, directing the acting. But he was very involved in co-creating – picking the locations, the casting, the colors, the wardrobe. He was very cool to let me tell my story the way I wanted to tell it, and he just supported me as a director. It was a very different project. It’s not like I got called as an actor to tell this story. Basically, it was a story I wanted to tell, and then I had a team around me to help me deliver that.
Thomas Manning: You mentioned Ernesto, and he edited the film as well. And of course, the cinematographer on this film, Niccolo De La Fere – I know you’ve worked with him quite a few times. I really love the way the camera flows in and out of the fight choreography. So I imagine for you, you have a lot of trust in Niccolo and the camera operators there on set – but also Ernesto, that he’s going to make you look good in the edit. So you’re probably not too worried about everybody else doing their job because you trust them, and you can just focus on your fight scenes in the moment. Is that a pretty accurate assessment of your creative partnerships with those folks?
Marko Zaror: Oh yeah. Brandon introduced me to Niccolo – he used to work with him – and he told me, “Man, this DP you’re going to love, he’s perfect for this movie.” I met him and we became very good friends. We [connected] right away. He’s a martial artist too. We were doing the pre-vis, we were discussing how to shoot – so yeah, it was a pretty cool thing. I think everything happened for a reason, and I think we came up with a very great team. I’m happy that I was able to bring the movie to Chile, to my people, so I was able to finish the movie with my vision – in Chile, with the same team that did The Fist of the Condor and Kiltro. The music composer, the sound designer, the VFX team in Chile – Poston – they did an amazing job to create this world.
Thomas Manning: And one of my favorite small pieces of the action in this film – there’s a scene involving a guitar. So I have to ask you, was that the first time you’ve ever used a guitar as a weapon in an action movie?
Marko Zaror: Yeah!
Thomas Manning: So where did that idea come from? Did you have an idea of that going into [the movie]?
Marko Zaror: It was part of a set. We were in a restaurant, and the restaurant had musicians. When the set designer presented the set, I started seeing all the elements and was like, “Oh, we definitely need to hit someone with that guitar.” We’re co-creating with the elements that the team was putting together, to kind of always make the fights feel that they belong to a place. Not just doing the pre-vis and then bringing the same pre-vis to a location – sometimes it feels that it’s not organically happening in that space. That’s very important, to make the elements participate in the choreography.
Marko Zaror as Bruno in AFFINITY. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA.
Thomas Manning: And also in this film, you’re working alongside Louis Mandylor. The two of you have had a lot of the same collaborators over the years, and you’ve operated in the same action movie landscape, but this was your first time actually working in a movie together. What was it like finally getting together with an action movie legend like Louis and having a chance to fight side-by-side with him?
Marko Zaror: Amazing, man. He’s an amazing actor, and he helped me so much. We connected right away. That [character] relationship, like a kind of friend-father figure, was amazing. He helped me a lot with the scenes – we worked them a lot. He’s one of those actors that you can see his eyes and see that emotional content there. Right away, when you see that, it helps you so much to go into it. He’s so invested that it’s contagious. Boom, right away he sets the tone and makes you go. It’s amazing.
Thomas Manning: And Louis’ character Joe has a quote in this film: “Life’s about getting kicked in the teeth over and over, but it’s about learning how to take it.” I think that rings true for a lot of people. Is that something you can relate to in your own life? Obviously it’s quite literally true for you as an action star, but metaphorically we all get our teeth kicked in at some point. So what does that quote mean to you?
Marko Zaror: Well, that’s the story of my life, man. That quote – trust me, this has been a long journey. If I tell you all the nos, you receive in this industry – it’s a lot. So if you don’t learn how to keep going, get stronger, learn from each experience, and keep walking – that’s life, man.
Thomas Manning: That’s the truth. And we also get to see a softer side to your performance here with your relationship with Jane Mirro’s character, Athena. Is this one of the most emotionally involved characters you’ve ever played?
Marko Zaror: Yeah, definitely. Because it’s vulnerable. You see a guy that can kill everybody – but a big part of the movie, I’ve got to open myself and be vulnerable next to this character. If you don’t get there, then nothing is justified. Start killing everybody and whatever – if you don’t get to that point that you’re totally totally vulnerable, then everything else will not make any sense. So, of course that was a big challenge to get to that point – to get to that affinity. To get to that point where the big question of this movie is made: How can you replicate affinity? You can replicate a face, you can replicate a body, you can replicate an act – but you cannot replicate the affinity that is created by two human beings. That’s the whole dilemma. I needed to have that affinity and make sure that affinity gets to a point. It was a big challenge. At the same time, how do you get there in little time – it’s not a series of episodes, it’s just one movie.
Thomas Manning: You even get a little rom-com montage there with Athena’s character. And your co-star Louis Mandylor has done a few rom-coms in his day. Let me just say, I’d love to see a full feature-length rom-com with you. I think the people would love to see that.
Marko Zaror: Yeah, man. Well, you know what? It’s kind of coming. I have a movie coming, Dancing in the Ring. It’s a boxing movie where I play a real-life boxer from Chile, Arturo Godoy, that goes to chase the American dream and fights the world title in New York against Joe Louis. But it’s a love story, and it has comedy. It’s a very complex story, because he’s also a dancer. So, yeah, it’s kind of there a little bit.
Thomas Manning: Well, I’ll definitely be looking forward to that film. And congrats on “Affinity.” I really appreciate your time today as always. I know you’ve got a busy day, but thanks for everything you do for action movies. Hopefully we share more conversations in the future.
Marko Zaror: Thanks for the support, man. It’s all about you guys. It’s all about making stuff we all enjoy and spreading the word so we can keep making more.
Official Synopsis:
Chilean martial-arts star Marko Zaror is Bruno, an ex-SEAL struggling with PTSD. He lives a life in fear of his demons until one day when he discovers a beautiful woman with no past of her own. Together they begin to build a life, but when she disappears, Bruno must return to his violent past if he’s going to save her from a shocking conspiracy in this riveting, fast-paced sci-fi action film from director Brandon Slagle.
Available on digital September 30th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Well Go USA Affinity webpage.
Thomas Manning is a member of the NCFCA, SEFCA, and CCA, and also the co-host of the television show and radio program Meet Me at the Movies. He has served as a production assistant and voting member on the Film Selection Committee for the Real to Reel Film Festival. Additionally, he manages his own film review and interview site, The Run-Down on Movies. Manning is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a double-major in Communications and English. His passion for cinema and storytelling is rivaled only by his love for the music of Taylor Swift.
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