Shazam’s 21st century adventure on the big screen is an origin story, so don’t worry too much if you’re going in cold. Just make sure you’re paying attention and enjoy the ride. But even if you aren’t familiar with the characters, you’re certainly going to see a few familiar faces bringing them to life. Here’s why the cast of Shazam! looks so familiar. Oh, and just in case you haven’t seen the movie yet? Spoilers ahead.
Seeing as he’s playing the supersized version of young Billy Batson otherwise known as Shazam Zachary Levi is essentially the face of the film, and probably the most recognizable face all around.
With any luck, Shazam! will give the supremely talented Levi that final push onto the Hollywood A-list. Wondering where you’ve seen him before? Well, Shazam! is hardly Levi’s first superhero flick. The actor last suited up for cosmic action as Fandral alongside his fellow Warriors Three in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
It’s far more likely that you recognize Levi from his extensive work on the small screen. Most recently, he appeared in the short-lived series Heroes Reborn, and starred in the cheeky NBC sitcom Telenovela. He also impressed with a serious turn in Netflix’s marvelous dramatic mini-series Alias Grace. Of course, Levi is probably best known for his work on NBC’s awesome, oft-overlooked action/dramedy Chuck. The actor brought some serious geek energy to his charming portrayal of a directionless post-grad who inadvertently downloads a secretive government computer program into his brain. And yes, it’s every bit as fun as it looks.
Shazam! could also prove the first big break for the actor portraying Billy Batson, the pint-sized version of Levi’s superhero.
We’re guessing that most of you don’t know who Asher Angel is, because he’s just getting started in showbiz.
Some of you may recognize the youngster from his one-off role in the short-lived spin-off series Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. A few of you might also have even seen Angel as the second lead in the 2018 ballet drama Driven to Dance. If not, those of you with the Disney Channel might just recognize Angel as the conspicuously kind-hearted Jonah Beck from the family-friendly comedy Andi Mack. Whether you’re familiar with Angel’s work yet or not, we’re fairly confident you’ll be seeing his face a lot moving forward possibly even in a Shazam! sequel!
The actor playing his precocious, crutch-bound best pal Freddie Freeman has been on the Hollywood radar for few years now.
His name is Jack Dylan Grazer, and he got his first taste of stardom with a brief appearance in 2015’s chilling horror anthology Tales of Halloween. He followed that family-friendly outing with a starring role in the TV series Me, Myself and I, a comedy exploring key moments in a man’s life over three distinct time periods, with Grazer portraying the youngest version of the protagonist. Keep watching the video to see why you recognize the cast of Shazam!
#Shazam #DCEU #ZacharyLevi
Zachary Levi: Shazam | 0:23
Asher Angel: Billy Batson | 1:38
Jack Dylan Grazer – Freddie Freeman | 2:25
Grace Fulton: Mary Bromfield | 3:24
Djimon Hounsou – The Wizard | 4:12
Mark Strong: Dr. Thaddeus Sivana | 5:02
Adam Brody – Super Freddie Freeman | 6:07
Meagan Good: Super Darla Dudley | 6:56
Michelle Borth: Super Mary Bromfield | 8:04
Ross Butler: Super Eugene Choi | 8:50
John Glover: Dr. Sivana’s Father | 9:44