‘Adults’ Star Julian Manjerico Breaks Down Zack-Carlos’s Season 2 Terrors (Exclusive)

When it comes to classic sitcoms, there’s always a character that terrorizes the main friend group, and in the world of Adults, that figure is Zack-Carlos, who is portrayed by the hilariously theatrical Julian Manjerico.

For many who have tuned into FX‘s comedy from creators Rebecca Shaw and Ben Kronengold, Zack-Carlos easily draws comparisons to Friends‘ Janice (Maggie Wheeler). Always eager to find a way into the friend group comprised of Samir (Malik Elassal), Billie (Lucy Freyer), Issa (Amita Rao), Anton (Owen Thiele), and Paul Baker (Jack Innanen), Season 2 welcomed the divisive character back for the episode, “Room Swap,” when he had a one-night stand with Anton.

As he tried to meddle his way into the house for good, a carbon monoxide leak left him at odds with the group when they left him behind, forcing firemen to save the unwanted guest from the confines of Samir’s parents’ house. Below, Manjerico opens up about the sitcom comparisons Zack-Carlos has drawn, from Janice to New Girl‘s Schmidt (Max Greenfield), as well as improv moments, and hopes for Season 3, which has yet to be greenlit.

Zack-Carlos has drawn some major Janice from Friends comparisons. How do you feel about wearing that metaphorical crown in the Adults universe? 

Julian Manjerico: I’ve never seen Friends. Everyone keeps saying, “Oh, you’re like Janice,” and I go, “Who the f**k is Janice?” And part of me [doesn’t] wanna look her up. I don’t think I wanna see that because I think I’m gonna start thinking about putting the comparisons in, and it’s so funny; I’ve always hated the annoying characters that come up, and it’s so funny to now play one. I love these characters, though; it’s very fun to have that full-circle moment of, like, oh, they are needed to add some zazz to the season, you know?

FX

You make a grand entrance on the staircase. Was there any room for improv during those moments? 

So, the first season, Nick Kroll, was the director of my episode, and it was terrifying because it was the last episode, so the cast was already bonded. But during lunch, before I filmed anything, Nick sat down and was like, “Did you meet any of the main cast?” I was like, “No,” and he brought me over to the popular table, and he was like, “Hey guys, Julian’s gonna sit with you. Alright, bye.” And then I started to get to know them, and I was like, OK, these are normal people; I can just calm the hell down. Then we got to filming, and I’m supposed to be the comedic relief for these scenes, and thank god Nick Kroll was on set and directing because I think he noticed that I wanted to do more; I had a lot more ideas in my head, and he started to play with me.

He was in Video Village, and I could just hear him, like the voice of god, and he was just giving me so much stuff to play with. In the wedding scene that we did, I think I had five lines, but then by the end of it all the cameras were on me, just picking up all the bulls**t I was doing, and it was a great like foundation for whenever I go back. Now it’s like, OK, let’s get the script stuff done, and then let’s let him do whatever the hell he wants. So the sucking on the tooth was improv’d, and then the cable wires were improv’d too. The dancing that I did… they just let me dance, and I remember [the cast] were like on the couch, and Jack was looking away with tears streaming down his face; he couldn’t even look at me.

I love being there because for Season 2, especially… I used up everything that I possibly could to deliver a great performance. I know that I did a good job if I had fun and if I made the crew break with this character. I want everyone to just be having fun.

Ben teased that he pitched you a Season 3 storyline for Zack-Carlos; are there a few words you could share to tease it?

Multiplying, sex, rock and roll.

Was it discussed that Zack-Carlos’s robe was an homage to Schmidt’s kimono from New Girl?

FX

I think someone on TikTok did do the comparison of it, and I do remember seeing that in an Instagram reel. I remember in college everyone just kept saying, “Oh, like you’re Schmidt from New Girl. Like I could totally see you doing Schmidt stuff,” and I was like, “S**t, what are you talking about?” Then I looked up clips of him on YouTube, and he does have the exact same energy that I love to bring to a set as well. It seems like he’s just having fun and honoring the clown side of him, which is what we all should be doing – that inner child stuff.

Do you think Zack-Carlos still wants to be the next roommate to join the mix after they left him behind during the carbon monoxide leak?

I love how it ended in Season 2, and also the fireman hated me that day. He was very sweet, but he had to carry me for 20 takes, and he was huge, but I’m huge too, so it’s [a lot]. It definitely ended with like some [threat of] revenge, so I’m very excited to see what happens to me when I come back. Maybe I take over Anton’s company, and he doesn’t know… and it’s my goal to get him fired or something. I think there’s gonna be a mean side of him. And then by the end everything’s fine, but I’m still not allowed [in the house].

Zack-Carlos has been married to Issa and hooked up with Anton. Is there anyone else from the friend group in his crosshairs, or was all of it a ploy to get into the house? 

I should probably write some character stuff about Zach-Carlos [down], because I literally show up and I’m like, OK, how can I make the cameraman break? And then the character comes from that, but I would say, when I was dancing and doing improv, I just kept looking at Jack… So, I think maybe Paul Baker is next. Who wouldn’t, you know what I mean?

FX

Homewrecker too! Paul Baker and Anton just got together. 

I know. Oh no!

Wow, that’s his evil mission?

Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. Also, I wanna say it’s so funny. I remember when it was first being made, the auditions for Season 1, and Paul Baker is [described as] a bisexual queer guy in a comedy, and I’m also bisexual, and seeing the character, I was like, “Oh, I would go in for this.” But I know that if I went in and then I saw Zack-Carlos on stage, I’d be like, “Oh, I want to do that instead.” It’s very funny how similar Zack-Carlos and Paul Baker are, but I think a couple of brain cells differentiate us a lot.

When it came to Zack-Carlos’s grand entrance post-hookup with Anton, what was your favorite bit of choreography?

Oh my god, I quoted Anora, and I was on the floor like a mermaid basically, and I was like, “I’m eating my food. I’m eating my food. I’m eating,” and then I also made a French omelet, the Gordon Ramsay way. We couldn’t use the take because I couldn’t finish it without laughing, but that was me at 2:30 [in the morning], and that was definitely my favorite thing I came up with because it was just stream of consciousness. My body found the rhyme, I guess.

I love that they’ve created him into a creature, you know? For Season 3 as well, I would love to do a day in the life of Zack-Carlos, and it’s a bottle episode from his POV, [like] when you put those cameras on cats’ collars, and it’s like that running under the cars and stuff. I just want that to be part of it… I’m obviously a cat running.

Zack Carlos isn’t completely useless to the friends, though, and even provides some wisdom about Issa’s “weird little guy” status to Billie. 

I really loved filming that scene because it was the first scene where I wasn’t just talking to the group. It felt one-on-one, and I remember the director was like, “OK, Lucy, it’s as if you’re entering the cave of Zack-Carlos,” and it’s like she’s entering the battlefield. So it felt like a superhero talking to a supervillain, and it was nice to also have a part in the plot where it’s like I’m teaching her a lesson.

FX’s Adults, Season 2, Streaming now, Hulu