Ian Ziering 'begrudgingly' took part in Sharknado for SAG healthcare
Ian Ziering only took part in Sharknado for SAG union healthcare and had no idea the six-part franchise would take off as it did.
‘Sharknado' star Ian Ziering "begrudgingly" took part in the movie for healthcare coverage.
The former ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ actor took the job portraying former surfer Fin Shepard in the six-part franchise - which kicked off in 2013 and also starred Tara Reid, 47, and John Heard, 71 - in order to qualify for the full benefits of being part of the Screen Actors Guild, the actors union currently striking for better working conditions, including health insurance, after his agent promised him the flick would flop and nobody would see it.
The made-for-television science-fiction comedy disaster film was directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, whose credits before then included the 2005 horror 'Boo' and dark fantasy 'Hansel and Gretel'.
The 59-year-old actor told DailyMail.com: “This was supposed to go right to DVD and disappear. That's what my agent said, "Don't worry about it. No one's going to see it." And I'm like, ‘Oh, alright’.
“It was all about making the nut for healthcare that's provided by my union and that movie did that.
“So, I did it begrudgingly, but as with everything, they hired me as an actor. I show up, I do my work. I do the best that I can, and I had a lot of fun, that's for sure.
"I did not have a lot of confidence. Actually, I didn't really care. I didn't think anyone was going to see this movie. So, I had fun with it, and it turned into Sharknado one two, three, four, five, six.”
The ‘Happily Divorced’ star called the series “the best, worst movie people ever saw” as he spoke about the potential for more.
Ian said: “It's all about those that hold the strings and if they decide they want to do it again.
“There is certainly a fan base. We stopped making them because interest had weighed, production costs had gone up and it just wasn't cost-effective.
“But everything old is new again. 'We are talking about the 10-year anniversary and next year we'll talk about the 10-year anniversary of Sharknado 2, right?”
The former ‘The Apprentice’ star also spilled that he was permitted to do his own stunts because it would “save some money”.
He added: “‘Sure Ian. You could do it. We just saved 900 bucks on the stunt. Man, go ahead. You're great.’”
The first film tells the tale of a waterspout that lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them in Los Angeles.
