Whatever Happened To Billy From Gremlins?
The cute and cuddly Mogwai known as Gizmo is arguably the star of 1984's "Gremlins," but the Joe Dante-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced horror comedy's actual protagonist is played by Zach Galligan, who was a complete unknown at the time. The up-and-coming actor beat out the likes of Emilio Estevez and Judd Nelson to win the role of Billy Peltzer, a bank worker who receives Gizmo as a Christmas present from his father. Billy unwittingly unleashes the gremlins when his friend spills water on Gizmo, breaking one of the three rules (the other two being don't feed him after midnight and avoid exposing him to bright light).
While the family-aimed film received some complaints for its violence and horror elements, Galligan was praised for his performance and looked set to become a star in Hollywood. After all, his first major film had been a huge success and he had already worked with two of the biggest names in the industry in Dante and Spielberg. Unfortunately, this never came to pass and Galligan was largely forgotten, remembered only for his role in the "Gremlins" franchise. However, this doesn't mean that he actually disappeared from the face of the Earth. Since the release of "Gremlins," the actor has remained busy with a number of projects both on and off the screen.
He chose college over Hollywood
Despite being the star of one of the biggest movies of the year, by the time that "Gremlins" was released in 1984, Zach Galligan was still relatively young. In fact, before landing the lead role in the film, he was completing his sophomore year at Columbia University. In an interview with The Washington Post to promote the movie, Galligan explained that he intended to finish his education at Columbia, where he was studying 20th century history. He also revealed he was avoiding acting classes, at least initially, so he could fully concentrate on his schoolwork. "I don't want to mix business with pleasure," he said. "Right now, acting, though I take it seriously, is really pleasure, and schoolwork is business. I don't want to mix the two."
However, in later years the actor suggested that it may have been a mistake to go back to college rather than take advantage of the success of "Gremlins" and the momentum it created. Instead, he had only a few minor roles in the next few years and then found it more difficult to find acting work. Galligan has since confirmed that his parents insisted he continue his studies so he had a stable future to fall back on if acting didn't work out. "When you're out of sight, you're out of mind," he explained to Fox News. "My parents wanted me to go to Columbia University and get my degree, which I did... but in Hollywood, you have to strike when the iron is hot."
He watched his actor friends battle addiction
When Zach Galligan returned to Los Angeles from New York in 1988 hoping to relaunch his career, he found that he wasn't in demand as much as he had hoped. While away from Hollywood, he had only been able to audition via videotape, which he felt put him at a disadvantage compared to actors who could try out in front of directors and producers. One of the roles he sent an audition tape in for was that of Marty McFly in "Back to the Future," which of course went to Michael J. Fox. However, even upon his return to Tinseltown, he still found it hard to secure roles due to the fact that he had been out of the spotlight for a while.
Galligan openly admits to spending too much time partying after returning to Los Angeles as a result of having little work, and he now feels that prioritizing his studies as a young man was a wise move. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he confirmed that he was friends with both Corey Feldman and River Phoenix and saw first-hand the addiction issues the two suffered, something he managed to avoid. He believes that returning to New York when he did may well have saved his life, even if it did stunt his acting career. "I could have moved to L.A, made three or four more movies, become a household name and wrapped myself around a tree when I was 23. I would have been dead by now."
He reprised the role of Billy in a divisive sequel
Six years after the release of the first film, much of the original cast returned for "Gremlins 2: The New Batch." Zach Galligan reprised the role of Billy Peltzer, who now lives in New York. He rescues Gizmo from the eccentric billionaire who took the Mogwai after the death of Mr. Wing (Keye Luke). As everyone who went to see the movie no doubt expected, Gizmo comes into contact with water once again and quickly spawns a number of gremlins that go on a rampage in a high-rise building. It's then up to Billy and Kate (Phoebe Cates, who Galligan had a huge crush on when they filmed the first movie) to help put a stop to the danger and kill the genetically enhanced gremlins.
While "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" did receive many positive reviews, the overall critical reception was not quite as good as its predecessor. On top of that, the sequel proved to be a box office disappointment, grossing an estimated $40 million, over than $100 million less than "Gremlins." The financial failure of the film may well have contributed to Galligan being unable to land large franchise roles again, though he has defended the film over the years. "It's almost a satire of the first one," Galligan told Yahoo Entertainment at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022. "I don't think anyone's done that since, before or after. And so I think the whole meta thing about it, or postmodern or however you want to describe it, threw a lot of people off."
He continued acting after Gremlins 2
Although Zach Galligan may not have become a household name or have been involved in other established franchises in his career, that doesn't mean he has stopped acting altogether. Over the last three decades, he has continued to appear in a wide range of television and film projects on both sides of the pond. Immediately after the release of "Gremlins 2: The New Batch," Galligan reprised the role of college student Mark Loftmore in the dark fantasy comedy film "Waxwork II: Lost in Time." Picking up right after the events of 1988's "Waxwork," the sequel sees Mark and Sarah (Monika Schnarre) travel to a variety of different worlds inspired by "Alien," "Godzilla," "Dawn of the Dead," and more.
In the late-90s, Galligan continued to have minor roles in all kinds of movies and television series, with guest appearances on high-profile shows like "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." This continued into the 2000s, with a role in "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and also "7th Heaven." However, these have been mainly smaller parts or one-off appearances in just one or two episodes. Major roles have been hard to come by, but his love of acting keeps him coming back. In 2022, he plied his trade in the independent film "Sacred Grounds: Forbidden," in which he plays a Sasquatch hunter.
He started a blog
In 2006, Zach Galligan began an online blog that he continued to update for a few years, making his final post in 2009. The content included almost every aspect of the actor's life, with Galligan discussing his work and career as well as his personal life and interests. He often posted photographs of filming locations when working on a project and was candid about almost everything that happened to him during that time.
Something that Galligan blogged about frequently was the United Kingdom, with the actor admitting that he is a big fan of English pop culture and had spent a lot of time in the country for filming and when visiting conventions. This was later backed up in an interview with Den of Geek, where the actor spoke of his love for the country. "I love England and I love English culture, particularly English pop culture," he said. "I was just over there in October for my friend's wedding and my wife had never been to London before so we had a great time. Doing a lot of touristy things, and a lot of untouristy things."
He's a teacher and a writer
Outside of his work on the screen, Zach Galligan likes to pass on his knowledge of acting to students. According to the "Gremlins" star, he has been involved in teaching auditioning classes at Stonestreet Studios, the official studio partner of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. The actor told Den of Geek that he regularly uses the classic British comedy film "Withnail & I," starring Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, in his classes. "I've seen Withnail & I maybe 50 times," he explained. "I show it in my classes when I want to teach some comedy."
Another passion of his is creative writing, something that he first began doing while at university. Speaking in another interview with Den of Geek, Galligan revealed he has been writing a novel that deals with the "effect of celebrity on people's perceptions." He has also developed two screenplays, one a romantic comedy and the other a film called "Apple Scruff." In the latter story, two girls become obsessed with The Beatles and follow them as they record the album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." He called it a "charming tale" and revealed that it has "been optioned by the British actor Cary Elwes."
He won awards for the horror film Bad Candy
One of the biggest roles that Zach Galligan has had in recent times is that of radio DJ Paul in 2020's "Bad Candy." He stars alongside Slipknot and Stone Sour lead singer Corey Taylor as two radio hosts telling Halloween stories set in their local town. "Bad Candy" is essentially a horror anthology series where the DJs act as narrators as the stories unfold on screen, with an ensemble cast bringing the tales to life.
Although the film received a mixed reception from critics, it won some praise for the way it doesn't rely on the usual horror tropes and received many nominations for various awards. It won the Audience Choice Award for best horror feature at the Green Bay Film Festival, and Galligan was part of the cast that won best diverse cast at the Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival. Elsewhere, he picked up the best actor gong at the 2020 Freak Show Horror Film Festival, an awards ceremony celebrating independent horror films.
He got arrested for alleged shoplifting
Like many celebrities who have largely disappeared from the limelight, Zach Galligan has had some issues with the law. Yet, in his case, it was seemingly only a minor issue that didn't cause any significant controversy for the actor or impact his career in a negative way. In January 2003, multiple reports emerged that he had been arrested as part of an investigation into shoplifting. The Huron Daily Tribune and The Michigan Daily both stated that Galligan was apprehended after he allegedly stole a Deep Purple CD from a Tower Records store.
The actor was initially taken into custody by security guards after they claimed to have noticed him hiding the CD on his person in the store. Sgt. Bruce Thomas of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that he was booked and held for approximately four hours, although it is unclear if he was ever charged or issued with a citation. After his arrest, Galligan was reported to have told a deputy, "This is the stupidest thing I've ever done."
He gave directing a shot
Although much of Zach Galligan's work has focused on acting and writing, he has also tried his hand at directing, at least, in a small way: He helmed four episodes of the web series "The 47th Floor" in 2012. Created by Gary O. Bennett and produced by Alyssa Rallo Bennett, "The 47th Floor" is described as a unique historical web series. It focuses on a mysterious company known as the M Corporation, and Ghost Island, a location created out of the atomic bomb that detonated over Nagasaki.
Most people won't have heard of "The 47th Floor," as it was mainly a student project that featured a cast made up of actors from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Each of the seven seasons features a brand new cast of graduating seniors who have been involved with the Stonestreet Screen Acting Studios NYU. That may well explain Galligan's connection with the series, considering that he has done some teaching at Stonestreet.
He has made numerous appearances as himself on television
Zach Galligan's appearances on television have not all been as an actor. In fact, he has been a regular fixture on all kinds of talk shows, documentaries, retrospective series, and panel shows. According to IMDb, he has a total of 28 non-acting credits dating back to 1990, when he appeared as a guest on "Flix Summer Movies" to promote the release of "Gremlins 2: The New Batch."
Many of these appearances have been in shows looking back at classic films, such as "The Greatest 80s Movies" and "The 100 Greatest Family Films," where he discusses his part in "Gremlins." However, he also contributed to the Dick Miller documentary "That Guy Dick Miller," having acted alongside him in both "Gremlins" and "Gremlins 2: The New Batch." Galligan has also made appearances in various documentaries discussing the making of the films over the years.
More recently, Galligan has made appearances in a variety of talk shows and panel shows. He was a guest on a 2018 episode of "Comics, Beer & Sci-Fi" and showed up on "The Indie Lounge" two years earlier. 2016 also saw him appear on the British show "Celebrity Juice" as a panelist and he later helped make a mini-movie remake of "Gremlins" on "The Keith and Paddy Picture Show."
He worked on a steampunk-inspired prog-rock album
Zach Galligan's acting work has not been limited to television and film. In 2016, his voice was featured on the album "The Clockwork Fable" by progressive rock band Gandalf's Fist. The British band, which was formed in 2005, has a unique format for the three-disc rock-opera album, as each song is preceded and followed by a radio play scene that features various actors portraying characters in an overarching narrative. It is an unusual project, with the interspersed dramatic sequences connecting to the songs in interesting ways.
The concept album tells the story of a fictional land known as Cogtopolis, which is ruled by The Primarch in a brutal dictatorship. Galligan was announced as part of the cast in February 2016 alongside other actors such as Mark Benton, Tim Munro, Bill Fellows, and Paul Kavanagh. He portrays The Steam Ranger, once a trusted follower of The Primarch who guarded his palace. He gets imprisoned after rising up against his ruler and is forced to ally himself with his former enemies to survive.
He reprised his Gremlins role for a Mountain Dew commercial
Zach Galligan returned to his role as Billy alongside the lovable Mogwai Gizmo as part of a commercial series for Mountain Dew. This was part of the drinks company's "As Good as the Original, Maybe Even Better" campaign, featuring classic film characters. In this case, they used the two leading figures from "Gremlins," as Gizmo demands to try the drink and soon ends up writhing around as he once again begins spawning Gremlins around the home. The commercial also saw Howie Mandel lend his voice to the Mogwai again, reuniting the two actors on screen.
In an interview with ComicBook.com, Galligan revealed that he was immediately receptive to the idea of a reunion when he was approached by Mountain Dew. He was also impressed with the way the team behind the commercial sought out his feedback throughout the process and kept him "in the loop," something that isn't common in the industry. This made working on the commercial and returning to the world of "Gremlins" a far more interesting idea than it might have been otherwise.
The actor also admitted that he got emotional being back in a room with a puppet that looked exactly the same as his old friend. "You just get thrown back, close to 40 years," he explained. "All of those thoughts and feelings that you experienced back in 1983, it comes back with a vividness that is very difficult to describe to someone who has not been through the experience."
He returned to the Gremlins franchise for the animated series and he wants a third film
The Mountain Dew commercial is not the only time that Zach Galligan has returned to the "Gremlins" franchise in recent years. In 2023, Steven Spielberg and Tze Chun developed the animated television series "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai," with original director Joe Dante serving as a consulting producer. It acts as a prequel to the two earlier films and explains how Sam Wing met the Mogwai known as Gizmo and tried to reunite the creature with his family, despite the best efforts of a number of mythical beasts from Chinese folklore.
As "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai" is set many years before "Gremlins," Galligan cannot portray Billy. He instead lends his voice to a character credited as Henchman #2 and plays the role across five episodes of the 10-episode first season. Speaking to UPI, the actor confirmed he was excited to appear in the series and was looking forward to playing a character very different from Billy. "He had a kind of lovable gruffness about him," Galligan said. "Billy works in a bank and is affirmatively white collar, and this character is clearly a bit more blue collar, so it was fun to try a character like that."
Galligan has also spoken many times about his hopes for a third "Gremlins" film. He told the BBC that he would love to see a sequel rather than a reboot, and he also told SyFy that he feels the animated series could be a "stepping stone" to a new live-action "Gremlins" movie if it is successful.