‘Ghosts’ Star Román Zaragoza Talks ‘Exciting’ New Episode Alongside His Father (Exclusive)

After a nearly one-month hiatus, Ghosts returned to CBS tonight and the episode centering around Román Zaragoza’s character Sasappis had some very special meaning for the series star. In the episode “Ghostwriter,” which finds the Native American house ghost offering to help Sam (Rose McIver) complete the B&B website so that she and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) can start taking reservations and get their business booming. But as things come to a head between Sam and Sasappis over creative differences, there was a deeper story at the core of the season’s 14th episode. One that finds Zaragoza sharing some very heartfelt and weighty scenes with his real-life father, Gregory Zaragoza — best known for his roles in Last of the Mohicans, Stumptown, and Yellowstone.

In an exclusive with PopCulture.com, Zaragoza admits the moments they shared together for the Ghosts episode was “so much fun,” he says with hopes to share more scenes with him for future episodes. “My dad has never played my father professionally so that was really exciting to actually have that experience,” he said. “My dad is the reason I really got into this industry and wanted to be an actor. We’ve been doing it for so long now and so it just meant a lot to have him on set and for us to just play alongside each other. It was so much fun. We had a really good time. It was a really beautiful experience.”

Humbled to “illuminate” Sasappis’ backstory a little bit and “tease” how he is the way he is or why he is, Zaragoza understands his character is more than a layered, nuanced character on primetime TV. His is a face rarely represented on TV. However, Ghosts, with all its joys of smart writing and casting has changed the very conversation about what togetherness really means through inclusion and representation. “It’s been so incredibly meaningful because, for me, I’m just one person in this whole creative process,” he said .”I’m the actor. I’m the image of the character, for sure. But there are so many other native artists that are part of this project as well that I love highlighting. Because without them, this character would not be who he is.”

Zaragoza adds the show’s value stems not just in its own storytelling and performances, but in how transforming diversity can be on a larger scale. “Diversity can be from people from different backgrounds and walks of life. But also about different time periods and how even with that very big differences between all of us, we can also come together and become one big happy family,” he said. “I hope people can see that and really see the ties between life and death because this show means so much to me and I’m just really grateful.”

Giving a shout-out to Joe Baker, the show’s Native American Lenape consultant, Zaragoza adds having him on the show has been both a blessing and a humbling opportunity to learn more about our nation’s ancestors.  “To be able to ask him questions and check in with him about anything Lenape — it’s been really, really exciting to have him on the project,” he said adding how the addition of Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s John Timothy, has also helped illuminate the history of indigenous peoples. “Having that representation in the writer’s room is so important, so that has made me feel really safe and really excited a bit more about this project too. It’s not just a Native actor. We have a Native writer, a consultant, and we even had an amazing language expert for this episode by the name of Jim Rementer, so he was great.”

Zaragoza adds it was “really exciting to see all the different Native artists and creatives that were working on this episode and this whole series.” The 25-year-old goes on to thank Ghosts showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman for “being open” and engaging in these “fun discussions” about Sasappis and the Native reputation. “It’s been a really great process and experience.”

Now that fans get a glimpse of Sasappis’ backstory in “Ghostwriter,” Zaragoza teases fans can expect to see the house ghosts become closer, an aspect he finds “exciting” to explore, especially romantically in light of his past making a peek in “Flower’s Article.” “I think we’re still waiting to see who Sas is going to fall in love with. Or if he will. Or who knows? But yeah, there’s still so much open and I’m really excited for the episodes that are going to be airing the rest of the season because they are so funny and they’re big and exciting. I’m really excited!”

Fans eager to learn more about Sasappis can also expect the character to be “coming out of his cynicism a little” more, according to Zaragoza. “He’s still very cynical. He’s going to be very sarcastic he’s going to be there to be supportive and I’m excited to see that. There’s an episode down the way where I’m helping one of the ghosts — I’m illuminating a part of his past. I think it’s exciting to see it,” he said. “This journey with Sam and Jay coming to the house has kind of brought a new part of Sasappis out and so I’m excited for people to see that.”

With the show playing to a “beautiful commentary on really big issues” while “trying to make people laugh,” Zaragoza says the reception from fans has been “unreal” for him and his co-stars, McIver, Ambudkar, Asher Grodman, Brandon Scott Jones, Rebecca Wiscocky, Devan Long, Sheila Carrasco, Danielle Pinnock and Richie Moriarity. “It’s a very new feeling. I’m just so grateful,” he said. “Taking one day at a time and just really counting my blessings because when you make art and you are part of a project, you’re going into it thinking ‘I just want to create, to create. I’m excited to work with these people and if it’s received well, that’s awesome. If it doesn’t that’s okay.’ But it feels so good to have people really excited about the show and have people excited to see more. So, it’s really exciting and I’m just counting my blessings.”

Ghosts airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. Those interested in seeing all Paramount+ has to offer can click here for a free streaming offer.