Ghosts: Román Zaragoza Discusses the Story Evolution of Sasappis [Interview]

Ghosts introduced fans to an ensemble of icons, making it near impossible to pick favorites. But there is something about Román Zaragoza’s sarcastic, gossip-loving Sasappis that fans cannot get enough of.

The Lenape storyteller quipped his way into our hearts with blunt jokes and centuries of bottled-up boredom. With Ghosts Season 2 Episode 4, “The Tree,” prepared to do it again, I spoke with Zaragoza about Sas’ most noteworthy (and problematic) outing yet.

“There’s so much I love about this episode with the modern representation of native people on screen and getting to dive more into Sas’ backstory. We get to see some lies and deceit — it’s a lot of fun,” the actor shared.

Our Scheming Storyteller

Indeed, Ghosts chose to explore the ruthlessness of this spirit’s storytelling abilities, and Zaragoza was delighted to showcase Sas’ uglier side.

“It’s amazing that we get to see him as a three-dimensional ghost, as this flawed being. In order to show someone as well-rounded, you have to show the other end of that. I love that we got to see this messier side of him. Sas is fighting for something he believes in, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal.”

And the trivial significance of the tree was a “really fun” development for Zaragoza. “I think that’s the beauty of it. There’s barely any remnants of his people, that part of his life. But there is this one piece still around, and he wanted to hold on to that as long as he could.”

The episode also featured a land acknowledgment, a detail that served to educate more than just Sam and Jay.

“I feel like the land acknowledgments — they’re becoming more apparent in our society now, which is exciting. People don’t necessarily know the right way to do it or why we do it. It’s kind of like, ‘okay, we’re on the individual land of blah, blah, blah,’ and they move on. Versus talking about why we’re doing this,” Zaragoza explained.

“It’s beautiful to have a moment where it’s like, ‘no, we want you to make the land acknowledgment. We know who we are, we know our history, our people, and where we are today. You need to do the research. You need to acknowledge it.’ I love the lesson that came from that.”

In an industry where shows have struggled to bring diverse storylines to life with authenticity, Ghosts seems to understand the importance of collaboration.

“I have got to hand it to Joe Port and Joe Wiseman for being so open to listening to ideas, and having Joe Baker, our Lenape consultant, on set has been amazing. Also, having John Timothy — who is Muscogee Creek — in the writer’s room. It’s been just a nice team collaboration,” Zaragoza revealed.

“The biggest thing for me was trying to bring contemporary native representation to our show because this contemporary ghost is a being of the past, and the Lenape have been around for a very long time. But also, the Lenape are still here. So, I really wanted to make sure that people really understood that. A powerful way to do that is to embrace his Lenape character.”

Frighteningly Fun Pairings

When asked if there was potential for a follow-up to the Thorfinn and Sas binge-watching saga, Zaragoza confirmed we would “definently see more” of the two together in future episodes.

“I think we need to watch some more garbage TV,” he laughed. “It’s so much fun to see this Lenape man and Viking watching a reality show and being so invested in it — that is amazing. And every time I work with Devan Long is a dream come true. He is one of the funniest people I know.”

Beyond his bond with Thorfinn, the storyteller recently had a run-in with Pete’s dark side on Ghosts Season 2 Episode 3, “Jay’s Friends,” and fans were not the only ones taken by this hilarious new dynamic.

“I love working with Richie Moriarty. Of course, with everyone in the cast, we’re so close, but with Richie, there came such an older brother figure. He’s hilarious, and so I’m trying not to take a drink every time I’m working with him,” Zaragoza joked. “They’re such an unlikely duo, but they have to deal with what it means to be a roommate, and it’s always fun to see the ghosts relationships.”

As for Pete’s “Welcome to another day in hell, bitch,” line, Zaragoza offered insight into how the instantly iconic greeting came to be. “That was scripted. But we definitely got to play,” he assured.

“Our managing director, Trent O’Donnell, let us play a bunch. So we were throwing it around, having a good time, and I was really happy with how it came out. That was a fun scene — I’ll definitely treasure it forever.”

During an interview with Sheila Carrasco, the actress mentioned she was excited for fans to see the “Dumb Deaths” episode. Zaragoza echoed her excitement, confirming Mathew Baynton (BBC Ghosts) will take Episode 7 in hilarious directions.

“He was such a joy to work with, and it’s going to be a great episode. Like he is a master, he is so funny.”

A Team Effort

For Ghosts and most TV, the story comes “in pieces,” the actor explained. “We are all building this puzzle piece by piece.”

So those eager to unearth Sas’ ghost power will have to mourn the unknown for a while. Zaragoza acknowledged that detail is “still under wraps” as the writers figure it out.

As for how all these pieces amount to such a tight-knit ensemble, Zaragoza has a theory. “Most of our cast is from the theater — and I think a lot of us know what it feels like to be part of a team. Some days you’re not going to be the star. You’re going to be supporting, and you’re going to be there for your team.”

That team effort has paid off in big ways but also ensures the small details flourish. For instance, the costume change Sas undergoes after the pilot.

“Between the pilot and Episode 2, I had great conversations with Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. We ended up bringing Joe Baker, our Lenape consultant, onto the project. He gave his notes about what he wanted to be changed on the costume,” the actor recalled.

“I was grateful for that because I really loved the Episode 1 look, but there were potential inaccuracies. We collaborated with our costume designer, Carmen Alie, and she made the amazing costume I have today. So I’m grateful for the time that went into showing respect for this costume. I know we’re a comedy, but it’s a big deal. You don’t want to be disrespectful, and you want to make sure you’re engaging with members of that tribe.”

More Chaos, More Gasps

Despite Sas’ determination to enter his most chaotic era yet, many fans have championed the storyteller for his sarcastic charm.

“It means the world that people resonated with him. That’s all you can want — you want people to be excited about a character that you’re playing,” Zaragoza rejoiced. “I think people like that he says it like it is and he is kind of jaded, especially in that first season. He was so over it, and with the pandemic, we were all over being stuck around others. So I think people resonated with that.”

Sas is the perfect personification of lockdown fatigue, and he is not done with the shenanigans this season. If anything, he’s just getting started.

“Definitely expect more chaos, with so many more gasp-worthy moments. Expect love, competition, and many more exciting relationships between the different ghosts. I think people are going to have a really good time with the season.”

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Ghosts airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.

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