Zak Santiago (born January 3, 1981) is a Canadian actor, dancer, DJ, and a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. Known for his extensive work in television and film, he was ordained to the diaconate in 2024.
Early life: A call to the arts Zak Santiago, was born on January 3, 1981, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to immigrant parents. He is one of six siblings and is fluent in English, Spanish and French.
In his formative years, Zak studied at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. His studies ranged from classical piano, ballet, flamenco, and boxing. By 1994, he began pursuing interests in both the performing arts and as a disc jockey. He attended his first acting class at Gastown Actors Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In 1998, Zak ended his amateur boxing career to focus exclusively on dance. In 2000, he was accepted into the world-renowned Amor de Dios (Love of God) Academy in Madrid, Spain, where he studied under several legends of flamenco.
Adult life: A call to ministry
Santiago was raised as a Roman Catholic Christian and during his teenage years, lost interest in the Church. Due to several simultaneous tragic events in his life as a young adult, he returned to the Church. He has since been very devout and active within the Church.
In recent years, he has been heavily involved in prison ministry, in both prison chaplaincy and the Released Offenders Program. Per his Facebook page, Santiago graduated from the University of British Columbia, in July 2023 with a Master's Degree (MA) in Theological Studies and also received the Chancellor's Award. He has since received a post-graduate diploma in Pastoral Care. This education not only better prepared him for his prison ministry, but also for the next phase in his life. On June 1, 2024, he was ordained to the permanent diaconate of the Roman Catholic Church at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver. On Santiago's Facebook, Instagram and X pages, he posted the following along with a photo of himself in his clerics: "Visting Professional, Vancouver Coastal Health (VGH); Prison Ministry, BC Corrections Adult Custody Division; Parish Deacon, Holy Rosary Cathedral."
Santiago is deeply committed to prison ministry and is currently working towards a Master's Degree in Pastoral Studies.
Career Santiago has appeared in many television shows. He was in the episode "My Room" in season 1 of Dead Like Me, as an angry man who decided to kill the tattoo artist who had botched his tattoo. In 2004, he played Dominguez in the movie The Five People You Meet in Heaven, based on the 2003 book.
Roles in other series include Young Blades, Smallville, Robson Arms,"A quality show that deserves an after-Idol glow" by John Doyle at www.theglobeandmail.com Flight 93, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency,"Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: Character guide" by Clark Collis at ew.com Shut Eye,"Shut Eye isn't the wacky and wild con game you want: EW review" by Nick Romano at ew.com and The L Word.
In 2008, he appeared in the theatrical release movie The Eye, starring Jessica Alba.
Continuing on in television, in 2009, Santiago had a lead role in The Assistants which aired on The N and also played the Ten of Clubs in the Syfy miniseries Alice."‘Alice’ miniseries rounds up cast" by Nellie Andreeva at www.hollywoodreporter.com
As of 2014, he has a recurring role as Ramón Rodríguez, the dance instructor, restaurant owner, DJ, and wedding officiant in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series.
Alongside his acting career, Santiago also works as a DJ."Leo Awards offer valuable boost in industry full of rejection" by Francois Marchand at vancouversun.com
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRole Notes1999Late Night SessionsDanny2000TrixieGang Member2001Turbulence 3: Heavy MetalGabriel MendozaJosie and the PussycatsMegastore DJ2003How It All Went DownTico's Partner2005UnderclassmanAndersonSeveredRamon2006CanesAntique DealerDeck the HallsFireworks Guy2007ShooterSenior AgentNormalBob the Social Worker2008 The EyeEmilioAce of HeartsOfficer SanchezTorturedDictaphone Holder2009Driven to KillDetective Lavastic2010 The TorturedYoung CopAmazon FallsAron"Amazon Falls: The bad side of Hollywood, on a worse budget" by James Adams at www.theglobeandmail.com"TIFF 2010: Canada First" by Marc Glassman at playbackonline.ca2011 The HouseGeoff Blank2012Maximum ConvictionMP FieldsRandom Acts of RomanceMatt"Filmmaker Katrin Bowen reaches for once-forbidden fruit" by Sarah Berman at vancouversun.com2013Concrete BlondesLars The Dick Knost ShowRico2014 The Grim SleeperOfficer GatesPerfect SistersDetective Santiago GatesBad CityEmceeWhat an IdiotSteve2016Mostly Ghostly: One Night in Doom HouseMichael Roland The AssignmentLawyer2017Cult of ChuckyNurse Carlos"‘Halloween Kills’: The Importance of the Franchise’s First Gay Characters" by Bee Delores at bloody-disgusting.comMeditation ParkJonathan2018Benchwarmers 2: Breaking BallsSmegman2019PromiselandJohn / Voice of Cartel Leader2021American Badger The Four FathersEnrique Garza
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1997Poltergeist: The LegacyPierceEpisode: "Shadow Fall"1998ViperJerry PodwilEpisode: "Internal Affair"1998–1999 The Crow: Stairway to HeavenCurtis Bilbao5 episodes1999Night ManPlayer #2Episode: "Dust"SweetwaterJorgeTelevision filmNothing Too Good for a CowboyLoggerEpisode: "Float Like a Butterfly"2000Higher GroundRockoEpisode: "Worlds Apart"Level 9MorphEpisode: "Digital Babylon"2001Da Vinci's InquestIrish Billy MulvaneyEpisode: "Shoulda Been a Priest"2002Dark AngelKurtEpisode: "Love in Vein"JeremiahSam2 episodes The Twilight ZoneChetoEpisode: "The Pool Guy"2003 The Dead ZoneRaulEpisode: "The Man Who Never Was"Out of OrderAngry Juror6 episodesDead Like MeWillyEpisode: "My Room"Stargate SG-1Rogelio Duran2 episodes2004 The Goodbye GirlDance Class InstructorTelevision filmTrafficCarole's Agent3 episodes The L WordOscar4 episodesKingdom HospitalDr. Sonny Gupta9 episodes The Five People You Meet in HeavenDominguezTelevision filmHuman CargoRamirez3 episodes2005Ladies NightGatesTelevision filmConfessions of a Sociopathic Social ClimberGeoffreyMurder at the PresidioPrivate SulwayFighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell StoryEd RiveraYoung BladesRamon de la Cruz13 episodes2005–2006IntelligenceHarvey Guilford3 episodes2005–2008Robson ArmsHal Garcia23 episodes2006Flight 93Ahmed al-HaznawiTelevision filmDisaster Zone: Volcano in New YorkJose The EvidenceNicholas LopezEpisode: "Five Little Indians"Godiva'sEmile2 episodes A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo StoryCarlos GuerreroTelevision filmSavedIgnatioEpisode: "Secrets and Lies"Rapid FireRussellTelevision filmSmallvilleDeputy MoralesEpisode: "Subterranean"Home by ChristmasMarioTelevision film2007 A Family LostMarcus VegarraCleavervilleGus The 4400Colin McGrathEpisode: "The Truth and Nothing But the Truth"Flash Gordon: A Modern Space OperaZackEpisode: "Life Source"2008 The Capture of the Green River KillerSeth Imperia2 episodesLittle Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera StoryBrian SantosTelevision filmEurekaDr. Sebastian MarxEpisode: "Show Me the Mummy"2009 The AssistantsZach Del Toro13 episodesDefying GravityJuan3 episodesAlice10 of Clubs2 episodes The FarmAlfredo MartinezTelevision film2009, 2010Stargate UniverseCpl. Rivers2 episodes2010Human TargetAgent FoutsEpisode: "Lockdown"At RiskRoyTelevision film The FrontPsychMannyEpisode: "Shawn and Gus in Drag (Racing)"CapricaPann3 episodesSmoke ScreenDetective JavierTelevision film2011VJohn Fierro4 episodes The TroopLee StanleyEpisode: "Mirrors"Killer MountainRamTelevision filmSanctuaryCaptured AbnormalEpisode: "Resistance"2011–2013 The True Heroines"Breakthrough launching two Canadian series on Hulu" by Danielle Ng See Quan at playbackonline.caHugo Rodriguez5 episodes2012RagsDiegoTelevision filmFairly LegalRick NuñezEpisode: "Borderline" The Music TeacherGaryTelevision filmTrue JusticeEdi Gogol11 episodesFringeCecilEpisode: "Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There"Battlestar Galactica: Blood & ChromeCaptain DiazTelevision film2013Health NutzConstable KornstickEpisode: "Last Chance"Once Upon a TimePrince HenryEpisode: "The Miller's Daughter"Chupacabra vs. the AlamoCommander WilcoxTelevision filmWhisper of FearRomeroKing & MaxwellGustavoEpisode: "Wild Card"CultDet. Mario Zavala5 episodesBaby SellersRafael OchoaTelevision film2013–2014ContinuumAgent Miller9 episodes2013DeleteCaptain2 episodes2014MotiveVirgil MaddoxEpisode: "For You I Die"Signed, Sealed, DeliveredRamón Rodríguez2 episodesHell on WheelsMarcos FuentesEpisode: "Life's a Mystery"Witches of East EndMathias3 episodesTil Death Do Us PartEthanTelevision film2015Fatal MemoriesGlenn RobertsSigned, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris with LoveRamón RodríguezLove, AgainNicoGhost UnitMateoEpisode #1.1Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Impossible DreamRamón RodríguezTelevision film2016 The 100Semet2 episodesiZombiePablo BalabanEpisode: "Pour Some Sugar, Zombie"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: One in a MillionRamón RodríguezTelevision filmShut EyeWhite Tony8 episodesDirk Gently's Holistic Detective AgencyCross13 episodes2017 The ArrangementDimitri FonsecaEpisode: "The New Narrative"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher GroundRamon RodriguezTelevision filmSigned, Sealed, Delivered: Home AgainGhost WarsRodney Doyle4 episodes The Christmas PrincessIgnacio MarquezTelevision film2018Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less TravelledRamon Rodriguez The X-FilesMr. Green2 episodesSigned, Sealed, Delivered: To the AltarRamon RodriguezTelevision filmTravelersDaniel SosaEpisode: "Yates"2019Blood & TreasureEverado SanchezEpisode: "Return of the Queen"Wu AssassinsSgt. Joe TorresEpisode: "Ladies' Night"My Wife's Secret LifeAri Sheffler / DetectiveTelevision film2020 The Christmas Yule Blog"All the details on Lifetime's 30 Christmas movies: See first-look photos" by Dan Snierson at ew.comOscar Ortiz2021 The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for JusticeArresting OfficerDebrisGary GarciaEpisode: "Do You Know Icarus?"Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have MadeRamón RodríguezTelevision film2024Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale Of Three LettersRamón RodríguezTelevision film2025Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To The Moon And Back Ramón RodríguezTelevision film
Awards and nominations In 2004 Santiago won a Leo award for Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series for his performance as Ramirez in Human Cargo.Past Nominees & Winners: 2004 at www.leoawards.com He was nominated for Leo awards in 2006 for Young Blades episode "Enchanted",Past Nominees & Winners: 2006 at www.leoawards.com in 2013 for Random Acts of RomancePast Nominees & Winners: 2013 at www.leoawards.com and 2018 for Christmas Princess."2018 Nominees & Winners by Name" at www.leoawards.com
References
External links