From ballet to bloodsucker, here's how Mekonnen Knife successfully became ZOMBIES 4’s breakout star.

When the highly-anticipated 'ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires' finally hit the small screens, one name quickly rose to the top of every fan's conversation: Mekonnen Knife. Embodying Vargas, the enigmatic new vampire in Seabrook, Knife dominated the screen with an intriguing presence that amalgamated mystery, warmth, alongside a razor-sharp charisma. 

His journey from 'The Nutcracker' and cabaret theatre to the global spotlight of Disney’s beloved franchise proves to be a true testament to his immense creative abilities and dedication. 

Born in Gerje Gefersa, Ethiopia, and raised in Australia, Knife’s artistry reflects a rich blend of cultural influences and a lifelong passion for performance. Also an advocate for diversity and inclusion, his breakout role in ZOMBIES 4 is not just a career milestone but a reflection of the values he champions.

Mekonnen Knife recently joined us to discuss his audition process, his creative process for Vargas, meeting his fellow ZOMBIES co-stars for the first time, his first day on set, his involvement in the ZOMBIES X DESCENDANTS collaborative tour 'DZ Worlds Collide Tour', and all things ZOMBIES 4! 

Hi there Mekonnen! Thank you for joining us on ReVamp! How are you doing and how has 2025 been like for you? 

It’s been great! ZOMBIES 4 has just come out and I’m currently on the “Descendants/Zombies Worlds Collide” tour in the United States with my friends. It’s been a fun 2025 so far!

We obviously have to begin by mentioning your surreal involvement in Disney's ZOMBIES 4. First of all, huge congratulations on your involvement! 

Before diving specifically into your performance, I'd love to know if you were familiar with the world of ZOMBIES and the diverse characters prior to joining this project?

Thank you! I was for sure a fan of ZOMBIES before I got the role. I grew up watching all the movies – ZOMBIES 1, 2, and 3 – so I knew all the characters in the franchise and was excited to introduce new characters – the Daywalkers and the Vampires – with the fourth movie.

Can you walk me through how the initial audition process went for your role in 'ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires' as well as what your first impression was of your character?

I originally auditioned for Victor, Malachi Barton’s role, but Disney came back and asked for me to audition for Vargas instead. I immediately connected to Vargas as he’s like me – he’s a fun-loving, highly energetic kid but extremely loyal and protective. Beneath all the vampire stuff he’s relatable and the type of friend you’d want by your side. 

How would you describe Vargas’s place within the ever-expanding supernatural landscape of Seabrook? And what makes this character unique from the other characters we see in the film?

 I think what makes Vargas unique is that he’s not just a jokester – he can also be serious when he needs to be, especially when it comes to protecting his friends and his community. He can see the fear that the Vampires have when their source of food is dying, but he doesn’t let it get him down. He’s ready to stand up and fight for what’s right.

From being a part of “The Nutcracker” to donning vampire fangs in ZOMBIES 4, your journey has spanned across a plethora of stages and screens. 

Do you think your background in dance and cabaret performance might have aided in bringing that physicality of Vargas’s vampire persona to life? Or did you have to go through a completely different kind of training for this role? 

I think my background in dance really helped. I started with ballet – and ballet is the foundation for a lot of dance styles – but I’m also trained in all forms of dancing, so picking up the fast-paced choreography was a bit intense but not too difficult. 

The challenge was bringing acting, singing, and dancing all together. Balancing everything at once pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I grew a lot from it, and I feel it’s made me an even stronger performer. 

Do you remember your first time meeting your fellow co-stars as well as your first day walking on the set of the production? 

Yeah, it was so surreal. I had known about the OG’s – Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Chandler Kinney, and Kylie Russell – but I had never met them before. I’d also never met my new castmates before but as soon as we met, we immediately bonded. 

We spent a lot of time off-camera talking, joking, riding scooters around New Zealand, and just getting to know each other, which helped our chemistry translate naturally on-screen.  

And what was your overall creative process like for the role? Was there perhaps any acting ritual that helped you immerse yourself within the mindset of Vargas? 

I see a lot of myself in Vargas – which helped me get into character easily – but I wanted to make sure his energy matched his personality. He’s outgoing as well as funny, so those traits that made him relatable, sorta human-like, had to be shown in a way that people could see it and believe it. 

The hardest part of getting into his mindset was showing both sides of him on screen, like he’s silly and makes jokes, but he always has his friends’ back. I also practiced dancing when we weren’t on set to get the routines down and listened to a lot of music to feel more like him. 

One of the songs I listened to was “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar — I felt like he would play it on repeat, like a reminder to keep pushing.

Now that you have successfully embodied Vargas, what would you say is the biggest similarity and difference that you witnessed in Vargas as compared to your own personality traits? 

I’d say the biggest similarity between me and Vargas is that we both have a big heart, love to laugh, and are very loyal when it comes to our friends. Our biggest difference is that I’m not a Vampire and I don’t eat bloodfruit! 

 I'm very curious to know, if Vargas could forge an unexpected alliance with any of the other Disney Channel universe's characters, who would you love for your character to interact with? 

Ooo that’s a good question! I would say Vargas would probably form an alliance with Olaf from Frozen. They’d be absolute chaos together – in the best way. Olaf’s got that wild curiosity and warmth, and Vargas just gets people like that. They’d be cracking jokes, making up weird games, and probably starting a sunglasses collection. Honestly, they’d bring so much joy wherever they go. Total feel-good duo.

You also recently performed your first show in the Descendants and Zombies collaborative 'DZ Worlds Collide Tour'!

How was that experience like bringing these characters and performances to life in front of so many of your fans? It was amazing! Seeing the crowd sing along to all the songs – and sing the loudest for their favorite songs – is just absolutely incredible. It’s been so fun getting to perform for audiences each night. So far, each city has been bringing a different kind of energy. I’m excited to see what the rest of the shows will bring! 

What's next for you, Mekonnen? Anything else you're currently working on that you'd like to tell us or your fans about?

Well, right now, I’m focused on the “Descendants/Zombies Worlds Collide” tour – we’ve just done about 12 shows already and we’ve still got a month and half left of touring to do! It’s been exciting and the fans at each city have been incredible. After the tour though I’m going to take some rest back home, in Australia, and then who knows! Wherever life and my next project takes me is unclear but I’m down for whatever comes my way, so fans will just have to wait and see!

Lastly, I'd love to know if there's any message that you wish to convey to your fans and supporters currently reading this interview? 

Yes absolutely! Thank you so much for supporting me through my journey. Whether you’ve followed me before ZOMBIES or followed me after, just know I’m eternally grateful for all the support and appreciate all the love you guys have sent me. I may not be able to respond to all the kind messages and comments, but I do see them!

ZOMBIE 4 is now streaming on Disney+