For over 25 years, Zak Santiago has left his mark on Vancouver's music and film scenes. If you grew up in Vancouver, you’ve likely heard Zak as a DJ on Z.95 or Virgin Radio. Zak’s diverse talents have resulted in many accolades, such as becoming a Golden Gloves boxing champion (Oregon State) and a Leo Award winning actor ('Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series’). But beyond boxing and acting, you'll find a new, special field to his accomplishments as he recently began his path as a Catholic Deacon. Although he has always felt a strong connection to his faith, his dedication now grows significantly deeper.
Born in Nova Scotia and growing up in cities across Canada, Zak and his five siblings were immersed in the arts from an early age. “When I was young, my older sister and I started with ballet. But when we could no longer afford classes, our mom enrolled us in Ukrainian dance at the local community centre because it was free,” he recalls. “We were the only non-Ukrainian and mixed-race kids there, and though I was nervous, the community welcomed us with open arms. It was an early and striking understanding of how meaningful it can be to receive a truly open acceptance from your neighbour.”
Zak’s teenage years were unfortunately marked by struggles and poor choices. By his early 20’s, he found himself entrenched in a dark lifestyle and its inevitable consequences. But a turning point came with DJing and acting, leading to a breakthrough role in the CW show “The Crow”.
“I was on the rise, with a recurring role and a growing presence in the DJ world. I was living cleanly, attending church with my girl—no hustling, no breaking rules. But then, suddenly, she was gone.” Zak reflects here, referring to Tatiana, his late fiance, a talented dancer with a promising career. Her loss left Zak shattered.
“She had continually encouraged me to return to my artistic roots, and to my faith. When she was killed, I made a promise that I would return to dance as well, so that she in some way would keep dancing through me.”
Zak began to train in Vancouver and L.A., as well as studying in Madrid for three years, all the while travelling back and forth to Canada and the US for film work. “Dancing professionally became a tribute to her memory,” Zak adds.
Over those years Zak often visited the site where Tatiana was killed, with his family and friends. After her loss, his friend Maria, then later his friend Mike and his niece Raya, all tragically passed away; the latter two within weeks of each other. “It's difficult to see those who were once so close, all united by an earlier tragedy, now gone too early themselves.”
With his personal losses and challenges, Zak’s life took another turn when he received a life-altering diagnosis. Concerned about a growing discomfort and an indescribable cloudiness, Zak would ignore the warning signs, being typically focussed on his work. ”I was in New York when the pain eventually became unbearable. The doctors found that some of my joints were degenerating; bone, cartilage, marrow. Part of the left side of my body was just rotten, corrupt bone on bone. It was a shock.”
He eventually began treatment in Vancouver and faced his condition head-on, even as he continued to work in film. During this period, he was in a scene study class with acting coach Ben Emmanuel. “After my latest results, the (medical) team told me they were fast-tracking surgery. The day before my surgery, I told my acting class that I wouldn’t be there the following week. I honestly didn’t know the outcome. I didn’t mention my surgery to anyone, even family, but took a cab to UBC Cancer Hospital the next morning. I kept my hospitalization private, with only Flipout and the hospital chaplain knowing my whereabouts.”
Zak’s surgery was complex and involved a large team. “I remember being in a cold operating room. They didn't use general anesthesia because the surgery was risky; they gave me an epidural, so I was awake for most of it. I remember the surreality as two technicians worked on my leg, yanking it out of its socket, and the smell of burning bones and the sound of saws. I lost a lot of blood and eventually passed out.”
The aftermath of the surgery was equally challenging. “I woke up in a single-person room to the sound of alarms and frantic activity. The blood loss from surgery had caused me to enter hypovolemic shock.” Zak faced a grueling recovery: bedridden, then wheelchair-bound, and eventually using a walker. The experience was humbling, with his little sister helping him with even the most basic care. “She had to sponge bathe me. I remember crying that first night. I felt so pathetic—so sorry for myself.”
Determined to regain his health, and once he had recuperated enough to fly, Zak sold his property and his car to fund a necessary subsequent treatment in Tel Aviv. Shortly afterward, Zak would receive the uplifting and humble experience of meeting Pope Francis in Rome, alongside an invited group of cancer patients and members of a Religious Order (nuns).
Returning home, however, Zak faced dismal predictions about his future. “They said I’d never box, run, or dance again, but I just couldn’t accept that. I had eventually learned to walk again, and I committed to push even harder, walking miles to visit my brother on my prosthetic crutches. I didn’t give up—I never [wavered from] my belief.”
Eventually, Zak regained his former mobility, and with a clean bill of health, returned to academics. “I was auditioning and DJing [again], and was ready for the next phase. I was truly grateful.” Getting back to what he loved doing, after the physical and emotional hardship, was profound. But just as Zak was getting back "on his feet", however, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, thrusting Zak into isolation once more, echoing his earlier struggles as a young man and a patient.
“I had already faced loneliness and immobility. The pandemic made a return to that isolation strangely more acute. Dating had been out of the question as a patient in a wheelchair, but now I was alone again indefinitely; I was unemployed, unable to be an artist, and unable to see my family. However, as restrictions eased, I landed my first role as a leading man in a romantic movie—a big coup for a ‘character actor’ like me.”
Typically, Zak would play the ‘ethnic friend’, the antagonist, or another supporting role. Being a romantic lead felt like a full-circle moment—a transition from darkness and uncertainty: "Of death to a shining grasp at life," as he says. Throughout this period, Zak found solace in his deepening connection with God. Many years earlier, following the loss of Tatiana, Zak had considered the sacrament of Holy Orders. Now, at this stage in his life, he began discerning the priesthood once again. “I prayed intensely, did live-ins at the seminary, and worked with an incredible vocations director, Father Paul Goo”.
Entering the seminary as an older man was a different experience from most, who typically start at the age of 18. After careful discernment, it was the diaconate, however, (not priesthood) which seemed like the right choice. During the pandemic, while in formation for Orders, Zak continued his lay mass ministry, even when services went virtual.
"I did live-streamed scripture readings in a closed cathedral, looking out at an empty space, but knowing that other isolated people were watching from home. For me, it was a sweeping spiritual experience.”
Throughout his life Zak has seen any creative endeavours as opportunities to share the Gospel in unexpected places. Today, his life as a deacon seems logical, and his mission is clear: recognizing a dual calling. “I wanted to stay connected to the broader culture while serving as an ordained minister. Being a deacon allows me to be both: a representative of the church and an active artist. The Holy Spirit guided me to remain in the secular world, to continue acting, DJing, and writing, bringing Christ’s voice where faith isn’t typically present.”
As a clergy member at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Zak also works as a Visiting Professional for Vancouver Coastal Health (VGH) and as a chaplaincy prison minister in the BC Corrections Adult Custody Division. "Obviously, clubs, film sets, hospitals and prisons are very different worlds - but what they all share is that so many people in these circles are yearning for spiritual comfort and peace; they desire to know more of mercy and forgiveness. In the end, we all need love."
During the pandemic, Zak had applied to the University of British Columbia. Working diligently, he received a Masters degree in Theology, earning the Department of Theology Award and the Chancellor’s Award for the highest GPA, demonstrating his commitment to academic excellence, "I'm an artist, but I'm also a big nerd. I think I'll stay in school forever." Zak recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Pastoral Ministry and is completing a second Masters, in Pastoral Studies.
Most deacons are married, but as Zak was single at the time of his ordination, Canon Law required him to make a vow of celibacy. “I'm a celibate deacon, not a priest. I live alone, paying my own rent, unlike most deacons who have families or priests who live together in furnished rectories. I long for intimacy and partnership; I’m human. I'd love to have a wife to share my life with. But if I had to sacrifice one thing at this point, it would be matrimony over my opportunity to be an artist and to bring God's message everywhere in such a clerical capacity.”
Zak's deep love for Christ and his community drives his path. “I empathize with young incarcerated men, people dying in hospitals, artists struggling with identity and career, or those grappling with relationships or loss. Bringing God's word to those who need it most is of ultimate importance. I’ll sacrifice having a ‘typical’ life to bring healing and light to others.”
Zak views his sacrifices as a gift. “My cross is made out of rice paper; it doesn’t weigh me down. It’s a privilege to serve and bring a message of light and morality to those who might not have the opportunity to know His love.” Beyond his role as an entertainer, Zak has always felt a deep urge to serve and is now fully active in spreading a message of love to all people, regardless of their background.
In a time when social media spreads information (and misinformation) in seconds, and as the Church faces unending challenges in the modern era, Zak stands at the forefront of change by bringing a unique perspective. Understanding that spirituality is fundamental to the human experience, he uses his eclectic life experiences and new calling to help as many people as possible, fully embodying the spirit of service, humility, and mercy.
Born in Nova Scotia and growing up in cities across Canada, Zak and his five siblings were immersed in the arts from an early age. “When I was young, my older sister and I started with ballet. But when we could no longer afford classes, our mom enrolled us in Ukrainian dance at the local community centre because it was free,” he recalls. “We were the only non-Ukrainian and mixed-race kids there, and though I was nervous, the community welcomed us with open arms. It was an early and striking understanding of how meaningful it can be to receive a truly open acceptance from your neighbour.”
Zak’s teenage years were unfortunately marked by struggles and poor choices. By his early 20’s, he found himself entrenched in a dark lifestyle and its inevitable consequences. But a turning point came with DJing and acting, leading to a breakthrough role in the CW show “The Crow”.
“I was on the rise, with a recurring role and a growing presence in the DJ world. I was living cleanly, attending church with my girl—no hustling, no breaking rules. But then, suddenly, she was gone.” Zak reflects here, referring to Tatiana, his late fiance, a talented dancer with a promising career. Her loss left Zak shattered.
“She had continually encouraged me to return to my artistic roots, and to my faith. When she was killed, I made a promise that I would return to dance as well, so that she in some way would keep dancing through me.”
Zak began to train in Vancouver and L.A., as well as studying in Madrid for three years, all the while travelling back and forth to Canada and the US for film work. “Dancing professionally became a tribute to her memory,” Zak adds.
Over those years Zak often visited the site where Tatiana was killed, with his family and friends. After her loss, his friend Maria, then later his friend Mike and his niece Raya, all tragically passed away; the latter two within weeks of each other. “It's difficult to see those who were once so close, all united by an earlier tragedy, now gone too early themselves.”
With his personal losses and challenges, Zak’s life took another turn when he received a life-altering diagnosis. Concerned about a growing discomfort and an indescribable cloudiness, Zak would ignore the warning signs, being typically focussed on his work. ”I was in New York when the pain eventually became unbearable. The doctors found that some of my joints were degenerating; bone, cartilage, marrow. Part of the left side of my body was just rotten, corrupt bone on bone. It was a shock.”
He eventually began treatment in Vancouver and faced his condition head-on, even as he continued to work in film. During this period, he was in a scene study class with acting coach Ben Emmanuel. “After my latest results, the (medical) team told me they were fast-tracking surgery. The day before my surgery, I told my acting class that I wouldn’t be there the following week. I honestly didn’t know the outcome. I didn’t mention my surgery to anyone, even family, but took a cab to UBC Cancer Hospital the next morning. I kept my hospitalization private, with only Flipout and the hospital chaplain knowing my whereabouts.”
Zak’s surgery was complex and involved a large team. “I remember being in a cold operating room. They didn't use general anesthesia because the surgery was risky; they gave me an epidural, so I was awake for most of it. I remember the surreality as two technicians worked on my leg, yanking it out of its socket, and the smell of burning bones and the sound of saws. I lost a lot of blood and eventually passed out.”
The aftermath of the surgery was equally challenging. “I woke up in a single-person room to the sound of alarms and frantic activity. The blood loss from surgery had caused me to enter hypovolemic shock.” Zak faced a grueling recovery: bedridden, then wheelchair-bound, and eventually using a walker. The experience was humbling, with his little sister helping him with even the most basic care. “She had to sponge bathe me. I remember crying that first night. I felt so pathetic—so sorry for myself.”
Determined to regain his health, and once he had recuperated enough to fly, Zak sold his property and his car to fund a necessary subsequent treatment in Tel Aviv. Shortly afterward, Zak would receive the uplifting and humble experience of meeting Pope Francis in Rome, alongside an invited group of cancer patients and members of a Religious Order (nuns).
Returning home, however, Zak faced dismal predictions about his future. “They said I’d never box, run, or dance again, but I just couldn’t accept that. I had eventually learned to walk again, and I committed to push even harder, walking miles to visit my brother on my prosthetic crutches. I didn’t give up—I never [wavered from] my belief.”
Eventually, Zak regained his former mobility, and with a clean bill of health, returned to academics. “I was auditioning and DJing [again], and was ready for the next phase. I was truly grateful.” Getting back to what he loved doing, after the physical and emotional hardship, was profound. But just as Zak was getting back "on his feet", however, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, thrusting Zak into isolation once more, echoing his earlier struggles as a young man and a patient.
“I had already faced loneliness and immobility. The pandemic made a return to that isolation strangely more acute. Dating had been out of the question as a patient in a wheelchair, but now I was alone again indefinitely; I was unemployed, unable to be an artist, and unable to see my family. However, as restrictions eased, I landed my first role as a leading man in a romantic movie—a big coup for a ‘character actor’ like me.”
Typically, Zak would play the ‘ethnic friend’, the antagonist, or another supporting role. Being a romantic lead felt like a full-circle moment—a transition from darkness and uncertainty: "Of death to a shining grasp at life," as he says. Throughout this period, Zak found solace in his deepening connection with God. Many years earlier, following the loss of Tatiana, Zak had considered the sacrament of Holy Orders. Now, at this stage in his life, he began discerning the priesthood once again. “I prayed intensely, did live-ins at the seminary, and worked with an incredible vocations director, Father Paul Goo”.
Entering the seminary as an older man was a different experience from most, who typically start at the age of 18. After careful discernment, it was the diaconate, however, (not priesthood) which seemed like the right choice. During the pandemic, while in formation for Orders, Zak continued his lay mass ministry, even when services went virtual.
"I did live-streamed scripture readings in a closed cathedral, looking out at an empty space, but knowing that other isolated people were watching from home. For me, it was a sweeping spiritual experience.”
Throughout his life Zak has seen any creative endeavours as opportunities to share the Gospel in unexpected places. Today, his life as a deacon seems logical, and his mission is clear: recognizing a dual calling. “I wanted to stay connected to the broader culture while serving as an ordained minister. Being a deacon allows me to be both: a representative of the church and an active artist. The Holy Spirit guided me to remain in the secular world, to continue acting, DJing, and writing, bringing Christ’s voice where faith isn’t typically present.”
As a clergy member at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Zak also works as a Visiting Professional for Vancouver Coastal Health (VGH) and as a chaplaincy prison minister in the BC Corrections Adult Custody Division. "Obviously, clubs, film sets, hospitals and prisons are very different worlds - but what they all share is that so many people in these circles are yearning for spiritual comfort and peace; they desire to know more of mercy and forgiveness. In the end, we all need love."
During the pandemic, Zak had applied to the University of British Columbia. Working diligently, he received a Masters degree in Theology, earning the Department of Theology Award and the Chancellor’s Award for the highest GPA, demonstrating his commitment to academic excellence, "I'm an artist, but I'm also a big nerd. I think I'll stay in school forever." Zak recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Pastoral Ministry and is completing a second Masters, in Pastoral Studies.
Most deacons are married, but as Zak was single at the time of his ordination, Canon Law required him to make a vow of celibacy. “I'm a celibate deacon, not a priest. I live alone, paying my own rent, unlike most deacons who have families or priests who live together in furnished rectories. I long for intimacy and partnership; I’m human. I'd love to have a wife to share my life with. But if I had to sacrifice one thing at this point, it would be matrimony over my opportunity to be an artist and to bring God's message everywhere in such a clerical capacity.”
Zak's deep love for Christ and his community drives his path. “I empathize with young incarcerated men, people dying in hospitals, artists struggling with identity and career, or those grappling with relationships or loss. Bringing God's word to those who need it most is of ultimate importance. I’ll sacrifice having a ‘typical’ life to bring healing and light to others.”
Zak views his sacrifices as a gift. “My cross is made out of rice paper; it doesn’t weigh me down. It’s a privilege to serve and bring a message of light and morality to those who might not have the opportunity to know His love.” Beyond his role as an entertainer, Zak has always felt a deep urge to serve and is now fully active in spreading a message of love to all people, regardless of their background.
In a time when social media spreads information (and misinformation) in seconds, and as the Church faces unending challenges in the modern era, Zak stands at the forefront of change by bringing a unique perspective. Understanding that spirituality is fundamental to the human experience, he uses his eclectic life experiences and new calling to help as many people as possible, fully embodying the spirit of service, humility, and mercy.