Life isn't one long photo shoot for Zachary Abel, the dreamy star of ABC Family’s new gymnastic drama, Make It or Break It. He’s on the clock pretty much all the time—either shooting scenes or training to keep up the appearance of his character, Olympic hopeful Carter. The hour-long drama follows a group of teen gymnasts who struggle to compete at the top of their game while enduring the trials of normal teenage existence. Interspersed with the secret relationships, catty rivalries and class wars are fast-paced clips of high-level training and competition. “To be around that level of excellence is really motivating,” says Abel, who actually competed as a gymnast from the ages of seven to 10.
If the pommel horse isn’t your thing, Make It or Break It’s tight writing and teen tension make it a guilty pleasure for any age. And don’t let the fact it’s on ABC Family dissuade you, either. This isn’t some wholesome after-school special. They say words like “ass” and make out, and they don’t hammer you over the head with do-gooder messages. “It gets really racy,” says Abel. “The story lines just keep getting thicker, and there’s lots of drama going on.” Seems Abel is not one to be scared off by a little drama—he was last seen on the channel’s controversial The Secret Life of the American Teenager, about a pregnant high school girl.
“I never expected to end up here,” he says. “I studied biomedical engineering and got my degree in finance. My parents were nervous when I decided to try acting, but they were supportive. Maybe I’ll play a doctor someday!”
