The full moon may have been this past weekend, but a Durango native will work a little werewolf magic Friday night in Disney’s “ Zombies 2.”

Pearce Joza plays teenage werewolf Wyatt in the movie, which is set in the town of Seabrook, where cheerleader Addison and zombie football player Zed are readying for Seabrook High’s Prawn, the school’s prom. But when a group of mysterious teenage werewolves, led by Willa, Wyatt and Wynter, unexpectedly arrive in search of an ancient life source buried somewhere in Seabrook, a fearful city council re-enacts Seabrook’s anti-monster laws, making it impossible for Zed and Addison to attend Prawn together. Ultimately, zombies, cheerleaders and werewolves all discover the real meaning of community and acceptance.

For Joza, who has also been in “MECH-X4,” “Lab Rats” and “How to Beat a Bully,” as well as getting his start in theatrical productions at Durango Arts Center, “Zombies 2” was a whole new filming experience, he said.

“It was quite different than anything I’ve done before. I was in plays at DAC for a few years when I was in Durango, and there would be some singing and dancing there, but at this caliber, nothing. So it was challenging, the choreography,” he said. “Believe it or not, I actually had bronchitis when we were recording the songs ... but the people who were behind me were absolutely unbelievable and made me so much better.”

Joza said he tries to get back to Durango as often as he can – his father still lives here – and so do his cats.

“I still believe it’s home,” he said. “It’s a little bit (of a) slower pace, a different type of life, I guess.”

Currently, Joza is working on a documentary in conjunction with the Epilepsy Foundation of America.

katie@durangoherald.com