Zach Filkins

Zachary Douglas Filkins, born September 15, 1978, is an American musician, actor, and songwriter best known as a guitarist for the pop rock band OneRepublic. In addition to playing guitar, he plays viola and sings background vocals for the group, while also contributing as a songwriter and composer.

A significant portion of Filkins's childhood was spent studying classical guitar in Barcelona, Spain. He later attended Colorado Springs Christian High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he played for the school soccer team. During his senior year, Filkins met future bandmate Ryan Tedder. The two decided to form a band while discussing their favorite musicians during a drive home. They subsequently began performing in a group called This Beautiful Mess alongside several friends, playing small gigs for family and friends before parting ways after graduation to attend different colleges.

Prior to relocating to Los Angeles and launching OneRepublic, Filkins pursued a modeling career in Chicago. Working under Maximum Talent Agency, he appeared in brand advertisements for companies such as Covington and Jockey Underwear. His torso image has appeared on packaging for Jockey Underwear products.

In 2002, Tedder contacted Filkins to discuss forming a band, persuading him to move from Chicago to Los Angeles. After several lineup changes, the band solidified with Tedder on lead vocals and keyboards, Filkins and Drew Brown on guitar, Brent Kutzle on bass and cello, and Eddie Fisher on drums and percussion. Nine months after arriving in Los Angeles, the group signed with Columbia Records and spent two years recording a full album. Although Columbia dropped the band two months prior to the planned release, OneRepublic quickly gained traction on MySpace, becoming the site's top unsigned act. They ultimately signed with Interscope Records under Timbaland's Mosley Music Group as its first rock band.

Within OneRepublic, Filkins assists Tedder and Kutzle with musical composition. He holds writing and composing credits on several tracks from the band's 2007 debut album Dreaming Out Loud, including All Fall Down, Prodigal, Say All I Need, Sleep, Something's Not Right Here, Stop and Stare, Tyrant, and Won't Stop.

Beyond his work with OneRepublic, Filkins served as a judge for the 10th and 11th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent musicians. As an actor, he guest-starred as a forest ranger in the crime drama series Criminal Minds in the Season 7 episode titled Epilogue.

In his personal life, Filkins speaks Spanish fluently. He and his wife, Lindsay, have a son born in 2010; Filkins acknowledged her in the liner notes of Dreaming Out Loud. In 2024, Filkins and his wife acquired acreage for a vineyard and winery named Filkins Vineyards in Coloma, Michigan. The winery opened on May 1, holds regular events, and does not require reservations.