EDINBURGH 2025 Q&A: Ned Van Zandt of Del Valle at The Orchard Project

Ned Van Zandt was in the Chelsea Hotel the night of Nancy Spungen’s death, and he was with Sid and Nancy just before her sad demise. Ned was also an actor during the 1970s in Hollywood heyday and cavorted with Chaka Khan, Steely Dan, director Hal Ashby and others, he was away in San Francisco when a double murder occurred in his apartment in LA.

Ned also found himself drug addled and locked up for five months in a Texas prison during the middle of his acting career.

Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll… and Redemption will be performed in the Dairy Room in Bristo Square from 6 – 25 August.

What can you tell us about the show?

The story is that a drug-addled actor who finds himself locked up in Del Valle - a Texas state prison – where a member of the Aryan Brotherhood recognises him from TV and offers him protection in exchange for acting lessons…. A journey of survival, sobriety and healing nature of art.

It's a true story about my life. I've lived through some incredible things. Addiction, Hollywood, Sid & Nancy (and her murder in the Chelsea Hotel). And I have, somehow, survived.

What was your life like at the time?

The Chelsea Hotel in 1978 was Disneyland for sex, drugs and rock and roll. I arrived in late August and moved in the same week as Sid and Nancy. I’d followed my friend, musician Alejandro Escovedo there. I’d met him and his girlfriend Bobbie Levie that summer in San Francisco where I was doing a play and a group of us kids migrated east. The scene at The Chelsea mirrored New York City at the time- lawless, broke…and a lot of fun – until it wasn’t.

Nancy Spungen’s death is shrouded in mystery – what are your thoughts on that night?

With Sid – I saw an innocence in him. We became friendly. Ultimately, he was playing a role he couldn’t handle. I was in their room the night of Nancy’s murder. Her death was shocking.

I realised living on the edge had its consequences. The detective who questioned me said, ‘Who cares about a skanky whore being offed by her junkie boyfriend?’ The police thought the case was open and shut. But I wasn’t so sure.I saw Sid twice after Nancy’s murder; once at CBGBs where we hung out with Sting and the Police, it was their first US gig. Sid maintained he didn’t kill her, and I believed him. I learned about Sid’s overdose death on February 4th , 1979 from a headline at an East Village smoke shop at 4am. I cried.

I am quite sure I know who was responsible for Nancy’s demise – and I feel guilt about not coming forward. I speak about this in my play.

In your life you've met pretty much everyone. What's been your absolute highlight?

Having Meryl Streep grab my hands and tell me I was "wonderful" after she saw me perform in the play "Good Television" Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre.

However, I think the absolute highlight came in 2008. I was newly sober, just out of rehab, living in Hawaii. I'd been out of the acting business for almost 10 years and was pretty down on myself. I went in and read for a small part in a TV film. The director then had me read for one of the leads and I got it. It was a new beginning for me.

Then there’s the night President Clinton came to see The Iceman Cometh on Broadway. It was 3 months into the run, he’d just been impeached, but was more popular than ever. It was a crazy night because I played two roles at that performance; Moran and Lieb, the cops who arrest Hickey (Kevin Spacey) at the end of the play. Normally I only played Moran, but the young actor who played Lieb got locked out in the alley when he went out for a smoke break prior to our entrance because the Secret Service had locked all the doors.

So that night I played both roles at once - not easy to do with the blocking and handcuffs, but I pulled it off. The look of terror on Kevin Spacey’s face during the scene was priceless. At curtain call he pointed to me and bowed. That production opened 26 years ago.

Has your time in a Texas prison had some sort of influence on your acting?

That experience has allowed me to be more fearless, to take more risks – in acting and in life. I survived five months in a Texas prison, I can survive almost anything.

How did you get through it?

Early on, I was told by writer friend Joey Soloway (Transparent, Six Feet Under) to write the stories I’m afraid to tell.

Brilliant advice for any writer.

Joey’s advice — write the stories you’re afraid to tell.

And what a story Del Valle is going to be when put onstage.

There’s also a movie/miniseries there.

Not long ago, I did a workshop of Del Valle in Los Angeles and filmmaker Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood) told me, “This is a movie. Write the screenplay.”What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh?

"Del Valle is breathtakingly wonderful. It’s the performance of a lifetime."
Miriam Margolyes

I'm most looking forward to seeing my great pal Miriam Margolyes. She is back this year performing her one woman show "Margolyes & Dickens: More Best Bits" at The Pleasance.

Miriam and I met in London in 1975 when we were performing in two of playwright Robert

Patrick's plays which were simultaneously running on the West End. She was in "Kennedy's Children." I was in "The Haunted Host." We became lifelong friends.

I'm also looking forward to seeing my friend Laura Benanti who is bringing her solo show "Nobody Cares" to The Underbelly where I'll also be performing. I have other New York friends returning to The Fringe in "Three Chickens Confront Existence." They were a hit at last year's fringe and are returning for an encore. Also at The Underbelly.

Where can we see your work after Fringe?

Let's find out. You can follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nedvanzandt/