Billy Zane

Billy Zane

Zane in 2010
Born William George Zane, Jr.
(1966-02-24) February 24, 1966
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other names Bill Zane
Occupation Actor, producer
Years active 1985–present
Spouse(s) Lisa Collins (m. 1989; div. 1995)
Children 2

William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for playing Hughie in the thriller Dead Calm (1989), Kit Walker / The Phantom in the superhero film The Phantom (1996), Caledon Hockley in the epic romantic disaster film Titanic (1997), and for his television role as John Wheeler in the serial drama series Twin Peaks.

His other film credits include roles in the science fiction comedies Back to the Future (1985) and Back to the Future Part II (1989), the Western film Tombstone (1993), the horror film Demon Knight (1995), and the comedy-drama CQ (2001).

Early life

Zane was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Thalia and William George Zane, Sr., both of whom were amateur actors and founders of a school for medical technicians.[1][2] His parents are both of Greek descent (from Chios through his mother and Mani through his father), and his family's original surname, "Zanikopoulos" (Greek: Ζανετάκος), was anglicized to "Zane" by his parents, who also raised him Greek Orthodox.[3][4][5][6] He has an older sister, Lisa Zane, who is an actress and singer.

After completing a year abroad in Switzerland at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS), Zane graduated from Francis W. Parker School and attended Harand Camp of the Theater Arts, located in Evanston, Illinois.

Career

1980s

Zane's first two screen roles were in the science fiction films Back to the Future in 1985 and Critters in 1986, around the same time he appeared in the music video for Sheena Easton's song "Do It For Love". Zane also appeared in an episode of Matlock entitled "The Nurse". In 1989 he reprised his henchman role in Back to the Future Part II. Earlier that same year, Zane gained international recognition with the role of villain Hughie Warriner in the thriller Dead Calm, alongside Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill. He also starred in the NBC film, The Case of the Hillside Stranglers (1989).

1990s

Zane's first starring role was in a 1990 independent film, the low budget science fiction thriller Megaville. In 1990, he also co-starred in the film Memphis Belle, a film version of a 1944 documentary about a World War II B-17 bomber, as the bombardier. Zane also forayed into television work, and in 1991 he appeared as John Justice Wheeler in several episodes of David Lynch's hit TV-show Twin Peaks. In 1992 Zane co-starred alongside Tilda Swinton in the film adaptation of Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando. In 1993, he played the Shakespearean actor "Mr. Fabian" in Tombstone, and took a starring role in Sniper.

He also starred in a couple of Tales from the Crypt productions, including Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight, where he played a henchman of Satan called The Collector, and the episode "Well-Cooked Hams", where he played a poorly skilled magician who killed to steal good tricks from other magicians. In 1996, Zane played the eponymous classic comic book hero in the big budget action film The Phantom, based on Lee Falk's comic.

Zane played the snobbish millionaire misanthrope Caledon Hockley in James Cameron's 1997/98 blockbuster Titanic. This role as Rose's (played by Kate Winslet) fiancé earned him an MTV Movie Award nomination for "Best Villain" and a Blockbuster Entertainment Award. He was also nominated for a SAG award.

In 1998, he starred in and produced I Woke Up Early the Day I Died, a silent film based on Ed Wood's last script, intended as a parody on bad filmmaking. He won several awards at the B-Movie Film Festival, including Best Movie and Best Actor, for this work. The year after, he starred opposite Timothy Dalton, Bruce Payne, Sean Pertwee and Leonor Varela (who became his fiance after shooting ended) in a TV-movie about Cleopatra. Zane played the part of Mark Antony.

The same year, he lent his voice to John Rolfe in Disney's Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World and voiced Etrigan the Demon in an episode of The New Batman Adventures.

2000s

Zane was instrumental in getting the critically acclaimed film The Believer made, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival in 2001.[7] In it, he portrayed neo-Nazi Curtis Zampf, and starred opposite Ryan Gosling. The same year, he also had a cameo as himself in the comedy Zoolander.

Zane appeared on Broadway in Chicago, where he played lawyer Billy Flynn.

Zane also had a recurring role in the television series Charmed in which he played poetry-loving ex-demon Drake. He also provided the voice of Ansem, the main antagonist of the 2002 video game Kingdom Hearts. He was replaced by Richard Epcar for the rest of the series from Kingdom Hearts II onwards.

Zane appeared in the 2006 Turkish film Valley of the Wolves Iraq (Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak in Turkish), part of the Kurtlar Vadisi franchise. The film tells the story of the U.S. Army run amok in Iraq, eventually brought into check by a Turkish soldier. Zane plays Sam William Marshall, a cruel U.S. soldier who is the main antagonist in the film.

Zane in 2008

He took over Timothy Olyphant's role as Christina Applegate's ex-boyfriend on Samantha Who?. The show, however, was not renewed for the 2009–2010 season.[8]

Zane is a principal at RadioactiveGiant, a film and television production and distribution company.[9] Zane stars in the action/thriller film The Kill Hole.[10]

Personal life

Zane was married to actress Lisa Collins from 1989 until 1995. He was also engaged for a time to Chilean actress Leonor Varela, his costar in the television film Cleopatra (1999).[11]

Zane was later engaged to marry British model turned actress Kelly Brook, whom he met when starring with her in the movie Survival Island (2005), also known as Three.[12] They split in April 2008, got back together again shortly thereafter, then ended the relationship in August 2008.[13] Zane dated the Croatian model Jasmina Hdagha in 2010, but they broke up later that year.[14]

Through a friend he met American model Candice Neil, who is the mother of his two daughters and to whom he is also currently engaged.[15][16] Their first daughter, Ava Catherine, was born in 2011, and their second daughter, Gia, was born in 2014.[17]

In 1999, Zane participated in the first Gumball 3000 rally, driving a 1964 Aston Martin DB5.

In November 2010, he was awarded an honorary degree from Lium University, Bellinzona, Switzerland, for his contribution to cinematography. He is the chairman of the Francesco Fucilla Film production company 21st Century Filmworks.

Other media projects

In 2001, he was featured in the music video of Staind's "Epiphany".

Zane executive-produced a CD by bluesman Tim O'Connor that includes three songs from Dead Calm, in which Zane had one of the lead roles.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1985 Back to the Future Match
1986 Critters Steve Elliot
1986 Brotherhood of Justice Les
1989 Going Overboard King Neptune
1989 Dead Calm Hughie Warriner
1989 Back to the Future Part II Match
1990 Megaville Raymond Palinov/Jensen
1990 Memphis Belle Lt. Val Kozlowski
1990 Millions Maurizio Ferretti
1991 Femme Fatale Elijah
1991 Blood and Concrete: A Love Story Joey Turks
1992 Lake Consequence Billy
1992 Orlando Shelmerdine
1993 Flashfire Jack Flinder
1993 Sniper Richard Miller
1993 Posse Colonel Graham
1993 Poetic Justice Brad
1993 Tombstone Mr. Fabian
1994 Reflections on a Crime Colin
1994 The Silence of the Hams Jo Dee Fostar
1994 Only You Harry
1995 Reflections in the Dark Colin
1995 The Set-Up Charles Thorpe
1995 Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight The Collector
1996 The Phantom The Phantom/Kit Walker
1996 Head Above Water Kent
1997 Danger Zone Rick Morgan
1997 This World, Then the Fireworks Marty
1997 Titanic Caledon N. "Cal" Hockley
1998 I Woke Up Early the Day I Died The Thief
1998 Susan's Plan Sam Myers
1998 Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World John Rolfe Voice
1999 Promise Her Anything George Putter
2001 Zoolander Himself Uncredited
2001 The Believer Curtis Zampf
2001 CQ Mr. E
2001 Morgan's Ferry Sam
2002 Claim Roberto Bealing
2002 Landspeed Michael Sanger
2003 Silent Warnings Sheriff Bill Willingham
2003 Vlad Adrian
2003 The Kiss Alan Roberts/young Philip Naudet
2003 Starving Hysterical Naked Jack
2003 Imaginary Grace Nero
2004 Silver City Chandler Tyson
2004 Big Kiss Billy
2005 The Last Drop Robert Oates
2005 Dead Fish Virgil
2005 The Pleasure Drivers Marvin
2006 BloodRayne Elrich
2006 Survival Island Jack
2006 Valley of the Wolves: Iraq Sam William Marshall
2006 Memory Taylor Briggs
2007 The Mad Jason Hunt
2007 Fishtales Professor Thomas Bradley Co-Producer
2007 Alien Agent Tom / Saylon
2008 Perfect Hideout Victor
2008 The Man Who Came Back Ezra
2008 Love N' Dancing Kent Krandel
2009 Surviving Evil Sebastian 'Seb' Beazley
2009 Blue Seduction Mikey Taylor
2009 Evil – In the Time of Heroes The Prophet
2009 Darfur Bob Jones
2009 The Hessen Affair Jack Durant
2010 Magic Man Darius
2010 The Confidant Monty
2010 Enemies Among Us Graham
2011 The Roommate Professor Roberts
2011 Boop Max Fleischer Short
2011 Sniper: Reloaded Richard Miller
2011 Mercenaries Colonel Torida
2011 Flutter Edwin
2011 Mysteria Producer
2011 Lovemakers Jake's Agent
2011 Guido Sid Shine
2012 The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption King Talus
2012 Electrick Children Paul McKnight
2012 Mama, I Want to Sing! Dillan
2012 A Green Story Greg Hutchins
2012 Two Jacks Max Faraday
2012 Border Run Aaron Talbert
2012 Dark Star Hollow The Devil
2013 The Employer Alan
2013 The Kill Hole Marshall
2013 Blood of Redemption Quinn Forte
2013 Come Find Me Uncle Short
2014 Scorned Kevin
2014 The Ganzfield Haunting Father
2014 HUVr Himself Short
2014 Ghost of Goodnight Lane Alan
2014 Mining for Ruby Professor Sam Goodwell
2014 A Winter Rose Preston Holdsworth
2015 Zombie Killers: Elephant's Graveyard Seiler
2015 Billy Zayn Thinks Zayn Tweets Are About Him Himself Short
2015 West of Redemption Hank Keller
2015 Trouble Sleeping Charles
2016 Zoolander No. 2 Himself
2016 Blue World Order
2016 White Island Leo[19][20]

Television

Year Film Role Notes
1986 Brotherhood of Justice Les Television film
1986 Heart of the City Tobin Episode: "Don't Sell Yourself to the Cannibals"
1987 Matlock Eric Dawson Episode: "The Nurse"
1987 Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 Police Officer Television film
1988 Crime Story Frankie 'The Duke' Farantino Episode: "Protected Witness"
1988 Murder, She Wrote Tony Gambini Episode: "A Very Good Year for Murder"
1988 Police Story: Monster Manor Officer Don Varney Television film
1989 The Case of the Hillside Strangler Kenneth Bianchi Television film
1991 Twin Peaks John Justice Wheeler 5 episodes
1993 Lake Consequence Billy Television film
1993 Running Delilah Paul Television film
1993 Tales From the Crypt Miles Episode: "Well-Cooked Ham"
1998 The New Batman Adventures Jason Blood/Etrigan the Demon Episode: "The Demon Within"
1999 Cleopatra Marc Antony Miniseries
2000 Sole Survivor Joe Carpenter Television film
2000 Hendrix Michael Jeffrey Television film
2001 The Diamond of Jeru Mike Kardec Television film
2001 Invincible Os Television film
2001 Boston Public Matthew Baskin 4 episodes
2004 Bet Your Life Joseph Television film
2005 Charmed Drake 3 episodes
2008 Finnegan Brian Clark Television film
2009 Blue Seduction Mikey Taylor Television film
2009 Samantha Who? Winston Funk[21] 5 episodes
2010 Journey to Promethea King Laypach Television film
2010 The Deep End Cliff Huddle Series regular
6 episodes
2012 Red Clover Sheriff Conor O'Hara Television film
2012 Hannah's Law Lockwood Television film
2012 Robot Chicken Commander Edwards/King Ding Dong Episode: "Poisoned by Relatives"
2012 Barabbas Barabbas Television film
2014 Checked Out Uncle Dennis Television film
2014 Psych Ian Collins[22] Episode: "The Break-Up"
2015 The Wheel of Time: The Winter Dragon Ishamael Television film
2015 Community Honda Boss Episode: "Advanced Safety Features"
2015–2016 Mad Dogs Milo 2 episodes

Video games

Music videos

References

  1. ↑ "The Brigadoon of Film Fests", Travel Lady
  2. ↑ Billy Zane. Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2011-11-15.
  3. ↑ Dinges, Barnaby (1990-03-18). "Lisa Zane looks soberly at `Influence' Chicago actress has bold words about role and co-star Rob Lowe". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  4. ↑ Billy Zane Interview"BloodRayne"Movie: Tim Nasson. Wildaboutmovies.com (2005-12-27). Retrieved on 2011-11-15.
  5. ↑ http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20050426/ai_n14612105. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ billy zane. Saturos.net. Retrieved on 2011-11-15.
  7. ↑ IMDb: Sundance Film Festival: 2001
  8. ↑ "Sam Who" Recast Scoop: Zane In, Olyphant Out Entertainment Weekly, December 19, 2008
  9. ↑ Interview with Billy Zane. Ecofabulous (2010-09-23). Retrieved on 2011-11-15.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ "Billy Zane - Billy Zane Refers To Girlfriend As 'Wife'". Contactmusic.com. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  12. ↑ Smart, Gordon (April 23, 2008). "Great news lads Kelly bins Billy". The Sun (London).
  13. ↑ "'Excited to share my life with the most wonderful man I've ever met': Kelly Brook confirms engagement to David McIntosh". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2015-01-16.
  14. ↑ "Hollywood star Billy Zane and Croatian model Jasmina Hdagha break up". Croatian Times. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  15. ↑ "Billy Zane Refers To Girlfriend As 'Wife'". Contactmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  16. ↑ "Titanic star Billy Zane puts wedding on hold because Candice Neil expecting their second child". Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-01-16.
  17. ↑ "Billy Zane: Oh, Captain!". Splash. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  18. ↑ "Billy Zane's Parents Accused Of Cheating Students After They Closed Down Medical School". All Headline News.
  19. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4911876/
  20. ↑ http://www.screendaily.com/news/independent-picks-up-white-island-for-efm/5100013.article
  21. ↑ Ausiello, Michael. "'Sam Who' Recast Scoop: Zane in, Olyphant out!". Entertainment Weekly.
  22. ↑ Bierly, Mandi. "'Psych' series finale postmortem: James Roday on landing that dream guest star and the ending". Entertainment Weekly.
  23. ↑ http://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/avrillavigne/view/84303/?isworld=y

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