Billy Zane
Birthday: 24 February 1966, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Birth Name: William George Zane Jr.
Height: 184 cm
William George Zane, better known as Billy Zane, was born on February 24, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, to Thalia (Colovos) and William Zane, both of Greek ancestry. His parents were amateur actors and m ...Show More
[on Zoolander (2001)] I swear I get more love for five minutes of playing myself in that than 30 yea Show more
[on Zoolander (2001)] I swear I get more love for five minutes of playing myself in that than 30 years of character work! [laughs] I was living in New York at the time, and I'd see Ben out and about quite a bit, and he called and asked if I'd do a cameo. When I was there, it suddenly evolved and all that came out of improv. I love that I was the only one in Derek's corner. But we did so many different versions of that scene. "Stuff it, Zane!" "Put a cork in it, Zane!" "Save it, Zane!". The fact that he kept saying my name... "Billy Zane's a cool dude!". He just kept hitting it and I was very embarrassed on the day, but have come to be so grateful because I'm constantly met with strangers who claim, "Billy Zane is a cool dude." I just hope to live up to it. Or I hear "Save it, Zane!". It's certainly better than "You're the asshole from Titanic!". I'm like "Come on! I wasn't the iceberg! I didn't kill 2,000 people!". Hide
[on Back to the Future (1985)] That was my first gig. I had the rare and beautiful pleasure of being Show more
[on Back to the Future (1985)] That was my first gig. I had the rare and beautiful pleasure of being in town only two weeks before landing that film, which set the tone for at least the first half of my career. [laughs] I had auditioned for Biff, and everyone they liked as a runner-up became [his goon squad]. Hide
[what he thinks the best age is] I'm enjoying 40. Old enough to know better, young enough not to car Show more
[what he thinks the best age is] I'm enjoying 40. Old enough to know better, young enough not to care. Hide
[on Twin Peaks (1990)] Twin Peaks was awesome. It was an incredible gift playing that role and suppo Show more
[on Twin Peaks (1990)] Twin Peaks was awesome. It was an incredible gift playing that role and supposedly getting to deflower Audrey Horne [played by Sherilyn Fenn] on your private jet while saving an endangered species. I was like "Did I win the lottery?". Hide
[on Dead Calm (1989) being his breakout role] Absolutely. I had everything to prove and nothing to l Show more
[on Dead Calm (1989) being his breakout role] Absolutely. I had everything to prove and nothing to lose. It's a dangerous combination for a 21-year-old actor. I remember once the film was in the can thinking, "If this plane from Australia goes down, I'll at least have that [performance]." I was satisfied and able to demonstrate my abilities as an actor, you know? After working with those guys, I had made a mark and I was content with that, honestly. Hide
[on The Phantom (1996)] That film was ahead of its time, in a weird way. If it came out any later, i Show more
[on The Phantom (1996)] That film was ahead of its time, in a weird way. If it came out any later, in the glut of superhero-dom, it would've been squeezed into the same sociopathic, postmodern, all-too-slick, forgettable fare that's out there. What fans seem to like about that movie is it has a very sweet, heroic heart. And it was Catherine Zeta-Jones's first American film. Hide
Every day is a surprise. There are confirmations of an interconnectivity and synchronicity which ins Show more
Every day is a surprise. There are confirmations of an interconnectivity and synchronicity which inspire, titillate and confirm the inherent comedy of the universe. Hide
[on what caused his career to decline] One word: alimony. I was married at 21 for eight years with n Show more
[on what caused his career to decline] One word: alimony. I was married at 21 for eight years with no children to a lovely girl, Lisa Collins, and we're still friends, but L.A. law had gouged my assets and required exorbitant ransom for the better part of five years, and I chose ultimate freedom, and was happy to do anything to pay off a ridiculous monthly alimony. Dude, it was heinous for a young man, and this was happening right in the middle of Titanic. From that point on, if you see a nose dip, I was basically doing anything that paid to pay that off so it didn't get extended, because then there's a penalty. Hide
With me, it's always about first impressions. I trust my instincts. I love to prepare if it's someth Show more
With me, it's always about first impressions. I trust my instincts. I love to prepare if it's something that requires training. But I don't like to prepare the psychology too much. Hide
My best evenings are at home with my lady.
My best evenings are at home with my lady.
[on James Cameron] I had not met Jim before auditioning for Titanic (1997) and I found him thoroughl Show more
[on James Cameron] I had not met Jim before auditioning for Titanic (1997) and I found him thoroughly charming and a genuine wit. My impression of him revolves around his sense of humor, which he never gets any credit for. I don't think you take on incredible risks without a great sense of humor, and Titanic was the biggest film that anyone had ever worked on. Hide
I paint abstract expressions.
I paint abstract expressions.
Billy Zane's FILMOGRAPHY
as Actor (180)
Billy Zane'S roles
John Justice Wheeler
John Rolfe
Drake
Match
P.T. Barnum
The Phantom
Billy Zane
The Collector
Taylor Briggs
Etrigan the Demon
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