Biography for
Billy Zane More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

24 February 1966, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Birth Name

William George Zane Jr.

Height

6' (1.83 m)

Mini Biography

William George Zane Jr., better known as Billy Zane, was born on February 24, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois, USA to parents William George Zane Sr. and Thalia Zane. Both of his parents ran a medical technical school. Billy also has a sister named Lisa Zane, an actress born in 1961. Billy was bitten by the acting bug early on. In his early teens, he attended Harand Camp of the Theater Arts in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. In 1982, he attended the American School in Switzerland. His high school days were spent at Francis Parker High School in Chicago, Illinois. Daryl Hannah and Jennifer Beals also attended Parker, prior to Billy's attendance. Soon after graduating high school, Billy decided to venture out to California to try his hand at acting. Within three weeks, he won his very first big screen role in Back to the Future (1985), playing the part of Match, one of Biff's thugs. He would later reprise that role for the sequel. Then after a small role in the film Critters (1986), he landed starring roles in several television films. In 1989, Billy filmed Dead Calm (1989). It was on the set of this movie that he met his future wife, Lisa Collins. They were married from 1988-1995. In 1996, Billy starred in The Phantom (1996) and in 1997 as Caledon Hockley in the billion dollar grossing Titanic (1997). Then in 1999, he starred in the television movie "Cleopatra" (1999) where he met his soon-to-be fiance, actress Leonor Varela from whom he subsequently split.

IMDb Mini Biography By: TrendEkiD@aol.com

Spouse

Lisa Collins

(2 April 1989 - 8 December 1995) (divorced)

Trade Mark

Deep rich voice

Often plays sinister villains or anti-heroes

Trivia

Billy attended Parker School in Chicago and Harand Camp of the Theater Arts in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin with Jeremy Piven.

Was engaged to Leonor Varela.

He attended The American School in Switzerland for his sophmore year of high school.

Younger brother of actress Lisa Zane.

Was originally cast as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing (1987). During auditions, choreographer Emile Ardolino realized that Zane could not dance, so the part went to Patrick Swayze.

Is an avid swimmer and started shaving his head in 1997 for aerodynamics.

Is the voice of Broderick 'Brodi' Ford in the EA Sports Big game SSX Tricky (2001) (VG) (for Playstation2, Nintendo Gamecube, Xbox).

Is of Greek descent. Original family name is Tzanetakos.

Added more muscle to his already buff physique in order to effectively play Marc Antony in the television movie "Cleopatra" (1999).

He has played complete opposite sides of the typical "marooned love triangle." In Dead Calm (1989), he played the handsome and mysterious stranger who gets marooned with Sam Neill (the husband) and Nicole Kidman (wife). In Survival Island (2005/I), he plays the jealous husband, in opposition to Kelly Brook (wife) and Juan Pablo Di Pace (handsome outsider).

Engaged to English actress Kelly Brook.

He pumped iron for over a year to play his title role in The Phantom (1996).

He has filmed movies in over 19 countries, including Australia five times.

His voice was used as a sample on Marilyn Manson's Mechanical Animals Tour as the intro for the song "Rock Is Dead". He can be heard on the live album "The Last Tour on Earth" saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, from the dread capital of the world, Hollywood, California, Omega and the Mechanical Animals".

Is perhaps best known to younger audiences as the voice of "Ansem" (Xehanort) in Kingdom Hearts (2002) (VG).

Split from his fiancée Kelly Brook in 2008.

Member of the jury at the Beverly Hills film festival along with James Russo, Martin Vartanov, Corbin Bernsen, Robert Davi, Elisa Donovan. [2009]

Billy and Colombian born girlfriend, Candice Neill, welcomed a baby girl (Eva Katerina) in Spring 2011.

Personal Quotes

[what he thinks the best age is] I'm enjoying 40. Old enough to know better, young enough not to care.

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.

Salary

"Cleopatra" (1999)

$2,000,000

Where Are They Now

(May 1998) Attended the 1998 Cannes Film Festival in France.

(May 2003) Attended the 2003 Cannes Film Festival in France.

(September 2004) Attended the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival in Canada.

(May 2005) Attended the 58th Annual Cannes Film Festival in France.

(October 2005) In Gaziantep (Turkey) filming Valley of the Wolves: Iraq (2006).

(May 2006) Attended the 59th Annual Cannes Film Festival in France.

(November 2006) Currently appearing in "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks" at the Theatre Royal Haymarket London from 29th November 2006 - 27 February 2007

(May 2007) Attended the 60th Annual Cannes Film Festival in France.

(February 2008) In Belgium, shooting The Hessen Conspiracy (2009).

(May 2008) Attended the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival in France.

(May 2010) Attended the 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival in France.