- Nickname
- Smoke/Iron Lion
- Zion DeBeatham is an American Director/Writer/Actor born in the Bronx but raised in the Caribbean (Jamaica). The vast differences in the two cultures by which he was exposed to gave life to his creativity and vast experiences for story development. Raised by his beloved and 'quite strict' grandmother 'Bunny', Zion was never allowed to step foot in a movie theater or hang out with the local young crowd. It was strictly school during the week and church on Sunday. His primary source of entertainment was working the farm with his grandfather, playing with one of their many animals or sitting by the radio listening to stories being read over the air with his grandmother. He accredits this with where he earned his masters degree in writing and his innate ability to bring a story to life. In 1977 Zion stepped foot on US soil for the first time since his birth. It was during that summer that he was bitten by the movie bug when his mother took him to a movie theater for the first time to see 'Star Wars'. After serving several years as a United States Marine, the martial arts instructor enrolled in The Center For Media Arts in New York City to pursue his passion. Zion's talents eventually made it's way through several film festivals, creating a buzz and gaining notoriety until his creativity and drive caught the attention of Production Designer 'Wynn Thomas' who took Zion under his wing and mentored him in the movie business. One year later Zion got his first big break on Hunger Games 'Catching Fire'. It was on this film that Zion got to meet and be further inspired by director, Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend, Like Water For Elephants).- IMDb Mini Biography By: J Stone
- SpouseRegina Taylor DeBeatham(2016 - present)
- My old high school track coach yelled at me once during a race to run faster! When I yelled back that I couldn't, he yelled back 'Son, if you've got enough energy to answer me back then you're not running hard enough!' Whenever I think I've got nothing left and feel like giving up I remember that day and hear his voice.
- I think people spend way too much time focusing on the past and the future. The past is gone and you only have control over the next sixty seconds. If people make the next sixty seconds their best and then the next and the next, then the minutes, hours, days, years will work out beyond their wildest dreams.
- People tease me that I always seem to be awake doing something 24 hours a day. I'm just incredibly driven by something I can't explain. I sleep very little. When I get too tired I just pinch myself, run in place for a minute and get back to work. I've just got too much I want to get done with my life.
- Always select. Never settle.
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