Billy Zane

Billy Zane is an American actor, producer, and visual artist whose career spans four decades and includes more than 180 film and television titles. His breakthrough role came in the Australian thriller "Dead Calm," earning him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor. Early in his career, Zane landed his first big-screen role in "Back to the Future," playing Match, one of Biff Tannen's thugs. From these early supporting roles, Zane developed a reputation as a character actor, often portraying charismatic villains and complex anti-heroes in Hollywood.

Zane starred as Caledon Hockley, the main antagonist in the film "Titanic," for which he and the ensemble cast received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. He also won the Favorite Supporting Actor – Drama accolade for "Titanic" at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. His other notable film roles include Kit Walker in the superhero film "The Phantom," Lieutenant Val Kozlowski in "Memphis Belle," The Collector in "Demon Knight," and Richard Miller in the "Sniper" film series. On television, Zane played John Justice Wheeler in the second season of "Twin Peaks" and provided the voice of Ansem in the video game "Kingdom Hearts."

Zane's range extends beyond blockbusters and genre films. He appeared as Curtis Zampf in "The Believer," which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival. He also starred in and produced "I Woke Up Early the Day I Died," a silent film based on Ed Wood's last script, which won several awards at the B-Movie Film Festival, including Best Movie and Best Actor. Zane has appeared on Broadway in the musical "Chicago" as lawyer Billy Flynn, as well as in London's West End and at Chicago's Lyric Opera. He portrayed Larry Ray in the Lifetime film "Devil on Campus: The Larry Ray Story" and produced and starred in "Waltzing With Brando," a film about Marlon Brando as an environmental activist.

Beyond his work in film, television, and theater, Zane has established a career as a visual artist. He began painting during the filming of "Titanic" and has set up art studios on many of his film locations. Zane's work as a painter and photographer has been exhibited at Art Basel Miami, as well as in London, Budapest, Milan, Saint Tropez, Thessaloniki, Stockbridge, and New York City. His abstract expressionist paintings are known for their kinetic application and balanced color combinations. Zane has collaborated with brands such as Molteni and Co., Luminaire, McLaren, and Aston Martin. He was also awarded an honorary degree from Lium University in Bellinzona, Switzerland, for his contributions to cinematography. Zane continues to be recognized for his work in acting, film production, and the visual arts.