Hollywood actor Billy Zane has taken on the most significant role of his career as he portrays the enigmatic and highly respected screen legend Marlon Brando in a forthcoming biopic. The project, called Waltzing with Brando, will require Zane to capture Brando’s intense screen presence and complex persona, a challenge for any performer at any level. But if the first look pics and IG posts we’ve seen are anything to go by, Zane is the right man for the job, and both his and Brando’s fans have much to be excited about.
‘The Greatest Actor Ever’
It’s a known fact that Marlon Brando is one of the most beloved actors ever to grace our screens. In fact, we had him on a list of best actors that he easily topped. New schoolers who may not have come across his work – for whatever reason – would do well to devote some time to studying the man’s work. Brando’s transformative approach to acting, characterized by method acting, revolutionized the craft and left an indelible mark on Hollywood and the filmmaking world.
Brando’s acting style was a groundbreaking departure from the techniques that performers from previous generations were used to. As we mentioned, he embraced method acting, which was all about immersing himself fully into his roles and bringing realism and emotional depth to his performances. He had a profound ability to convey complex emotions with subtlety and nuance that became his trademark and influenced a whole generation of actors after him.
Brando’s portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather will probably go down in the minds of many as his all-time stand-out performance. His work in that film clinched him an Oscar (his second after 1955’s On The Waterfront), which sealed his status as a cinematic giant. We’ll never forget the understated power of Don Vito and how he goes down as one of the most memorable characters in film history.
Yet, with all that fame and notoriety, Brando was incredibly humble. He didn’t let any accolades get to his head and seemed to have his feet on the ground. When an interviewer asked his thoughts about being considered the greatest actor ever, his answer showed humility and simplicity. Beyond his acting prowess, Brando was also a fervent activist. He used his platform to support civil rights and Native American causes, refusing his Godfather Oscar in protest of Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans. And so, because he was such a larger-than-life figure, it makes sense then that the biopic about him zooms in on a particular period of his life.
Billy Zane In Waltzing With Brando
The upcoming biopic Waltzing with Brando dives deep into a specific chapter of Marlon Brando’s life. The film, directed by Bill Fishman, chronicles Brando’s collaboration with architect Bernard Judge (who also co-writes the script) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. While Brando prepared for his memorable roles in The Godfather (voted as one of the best movies of all time) and Last Tango in Paris, he partnered with Judge to build an ecologically sustainable retreat on a Tahitian island – one of his many compassionate projects. As fans of the late actor, we can’t wait to see this specific and unique perspective on the legendary actor, and in a sense, we’re glad they’re not making a sweeping attempt at covering his whole life.
Billy Zane was kind enough to post some of the production pictures from the biopic on his Instagram account. All we can say—together with the others who’ve commented on the posts—is ‘wow’. His resemblance is striking, and a great deal of attention has been paid to detail—from facial features to Brando’s signature intensity. This alone has left fans like us speechless and looking forward to the film’s release.
Billy Zane As Marlon Brando As Jor-El In Superman
While Marlon Brando will go down in history as one of the greats, there were some low moments, too. One of the production pictures that has surfaced is one where Billy Zane is in the make-up chair being readied for his Brando role, specifically as Jor-El in Superman starring Christopher Reeve. This should be a fascinating stretch in Waltzing with Brando, mainly because of the backstory around Brando’s involvement in the 1978 movie. Let’s start with the fact that the film’s shoot was moved from Italy to England because Brando had a warrant of arrest out on him for sexual obscenity.
Without a doubt, Superman launched Christopher Reeve’s career as the Man of Steel, but perhaps Brando brought more drama (not the good, onscreen drama that audience members are after) than was needed. Reeve was reportedly dismayed by Brando’s approach to the role, which he didn’t hesitate to mention in an interview with David Letterman. Brando, praised for the method acting we already mentioned, allegedly refused to memorize his lines, relying heavily on cue cards placed just out of shot. And this was after it had taken some convincing for Brando to play the role of himself in the first place, after initially wanting to play the part as a bagel. This perceived unprofessionalism clashed with Reeve’s commitment to the project and worsened the feeling about Brando’s big salary for a relatively minor role. To many people, Brando leveraged his star power to cash in on the role without really and sincerely investing the effort expected of an actor of his level.
Hopefully, since we’ve seen some evidence that Billy Zane will tackle this part of Brando’s career, it will be interesting to see the nuances and layers portrayed on our screens outside of what’s been reported by media and discussed on fan forums. Capturing the essence of a figure as complex and captivating as Marlon Brando is a big deal. Waltzing with Brando may be ready to embrace this challenge head-on.
The secret weapon we know about is Billy Zane and his uncanny resemblance to Brando in his prime. At least, that’s what the production pictures point to. Of course, production pictures are only one small part of the story. What matters is the film and the emotional impact it will have on audiences. We’re looking ahead to that now, and we can’t wait.
Waltzing with Brando |
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Movie star Marlon Brando recruits a Los Angeles architect to build the world's first ecologically perfect retreat on a small, uninhabited island in Tahiti. |
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| Studio: Filmin'Tahiti |
| Running Time: TBA |
| Release Date: TBA |
| Cast: Tia Carrere, Billy Zane, Jon Heder |
| Director: Bill Fishman |
| Writers: Bill Fishman, Bernard Judge |
| Genre: Biopic |
| Box Office: N/A |
