Is that Billy Zane, or Marlon Brando?
Known for his role in 'Titanic', Billy Zane looks exactly like Marlon Brando in first look images of the new film, 'Waltzing with Brando'
By Amy Campbell
IMAGES OF BILLY ZANE in character as Marlon Brando have gone certifiably viral, and it’s not hard to see why. The actor, most known for his role as the pompous Cal Hockley in Titanic, looks like a spitting image of the movie star, in first look photographs released from the set of the new film, Waltzing with Brando. Directed by Bill Fishman, the man behind cult sleeper hits like Tapeheads (1988), the film follows Brando as he prepares for his starring role in The Godfather, as well as Last Tango in Paris.
Zane’s chiseled jawline was practically made for bringing the late actor to life; he probably doesn’t even need to wear the prosthetics Brando famously donned in The Godfather to give him a pitbull-like underbite. It’s been announced that Waltzing with Brando will make its hotly anticipated world premiere at Italy’s Torino Film Festival on Saturday, November 30.
What is Waltzing with Brando about?
Waltzing with Brando is based on a memoir by Bernard Judge, who was the movie star’s architect. It tells the story of how Brando convinced Judge, a Los Angeles architect, to come with him to the Tahitian island of Tetiʻaroa and build the world’s first ecological retreat; a sustainable utopia that would honour the land and its people. Such a goal doesn’t sound too far fetched by today’s standards, but this was 1966. Some called the actor bonkers, we like to think he was ahead of his time.
Brando first laid eyes on Tetiʻaroa while filming Mutiny on the Bounty in the 1960s. Taken by its natural beauty, he negotiated a a 99-year lease of the island, which was once owned by Tahitian royalty. Tetiʻaroa remained under the ownership of Brando’s family until the actor’s death in 2004. But he got his wish: the island is now home to The Brando, a luxury eco-resort that reflects the actor and the architect’s initial vision.
Where was Waltzing with Brando filmed?
The bulk of the film was shot in Tetiʻaroa, an island in Tahiti.
Who is directing Waltzing with Brando?
The film is directed by Bill Fishman, who, unless you’re particularly tapped into sleeper hits from the 1980s and ’90s, you probably haven’t heard of. The American director has had an eclectic career – the most recent work on his IMDb profile is the music video for Backstreet Boys Last Christmas. But his most well-known works are cult hits like Tapeheads, which follows a couple of dropkicks who accidentally become big shots in the video music industry, and Car 54, Where Are You, which sees a brash NYC policeman team up with a goody two-shoes officer to protect an important mafia witness.
It will be interesting to see how Fishman’s scuzzy, low-fi aesthetic translates to telling the story of the Hollywood heartthrob.
When is the release date of Waltzing with Brando?
The film is slated for release in 2025. It will have its world premiere this November 30 at Torino Film Festival, but its cinema release has not yet been announced.
Related:
Jeremy Allen White is back for more
An evolving list of Timothée Chalamet’s best looks from the set of Marty Supreme
