William George "Billy" Zane Jr. is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his roles in the films Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, The Phantom, and Titanic, as well as the series Accused. Zane was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Thalia and William George Zane Sr., who were amateur actors and founders of a medical school.

His parents are of Greek descent, and their surname was originally Zanetakos (Greek: Τζανετάκος), later shortened to Zane. Billy Zane has an older sister, Lisa Zane, an actress and singer. After graduating from school, Zane went to Switzerland, where he continued to hone his acting talent for several years.