Did starring in 'Titanic' kill Billy Zane's career? Actor says he's STILL shouted at in the streets
Billy Zane, who was thrust into the limelight in James Cameron's 1997 film 'Titanic' with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, discussed the influence of the part he had in the legendary movie in a recent interview. Zane, who played Cal Hockley, Kate's domineering fiancé, said that he still feels like a baddie in Hollywood and that onlookers regularly yell at him on the street. Speaking to The Express, he said, "There are those who know you're an actor and enjoy the performance, and those who quite simply think I'm a natural b*****d. But I'm a sheep in wolf's clothing. Titanic was a double-edged sword."
"It expanded my sphere of influence and awareness; it's quite an international calling card. But it's like wearing a pair of golden handcuffs. To quote Ian Fleming: This is a mink-lined cell. Do I wish I was playing more white hat-hero roles? All the time. I'm actually making that happen by developing my own material." Billy also disclosed in the interview that he had a falling out with American model and actress Candice Neill, the mother of his two children, Ava, 11, and Gia, 8. After a 12-year relationship, the actor has said that he is now looking for love once more.
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Billy reportedly dated British model Kelly Brook starting in 2004. He met Kelly, a model-turned-actor, on the sets of 'Survival Island'. During their four-year relationship, they even got engaged. They initially intended to marry in 2007 at her lavish estate in Kent, but after the death of Kelly Parsons' father, Kenneth, they broke up in November.
Despite reigniting their romance for a second time at the beginning of 2008, Kelly, then 28, declared in April that she was too young to get married, and the wedding was postponed once more. In a 2014 interview with The Daily Mail's Weekend magazine, Kelly—then engaged to Frenchman Jeremy Parisi—spoke openly about her relationship with Zane and insisted that he was never someone she would spend the rest of her life with. "Billy was never going to be somebody I wanted to spend my life with, It was a fling," she remarked at the time.
In an interview with Variety in 2017 on Titanic's 20th anniversary, Zane discussed his legendary performance and the movie's long-lasting cultural influence. He said, "Wonderful films being produced every year, worthy of being cemented in our collective minds as pillars of cinematic excellence, but for some reason, this picture resonates so deeply with people. That has always been a great privilege." When asked about reactions he received from fans, Zane said, "I get quoted. “I put the diamond in the coat, and I put the coat on her!” I get that a lot. “You unimaginable bastard.” A variety of curious greetings. My favorite are fairly off color, and I dare not mention. To be universally loathed is really quite funny."