Yes, that’s Billy Zane beneath those prosthetics. The “Titanic” alum is unrecognizable as late star Marlon Brando in the first trailer for biopic “ Waltzing for Brando .” The feature, written and directed by Bill Fishman, is based on a memoir by Bernard Judge.
The film takes place between 1969 and 1974, with Brando readying to shoot “The Godfather” and “Last Tango in Paris.” During that time, the actor purchased an uninhabitable island in Tahiti and recruited Los Angeles architect Judge, portrayed by Jon Heder, to build the world’s first ecologically friendly retreat. Richard Dreyfuss, “Emily in Paris” star Camille Razat, Alaina Huffman, Tia Carrere, and James Jagger co-star in the film, which is now seeking a buyer.
The film will close the Torino Film Festival and play the Tahoe Film Festival. Prior to its world premiere, “Waltzing for Brando” was picked up by VMI Worldwide for foreign sales. Billed as a comedy, “Waltzing for Brando” is produced by Fishman, Zane, Dean Bloxom, Doug Dearth, and Brett Kerr.
And “Waltzing for Brando” isn’t the only Brando biopic on the 2024 festival circuit: Matt Dillon portrays Brando in “Being Maria,” about the making of Bernardo Bertolucci’s controversial “Last Tango in Paris.” Anamaria Vartolomei portrays Maria Schneider in Jessica Palud’s film, which debuted at Cannes . Not to be confused with Pablo Larraín‘s Maria Callas biopic of the same name , this “Maria” follows Schneider’s l.
