Billy Zane shocks fans with 'astonishing' Marlon Brando transformation for new biopic

Billy Zane was unrecognizable after transforming into Marlon Brando for the new biopic, Waltzing With Brando.

In a newly released image, the 58-year-old actor could be seen portraying the silver screen legend Brando when he was preparing to star in one of his most iconic roles of all time.

Fans praised the casting choice for the new movie, which will premiere at the Torino Film Festival in Italy, and said Zane's transformation into Brando was 'astonishing.'

The Titanic star — who went shirtless while filming a beach scene for the biopic — went viral on X for his uncanny portrayal of the iconic actor, and fans also took to social media to share their excitement for Zane's comeback. 

Just after seeing one still from the movie, several social media users are already saying he deserves to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather.

In Waltzing With Brando, which is directed by Bill Fishman, Zane will portray the late actor during the period he was preparing for some of his most iconic roles — The Godfather as well as Last Tango in Paris. 

The biopic is based on a memoir penned by the acclaimed actor's architect, Bernard Judge. 

It tells the story of how Brando  discovered Judge and convinced him to build the world's first ecologically perfect retreat on the tiny, uninhabitable Tahitian island of Tetiaroa.

The film festival's new artistic director Giulio Base also gushed about Zane's performance in the role and his attendance at the event to promote the biopic.

'You won't believe it: he is possessed by Brando,' he told Variety about the Titanic star playing the iconic star — who died at age 80 from respiratory and heart difficulties in July 2004.

The 42nd Torino Film Festival will kick off on November 22 and Waltzing With Brando will be the closing film, premiering on the 30th. 

In addition to the screening of the biopic, in celebration of the centennial of Marlon Brando's birth, there will also be a 24-title retrospective of films featuring the late legend. 

On Wednesday, Zane started trending on X, formerly Twitter, as many social media users reacted to his transformation. 

Many fans gushed over the decision to cast Zane in the role of portraying Marlon Brando.

One social media user wrote: 'Billy Zane is such a good casting choice!' 

Another person tweeted that they were 'already' looking forward to Zane receiving his first Academy Award nomination. 

'I'm already rooting for Billy Zane to get his first Oscar nomination,' one X user said. 'The hair and makeup alone has already won the Oscar.' 

One X user said that Zane portraying Brando is 'pitch-perfect casting.' 

'I hope the film is good, because this is pitch-perfect casting, and I'd personally love to see a Billy Zane comeback.' 

Another person said that the actor looked identical to Brando when in costume and jokingly insisted that they did not believe the photo was Zane. 

'Well, I am still waiting for the picture of Billy Zane. This is clearly Marlon Brando,' the tweet read. 

One X user shared their shock at Zane's similarities to Brando. 

'Apparently, these are pictures of Billy Zane, in an upcoming Brando biopic. Astonishing,' they wrote. 

Similarly, another person, a self-proclaimed fan of Brando's movies, said they had to do a 'triple take' after seeing the still of Zane as Brando in The Godfather. 

Recognizing how iconic the artistry is in the new biopic and how meta it is, one X user wrote: 'I can't wait for the Billy Zane biopic in 20 years where an actor gets to play Billy Zane playing Marlon Brando playing Vito Corleone.'