# Lisa Zane

Lisa Zane (born April 5, 1961) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter.

## Early life

Zane was born in Chicago, the daughter of Thalia and William George Zane Sr. Her parents, who are both of Greek descent, founded a medical technical school. Her family's original surname, "Zanetakos", was anglicized to "Zane" by her father. She is the older sister of actor Billy Zane.

## Career

Zane's first film role was in the 1989 film Heart of Dixie. She starred in Gross Anatomy the same year. Other early acting roles included playing Diane Leeds in the first season of medical drama ER, As Claire in Bad Influence (1990), counselor Maggie Burroughs in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991), the title role in The Nurse (1997) and a cameo as the gynaecologist in the comedy Cruel but Necessary (2005). She was a series regular as Melina Paros in L.A. Law from 1992 to 1993, JoAnne Meltzer in Profit, Diana in Roar, Le Sage in Dinotopia for Hallmark Entertainment and Sophia Keener in Law and Order in 2006. She provided the voice for She-Hulk in the first season of The Incredible Hulk, as well as Charley Davidson in Biker Mice from Mars in the follow-up 2006 series, taking over from Leeza Miller-McGee.
She has originated many roles on stage, playing Varya in David Mamet's debut adaptation of The Cherry Orchard at the Goodman Theatre, Rita in Craig Lucas's Prelude to a Kiss and Cleo in Lyle Kessler's Robbers. Zane has also made many guest appearances on TV shows, including Lifestories: Families in Crisis, The Outer Limits, Judging Amy, and The Division.
Zane is a singer, BMI songwriter, and recording artist. In 2006, the Songwriters Hall of Fame recognized her as one of their new songwriters of the year.
Zane played the part of the "alter ego" in Amanda Eliasch's play "As I Like It" in 2012, and an award-winning documentary drama The Gun the Cake and the Butterfly (2014), in which she sang with Charles Eliasch.
The same year she performed in The Girl from Nagasaki, a film by Michel Comte based on Madame Butterfly. In 2013, Zane performed in The Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

## Personal life

Zane was in a relationship with Australian actor Heath Ledger from 1997 to 1998.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | Heart of Dixie | M.A. | |
| 1989 | Gross Anatomy | Luann | |
| 1989 | Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog | Taylor | |
| 1990 | Bad Influence | Claire | |
| 1990 | The Age of Insects | Sara | |
| 1991 | Femme Fatale | Cynthia | |
| 1991 | The Passion of Martin | Rebecca | |
| 1991 | Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare | Maggie Burroughs | |
| 1994 | Floundering | Jessica | |
| 1994 | Unveiled | Stephanie Montgomery | |
| 1995 | Terrified | Pearl | |
| 1996 | Baby Face Nelson | Helen Womack | |
| 1996 | The Nervous Breakdown of Philip K. Dick | Tessa | Short |
| 1997 | The Nurse | Laura Harriman | |
| 1999 | The Secret Pact | Denise Wokowski | |
| 1999 | A Table for One | Ariana Harpwood | |
| 1999 | The Lovely Leave | The Wife | Short |
| 2001 | Monkeybone | Medusa | |
| 2005 | Cruel but Necessary | Gynecologist | |
| 2013 | The Gun, the Cake and the Butterfly | Opera Singer | |
| 2013 | The Girl from Nagasaki | Jazz Singer | |
| 2017 | Game Day | Ricki's Mom | |
| 2021 | Later Days | Madame De'coy | |
| 2022 | Alex/October | Betty |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | Gideon Oliver | | Episode: "Tongs" |
| 1991 | My Life and Times | Lilly | Episode: "Millennium" |
| 1991 | Babe Ruth | Claire Hodgson Ruth | TV film |
| 1992 | Human Target | Robin | Episode: "Chances Are" |
| 1992 | Middle Ages | Nora Conover | Episode: "The Pig in the Python" |
| 1992–93 | L.A. Law | Melina Paros | Main role (season 7) |
| 1994 | Natural Selection | Elizabeth Braden | TV film |
| 1994 | Diagnosis: Murder | Meg Westlin | Episode: "The Restless Remains" |
| 1994 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Lori | Episode: "Confronting Brandon: The Intervention of an Addict" |
| 1994 | XXX's & OOO's | Louisia | TV film |
| 1995 | ER | Diane Leeds | Supporting role (season 1) |
| 1995 | The Great Defender | Rhoda | "Naked Truth" |
| 1995 | Her Deadly Rival | Lynne | TV film |
| 1995 | Iron Man | Madame Masque (voice) | Episode: "Beauty Knows No Pain" |
| 1996 | The Incredible Hulk | She-Hulk (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 1996–97 | Profit | Joanne Meltzer | Main role |
| 1997 | Roar | Queen Diana | Main role |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Natalie Grainger | Episode: "Sarcophagus" |
| 2000 | Stolen from the Heart | Karen Ravetch | TV film |
| 2000 | Missing Pieces | Renata | TV film |
| 2002–03 | Dinotopia | Le Sage | TV series |
| 2003 | Judging Amy | Mrs. Novins | Episode: "Ye Olde Freedom Inn" |
| 2003 | Dragnet | Deborah Larson | Episode: "The Brass Ring" |
| 2004 | The Division | Lisa | Episode: "It's the Real Thing" |
| 2006 | Law & Order | Sophia Keener | Episode: "Cost of Capital" |
| 2006 | Murder in My House | Roxanne | TV film |
| 2006 | Point Pleasant | Anne Gibson | 2 episodes |
| 2006–07 | Biker Mice from Mars | Charley, Carol (voice) | Recurring role (season 1) |
| 2009 | Southland | Lana Schmidt | Episode: "Westside" |
| 2017 | Chicago Justice | Judge Fotis | Episode: "Uncertainty Principle" |