Brian Zane
Actor • Teacher
• Coach
Helping actors build truthful, embodied performances through coaching, teaching, and The Actor's Nervous System podcast.
Actor
Grounded, intelligent performances in comedy and drama.
Selected Credits:
The Truth of the Game— Lead — Lillian Tiemeyer
Proper No. Twelve Whiskey— Supporting— Pardon My Take/ Barstool Sports (Corey Rutledge)
I Suspect— Lead— Alors Belovicz
Film/TVTheatreLady Molly of Scotland Yard (World Premiere)— Pianist/Reverend Grimes — Asolo Rep (dir. Peter Rothstein / wri. Ken Ludwig)
Clyde’s— Jason— Asolo Conservatory (DeAnna Wright)
Anything Goes— Moonface Martin— Music Theater Works (Rudy Hogenmiller)
Master Class— Manny u/s— Timeline Theatre Company (Nick Bowling)
Far from Heaven— Stan Fine— Porchlight Music Theatre (Rob Lindley)
Representation
NV Talent
TV/Film: Debby Kotzen (debby@nvtalent.com)
Theatre: Alexa Lushetsky (alexa@nvtalent.com)
Special Skills
Piano (expert)
Baritone
Demidov Technique
Stage Combat (SAFD certified unarmed)
Music Directing Experience
Dialects (New York, British RP, Cockney, read IPA)
Demo Reel
Brian Zane
AEA
Chicago
5’11”
Videos
Comedic Scene (Theatre)
Jaxton— The Thanksgiving Play
FSU/Asolo Conservatory Showcase
On-Camera Scenes
Dr. Mantell— Scientist
Music
Singing Reel— Into the Woods (Baker)
Dramatic Scene (Theatre)
Jamie— The Great God Pan
FSU/Asolo Conservatory Showcase
Leo— Family Drama Scene
Villain— Procedural Scene
Piano Reel— Rhapsody in Blue
Coaching
One-on-one coaching for actors seeking greater freedom, presence, and truth.
Audition Coaching
Prepare for stage and screen auditions through text exploration, character circumstances, and moment-moment responsiveness.
Rather than forcing choices, we work toward a freer, more spontaneous performance built from your own impulses.
MFA-trained actor and teacher Brian Zane offers coaching rooted in Nikolai Demidov’s approach to acting, combined with contemporary scene study and on-camera practice.
Whether you’re preparing for an audition of exploring a role more deeply, the focus is on developing trust in your instincts, releasing self-consciousness, and creating conditions where authentic behavior can emerge.
Self-Tape Coaching
Create self-tapes that feel grounded, connected, and alive.
We focus on presence, listening, circumstances, and letting the camera capture your work rather than trying to “show” the performance.
Scene & Character Work
Explore a role through circumstances, imagination, sensation, and relationship.
Using Demidov-inspired practices, actors develop deeper trust in their creative instincts and learn to respond freely in the moment.
About Brian
I'm an AEA actor, teacher, and coach based in Chicago.
I earned my MFA in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and my MA in Educational Theatre from NYU.
My work explores the intersection of acting, psychology, and the nervous system through performance, coaching, teaching, and The Actor's Nervous System podcast.
Whether I'm preparing actors for auditions, teaching in the classroom, or interviewing guests on the podcast, my goal is the same: helping people become more present, responsive, and truthful in their work.
The Actor’s Nervous System
Podcast
Conversations about acting, creativity, presence, and performance.
Substack
Essays exploring acting technique, embodiment, and the creative process.
Youtube
Video clips, podcast episodes, and conversations about acting.
A podcast and writing project exploring acting, embodiment, psychology, and the nervous system.
Follow along for clips, thoughts, and behind-the-scenes moments.
Let’s Work Together
Interested in acting coaching, podcast collaborations, teaching opportunities, or just want to connect? Send me a message and I’ll get back to you.