With his sculpted body and sensuous features, combined with an intellectual bent, Zane has not lacked for work, though a number of his films ("Megaville," 1990; "Femme Fatale," 1991; the latter opposite his sister Lisa) garnered little attention. He did, however, make an indelible impression as the cool, enigmatic John Justice Wheeler, who swept Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) off her feet in the cult series "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-1991) and as the long-haired lover of the androgynous "Orlando" (1993) in Sally Potter's adaptation of that Virginia Woolf novel.

In 1993, Zane also played a prominent role in the popular action thriller "Sniper" and was the cruel colonel hunting down black deserters in Mario Van Peebles' "Posse". The next few projects, however, consisted of small roles in big films ("Poetic Justice" and "Tombstone," 1993; the comedy "Only You," 1994); and larger roles in small films (as Jo Dee Foster in the embarrassing "Silence of the Hams," 1994; "Flashfire," 1994; and "Tales From the Crypt Presents Demon Knight," 1995).

Just when it seemed his prime time was passing, Zane landed the high profile leading role in Simon Wincer's adaptation of the comic strip "The Phantom" (1996). Though that film did not do well, it buoyed up Zane's stock enough to land him roles as a incestuous grifter in "This World, Then the Fireworks" and as Kate Winslet's wealthy, caddish fiance in James Cameron's blockbuster "Titanic" (both 1997).