Billy Zane Gushes Over Leonardo DiCaprio After Surprise Titanic Reunion

Jack and Cal might have tried to kill each other on the Titanic, but off the boat Leonardo DiCaprio and Billy Zane are still buddies. Case in point: Zane showed up earlier this month at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles to cheer on DiCaprio at the premiere of Paul Thomas Anderson's new one, 'One Battle After Another.' Nearly 30 years later, still a bromance.

A mini Titanic reunion on Hollywood Blvd

Zane told 'Today' he loved the quick catch-up and the movie itself. His words, not mine:

'That was a fun reunion. His new film is wonderful - One Battle After Another. It's great. And he just gets better. It's so good to see his work. Everyone in that film is great. And reuniting with him on the red carpet at the Chinese. I'm sure we've seen each other plenty since the film, but not since - I think it was our premiere [of Titanic] had we spent time in front of that building, and that's what I guess lit up a lot of people.'

Translation: they have crossed paths plenty since 1997, but being back in front of that specific theater triggered a collective flashback for fans.

PTA and DiCaprio are riding the love wave

It is not just Zane doing the praising. Early reception on 'One Battle After Another' has been glowing, with Anderson and DiCaprio getting some of their best notices in years. As of publication, the film sits at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes off 60+ reviews. The movie opens September 26, so we are about to see how that critical heat plays with regular audiences.

Their very random Marlon Brando connection

Here is a fun bit of Hollywood crossfire. Zane is playing Marlon Brando in 'Waltzing with Brando,' which hits September 19. Meanwhile, DiCaprio once owned Brando's actual Best Actor Oscar for 'On the Waterfront' - temporarily. He returned the statuette to authorities after it turned out the gift came from financier Jho Low, who was being investigated for fraud. Wild story, and it left DiCaprio with one Academy Award on the shelf: his own, for 'The Revenant.'

So... awards season?

If you buy into the early chatter, DiCaprio is headed right back into the Best Actor conversation. Zane, on the other hand, probably will not crack a jam-packed field for a first nomination. The bigger narrative right now is that this might finally be the year Paul Thomas Anderson walks away with Best Director.

• 'Waltzing with Brando' (Billy Zane as Marlon Brando): September 19
• 'One Battle After Another' (Paul Thomas Anderson directing Leonardo DiCaprio): September 26
• Critical snapshot: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes from 60+ reviews as of publication