Best known for her role in Showtime’s Billions, actress Zina Wilde has been expanding her career beyond the screen, establishing herself as a screenwriter, producer, and leader of transformative retreats. This year, she premieres her latest short film, We Regret to Inform You, at the Los Angeles Greek-American Film Festival and Series Mania in Europe. The project has already caught the attention of Faliro House Productions, where Zina is developing the story into a TV series.
With exclusive retreats held in iconic locations like Mick Jagger’s estate in Sicily, she is now preparing to lead experiences in Greece and South Africa, offering a sophisticated yet accessible approach to personal growth and mental health.
With a résumé that includes appearances in The Blacklist, MADOFF, 80 for Brady, and The Climb—winner of the Cannes Audience Award—Zina continues to innovate in the entertainment industry. At the same time, she remains actively involved in philanthropy and is developing a spiritual documentary exploring the connection between creativity and wellness. Fluent in three languages and holding passports from Greece, the UK, and the US, she strengthens her global presence as a multifaceted and influential artist.
You’ve made a name for yourself both in acting and producing, with major projects like We Regret to Inform You already gaining international attention. What was the creative process behind this short film, and what does it represent for you as an artist?
We regret to inform you started as an idea a while back. I was always fascinated by the concept of time. Every single person on the planet has one thing that they can know for sure, that our time is limited. However, it’s the one thing we take for granted. That irony always struck me and I wanted to explore that in this short film. It’s a true labor of love that has been very exciting to see the interest that it is gathering. I am very grateful. I am very proud of what we have made.
Leading wellness retreats in iconic locations like Mick Jagger’s vacation spot and Greece is a truly unique experience. What inspired you to explore the wellness world, and how has this practice influenced your creative vision?
This year was the first year I expanded the trips outside of Greece and that was truly special that we were able to do it in a location as incredible as the one we went to in Sicily. Creating the Eu Zina, the name of the retreat company has been one of the biggest joys in my life. The inspiration came back during Covid when I was having a really difficult time from isolation. I decided to go back home thinking that it would help. I remember being in the sea and feeling like something truly changed in me in that moment. I felt my depression evaporating. I had done everything before that moment to try to relief myself from those feelings but nothing was working. Once I felt that in the water i knew that something had changed, like a rebirth. In that moment I realized I wanted to share this with more people because I couldn’t be the only person in the world feeling like that. So the idea was birthed. The retreats have been a major influence in my creative vision, I love meeting new people. By creating communities I get informed daily on using this experience as an actor and a writer. It’s all connected and weaved together.
Your seven-season run on Billions is an impressive achievement. How did that experience shape your career, and what lessons from that period are you applying to the projects you’re developing now?
Being on a show like Billions for so long shaped my life forever. I feel forever grateful. It’s not that I was just employed for so long, it’s also that it was one of the best shows on TV with the best actors and producers and writers. It was a real pinch me moment in my life. I learned so much from the best and will never take that for granted. I use what I learned on that set daily. Some important things are to really respect the writers and the script. On the show it was really important we were 100 percent faithful to the script and I agree with that. The words have been carefully chosen and it’s important to stay true to that. Some things that I have learned to implement my creations are determination and commitment. That show was so incredible at doing everything full on and I really love that. I try to implement it to all of my creations.
You’re developing a TV series that is a French- American production. What inspired you to create that and what message do you hope to convey through this production?
I am so excited about this project for many reasons. I am co-creating it with my co-writer Dimitra Barla. We were introduced by a mutual producer friend in Greece that decided to match make us 🙂 it worked really well and we have been developing it since the summer. We are both European so we wanted to create a series that was taking place in both Europe and the US. The subject is based on real life events that have been dramatized. We had the pleasure of taking it to Series Mania a few weeks ago where we met with potential producers and I am very excited to share that there has been some great interest. The theme is an erotic thriller and we can’t wait to share more once the time is right.
Throughout your career, you’ve worked with names like Jane Fonda, Liev Schreiber, and Richard Dreyfuss. How have these partnerships influenced your acting style and your approach as a producer?
Working as an actor with such incredible names has taught me so many things. One of the most important things that these powerhouses have taught me is respect for the art and the people. They are so famous for a reason! They are pleasant and inspiring and just incredible. I will never forget when Jane Fonda introduced herself to me. I almost lost my mind, I kept saying I don’t know if I cannot scream every two seconds but I will do my best. She really is such a hero to me. I strive to be like that. Respectful, present, talented and committed.
The balance between creativity and wellness seems to be a central theme in your life. How have your spiritual journey and wellness work influenced the way you see the entertainment industry?
Thank you for asking that. I believe that the two things together are a perfect match. Being a creative person it’s really important to feed the soul. These retreats are doing just that for me and others. I think it’s vital that all creatives have an outlet where we can nurture our soul. When we do that we come out with ideas, desire to do more and make beautiful things to share with the rest of the world. For anyone that wants to stay in the entertainment business in the long run I think it’s crucial that the soul is fed at the same time. For me that is the way I can achieve that. Rich experiences are essential for actors and writers. Once they have experienced more things then they can draw from that and put it into their work. Traveling for me is a very creative process. It’s uncomfortable and it can get sticky but it’s also the thing that gets you to the next level. David Bowie said that if you are an artist you have to be a little uncomfortable and I always think of that. He’s one of my heroes!
With an international career, fluency in three languages, and multiple passports, you have a truly global perspective on the entertainment industry. How does this international outlook influence your creative choices and the projects you choose to take on?
I love being from different places. The world has changed so much that there is so much work outside of the US which makes it a huge plus. There are so many creative people all over the world and having the opportunity to work with them is a true privilege that I don’t take for granted. I know how much I struggled when I was on a visa and how on a practical level it was almost impossible to work so I don’t take it for granted. I love the different perspectives and celebrating the differences between cultures. I am truly interested in blending cultures with everything that I do. It’s interesting to me and creatively it feels like an endless source. We are all different yet we are the same.
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