Billy Zane is ''proud'' of his ex-fiancée Kelly Brook.

The 49-year-old actor has confessed he's happy his former flame looks set to crack Hollywood with her latest role in Ellen Degeneres' new sitcom 'One Big Happy'.

He said: ''I feel incredibly proud. I always knew she had a knack for comedy.

''It is nice to see she is well within her sweet spot right now. I think the audiences will be thoroughly charmed.''

The 'Titanic' star - who got engaged to the 35-year-old beauty after meeting her on the set of their film 'Survival Island' before they called time on their four year relationship in 2008 - tried to help Kelly make it as an actress in the US when they were still together, with her securing roles in the films 'Three' and 'Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'.

However, Kelly appeared to have turned her back on her Hollywood dreams until she auditioned for the role of free-spirited British girl Prudence in the NBC comedy.

Billy told The Sun newspaper: ''Credit to Kel she was doing some fabulous films prior. Maybe 'Three' was maybe a breakout for her Stateside.

''She is wonderful and I just commended her on the success as I remember seeing an ad for her show on the Super Bowl which was no small thing.

''And with Ellen DeGeneres you couldn't ask for a better producer or champion. It is well deserved.''

Asked if he would consider performing a cameo alongside his former partner, he joked: ''Potential trouble maker perhaps - that sounds like me.''

Billy's congratulations come after Kelly slammed her ex-fiancé in her autobiography 'Close Up' last year.

She wrote: ''[Billy] wanted me either to look like a 1960s Bond girl or a 1950s housewife. That's how he saw me. I felt I had to find out who I was and what my own style was anyway, but it was controlling.

''He projected all his fantasies on to me. I never had a real life with him. I was always in a fantasy fairytale.''