Born in Toronto, Canada, Zan's parents immigrated to Toronto after failed attempts to enter the United States through Ellis Island in the late 1950s. Zan's dream as early as grade school was to become a Police officer just like his father who was a member of the Royal Canadian mounted police (RCMP) for 10 years. Zan majored in both law enforcement and theatre courses throughout high school and college. A tragic car accident in 1997 ended Zan's law enforcement career. He began to study and consider theatre as his high school theatre teacher had told Zan if he applied himself to the craft of acting he would be very successful. Zan studied acting in Toronto, Canada and eventually in Los Angeles using the Lee Strassburg method as his choice of preference. Zan is active in the Los Angeles theatre and film community with a extensive list of credits to his name.