Brad Dourif

Brad Dourif is the American actor who portrays Zoso on ABC's Once Upon a Time.

Biography
Bradford "Brad" Claude Dourif was born on March 18, 1950 in Huntington, West Virginia to actress Joan Campbell, also known by her maiden name Joan Bradford, and factory owner and art collector Jean Henri Dourif. On his father's side, Brad is descended from French immigrants, with his grandfather, France native Henri Dourif, who co-founded the Standard Ultramarine and Color Company in Huntington.

Following the death of Brad's father in 1953, his mother remarried champion golfer William "Bill" Cammack Campbell on September 18, 1954. His stepfather helped to raise Brad and his four siblings as well as later adding two more children of their own to the family.

Interested in acting from an early age, he started in school productions before moving on to community theatre. From 1963 to 1965, Brad attended the private Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, South Carolina. It was there that he pursued his interests in art and acting. Following brief consideration to be an artist, eventually, he was inspired to become and actor by his mother’s participation in the local community theatre.

After Aiken Preparatory School, Brad attended another private school, Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, graduating in 1969. He continued studying at Marshall University and joined the Huntington Community Players. Prompted by the advice of actress Conchata Ferrell, he quit school and moved to New York City to hone acting skills at the Circle Repertory Company.

Trivia

 * The British accent he used as Grima Wormtongue in the film adaption of J. R. R. Tolkien's book trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, was so convincing that most of his cast members were shocked to hear him speak English with an American accent after filming was finished.