Steven Seagal
A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, he began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan. He became the first foreigner to operate an Aikido Dojo in Japan. He later moved to the Los Angeles, California, area where he made his film debut in 1988 in Above the Law. By 1991, he had starred in three successful films, and would go on to achieve greater fame in Under Siege (1992), where he played Navy SEALs counter-terrorist expert Casey Ryback.
However, his image became tarnished when both On Deadly Ground (1994, which he directed) and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) did poorly in theaters. During the later half of the 90s, he starred in three more theatrical films and a direct-to-video The Patriot. Aside from Exit Wounds (2001) and Half Past Dead (2002), his career shifted almost entirely to direct-to-video films (often low budget productions and shot in Europe or Asia). Between 1998 to 2009, he appeared in a total of 22 of these. At the age of 59, he finally returned to the big screen as Torrez in the 2010 film Machete.
He is also a recording artist and guitarist and the founder of Steven Seagal Enterprises. In addition to his professional achievements, he is also known as an environmentalist, an animal rights activist and a supporter of the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, and the Tibetan independence movement.
Filmography (97 Appearances)
Order of the Dragon
The Time I Almost Met Steven Seagal
In the Name of Justice
The Art of Action
Beyond the Law
Hot!
General Commander
Attrition
Zhara Music Awards
Kadyrov, The Dictator of Chechnya
China Salesman
Killing Salazar
Contract to Kill
End of a Gun
The Perfect Weapon
Ramez is Playing With Fire
The Asian Connection
Code of Honor
Sniper: Special Ops
Absolution
The Real Miyagi
Gutshot Straight
A Good Man
The Joe Show
Force of Execution
Dead Drop
Angel of Death
Violence of Action
Maximum Conviction
Blood Alley
One Shot, One Life
Vengeance is Mine
Urban Warfare
Death Riders
Sheep Impact
Dark Vengeance
Payback
True Justice
Lethal Justice
Street Wars
Deadly Crossing
Born to Raise Hell
Machete
A Dangerous Man
Steven Seagal: Lawman
The Keeper
Driven to Kill
How to Blow Up a Helicopter (Ayako's Story)
Against the Dark
Kill Switch
The Onion Movie
Projectorparishilton
Pistol Whipped
Urban Justice
Flight of Fury
Attack Force
Shadow Man
Mercenary for Justice
Black Dawn
Into the Sun
Today You Die
Submerged
The Friday Night Project
Out of Reach
Clementine
Belly of the Beast
Out for a Kill
Celebrities Uncensored
The Foreigner
Half Past Dead
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
The Making of Exit Wounds
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
Ticker
Exit Wounds
Aikido: The Path Beyond Thought
Get Bruce!
The Patriot
My Giant
Fire Down Below
Taff
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life
Love in Hollywood
The Glimmer Man
E! True Hollywood Story
Executive Decision
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
On Deadly Ground
Under Siege
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Out for Justice
Marked for Death
Hard to Kill
Celebrity Guide to Wine
Above the Law
Saturday Night Live
The Oscars