Steven Seagal has lived quite a turbulent life. Always on the move and living in different parts of the world, this well-known actor initially stepped into the world of showbiz through a leap of faith.
Seagal has starred in some high-grossing films and was once one of the biggest action stars, only to fade into relative obscurity. What happened? And what does he look like now?
Here’s all you need to know about Steven Seagal!
Steven Seagal became independent very quickly, leaving his home country before his 18th birthday. Since then, the 6ft 4 actor, musician, and even cop(!) has done it all, becoming a film star as well as a martial arts master.
But Seagal’s life hasn’t been all sunshine and roses; he has endured some rough periods. Today, he might look pretty unfamiliar to you.
Here’s all you need to know about Steven Seagal – and why he’s gone from the spotlight.
Steven Seagal – Early Life
As a young boy, Seagal was very interested in music. He often listened to the blues, which influenced him throughout his life.
“I got my first guitar when I was 12,” he explained. “The blues got into my blood, you know. I started to imitate them and tried to learn from them.”
Not only did Seagal have a passion for music, but he was also very interested in martial arts. A lie actually led him down the path of karate.
At the age of 5, his family moved to Fullerton, California. Young Steven had asthma and was quite frail as a child.
“He was a puny kid back then. But he really thrived after the move,” his mom told People about his childhood.
Seagal reportedly lied about his age to get a job as a dishwasher at a restaurant. The chef, who knew karate, thought Seagal was very swift on his feet and decided to teach him.
After finishing high school, Seagal decided to leave the US at the age of 17. He moved to Japan in 1968 to teach English and further practice martial arts.
Seagal became a dedicated student of martial arts, studying each day. He stayed in Japan for 15 years and, by the end, had become a very respected figure in the field.
Steven Seagal – Martial Arts
Seagal steadily transformed into something of a celebrity, appearing in many martial arts magazines. Furthermore, he became the first Westerner at the time to operate his own dojo – a “school for training in various arts of self-defense” – in Japan.
Seagal perfected his martial arts and earned black belts in karate, judo, kendo, and aikido.
In the beginning, though, Seagal had a tough time as a Westerner in Japan. Seagal explained that many Westerners thought you could just pay someone to learn a few moves and then go back to America to teach.
But it wasn’t that easy.
“You have to understand that the way to enlightenment is through deprivation. They create an environment where you’re not getting any approval for all the work you’re putting in,” Seagal told the Los Angeles Times in 1986. “You’re not getting any sleep, love, or attention. You’re getting your butt kicked and are up before anyone fixing meals and cleaning.”
“They push you to your limit, and when you are so deprived and hungry for everything, a little window opens in your mind. When they do give you something, you’re going to get it, understand it, and appreciate it. You’ll understand some of the mystical deeper meaning that becomes available to you.”
Entering Show Business
“Martial arts have to be an endeavor in which you’re trying to develop the physical man and perfect the spiritual self simultaneously,” Seagal added. “If what you’re doing is devoid of the spiritual essence, it’s nothing but street fighting.”
Seagal stayed in Japan for 15 years before moving back to the US in 1984. He opened his own dojo alongside stuntman Craig Dunn.
Initially, he was shocked by the “fast-food approach” to martial arts in the US. He even criticized legendary actor Chuck Norris’s films because of the martial arts portrayed.
Seagal decided to do something about it and began teaching martial arts. Eventually, he moved from New Mexico to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming an actor.
Alongside a senior student, Haruo Matsouka, who he brought from Japan, Seagal opened an Aikido dojo in West Hollywood. At the same time, he worked as a martial arts coordinator.
The martial arts master worked on films such as The Challenge (1982), starring Scott Glenn, and the James Bond film Never Say Never Again (1983) with Sean Connery.
Never Say Never Again was Connery’s final Bond film. Working with Steven Seagal, however, proved to be quite a painful experience for Connery.
Broke Sean Connery’s Wrist
Connery was reportedly a trained black belt in karate. But when the Bond actor got “a little cocky” with his moves, Seagal made it clear that it wasn’t OK.
“We were going to do a film called Never Say Never Again, and I was going to do Aikido,” Connery said while appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1996.
“I got a hold of Steven, and we had this training in the building where I had an apartment. He was very, very good. I got a little cocky because I thought I knew what I was doing. I got a bit flashy.”
“I did that – and he broke my wrist,” Connery said, raising his hand to his face. He claimed he never realized his wrist was broken until years later.
At this time, Seagal worked on films but was never in them. Instead, he decided to become a bodyguard to various celebrities, including future wife Kelly LeBrock.
Seagal also worked as a bodyguard for Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz, who would become very important in his life.
Steven Seagal – Biggest Movies
Ovitz, a big martial arts fan, was impressed by Seagal’s martial arts abilities and thought he’d be great on-screen.
He personally paid for Seagal’s screen test with Warner Bros – and the executives were very impressed. On a deserted studio soundstage, Seagal displayed his Aikido master skills. The studio heads could hardly believe their eyes.
“The demonstration was miraculous,” Warner Bros. President Terry Semel told the Los Angeles Times in 1988. “With just a toss of his hand, Steven would send the other guy flying. He had the ability to knock these guys up in the air so effortlessly – it was astounding.”
They signed Seagal to his first film, Above the Law.
“Michael has been one of Steven’s major supporters,” Semel explained. “He went far beyond the role of just being Steven’s agent. With the type of superstar client list Michael has, you wouldn’t normally see him work so closely with a first-time actor.
“Michael really believes Steven can be a star. He knew Steven from martial arts, where Steven is something of a celebrity.
“Michael has really gotten involved. He’d constantly say, ‘Think of this guy.’”
“Michael and I are very close – we love each other,” Seagal said. “I’m like a guru to him.”
What is Steven Seagal Doing Today?
Steven Seagal turned into a recognized action film star overnight. In the 1990s, he starred in films such as Under Siege (1992) and Under Siege 2 (1995), playing Navy Seals counter-terrorist expert Casey Ryback. The film grossed $160 million worldwide, making Seagal an international star.
He also directed the 1993 film On Deadly Ground, featuring Michael Caine. However, the movie failed, losing an estimated $50 million.
To date, Steven Seagal has worked on more than 50 productions as an actor. Despite this, he never really made it to the top list of Hollywood celebrities.
So what is he doing today? Well, it turns out that he isn’t living in the US anymore – he’s in Russia. According to News24, the US government is trying to collect $200,000 that Seagal owes for “failing to disclose he was being paid to promote a digital token.”
According to The Sun, Seagal was granted Russian citizenship in November 2016. Two years later, the Russian foreign ministry gave him an unpaid position titled “special representative for Russian-US humanitarian ties.”
Despite the move, Seagal is hardly short on money – his net worth is around $16 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Through his Instagram page, Seagal posts plenty of pictures of himself. And he surely doesn’t look the same as he did 20 years ago!
Steven Seagal: Family, Wife, Children
He’s lived a long and productive life, but Seagal hasn’t only been focusing on his career. His time in the spotlight has been tumultuous in many ways, but his private life hasn’t been calm either.
In 1975, Seagal married Aikido master Miyako Fujitani. The two welcomed son Kentaro and daughter Ayako before divorcing in 1986.
He had a three-year relationship with Adrienne LaRussa, and then married Kelly LeBrock in 1987. The couple had daughters Annaliza and Arissa and a son, Dominic. They divorced in 1996, but while married, Seagal had an affair with his children’s nanny, Arissa Wolf.
They had a daughter named Savannah.
When Seagal decided to return to the US from Japan, it seems he lost contact with his children.
In an interview with RadarOnline, Segal’s eldest son Kentaro revealed that he doesn’t speak to his father and that Seagal hasn’t reached out to him. In fact, Kentaro explained he doesn’t “even know” his father.
Steven Seagal has pretty much done it all, working as a martial arts coordinator, actor, and bodyguard. And even though he’s older and looks different today, he’s still the same old Steven!
