For Steven Seagal, good things never come easy. In the latter part of the mythic martial artist’s career, his action flicks are direct-to-video events, seen only by his longtime avid followers. He credited the FBI for ruining his career, who claimed Seagal worked for the mob, and he hired a private detective in order to avoid journalists writing nasty things about him in the press. And so in the mid 2000s, Seagal’s career floundered. And yet, during this time of trial and tribulation, he has managed to keep working – both musically and meditatively. Like his great characters of the screen, Seagal himself is indeed a warrior, and like our Badass Bracket says, he’s “the best there is.”
The rise of Seagal, sometimes known as the Great One, begins in Lansing, Michigan in 1951. A family move to southern California when Seagal was a youth was also the location for the beginning of his martial arts training (ultimately he would wind up in Japan teaching aikido in which he claimed a black belt). Black belts in karate, judo, and kendo would also come his way. He married a Japanese girl, worked in a dojo, and quietly prepared himself for the future. Legend has it he met a dog which by barking alerted Seagal of an impending fire to his dojo. The dog proved right; Seagal never saw it again.
A return to the United States brought Seagal attention as an aikido master – and a growing interest to Hollywood. His training with Sean Connery in his return as James Bond in “Never Say Never Again” is oft told: he broke 007’s wrist teaching him karate. It was only the beginning. By the early 90s, he was a legit action star with the “Under Siege” franchise. An attempt at music yielded two blues albums: Songs from the Crystal Cave and Mojo Priest.
While his troubles with the Mob and his direct to DVDs films are Seagal’s current legacy, he has managed to lead quite a life. He has six children, promotes an energy drink known as Steven Seagal’s Lightning Bolt, is a deputy sheriff in Louisiana, an environmentalist, and recognized as a reincarnated tulku. A major comeback seems destined for Lord Steven.
Badass Bracket – Casey Ryback
In 2007, we created a Badass Bracket for 32 of the most badass characters from the movies and TV that we could think of. It was pretty hard narrowing it down to that number, but a Steve Seagal character seemed like a natural fit. Casey Ryback seemed like the perfect choice, as he was a great character from a film that was actually fantastic. But, Casey ran into Conan the Barbarian in round one.
Here’s the Badass Bracket profile for Casey Ryback:
Steven Seagal, “Under Siege”
That’s Casey fucking Ryback to you. Lately, he’s preferred to focus on his expertise in the culinary arts, but the list of things in which Ryback is skilled extends beyond whipping up a scrumptious bouillabaisse…or, as the man himself once clarified, “I also cook.” First and foremost, though, he’s an ex-SEAL who’s an expert in martial arts, explosives, weapons and tactics; he’s also earned a Silver Star, a Navy Cross and a Purple Heart, as well as a demotion down to Yeoman for punching a superior officer. (He deserved it, though.) In short, Ryback’s a warrior…and the best there is.Definitive badass moment: When, while in the process of taking back the USS Missouri from terrorists, he invades the metal shop and, armed only with a knife, proceeds to take down half a dozen guys…starting by slicing a rope and dropping a girder through the first guy’s chest, then finishing the last fella off by shoving him shoulder-first into a band saw.
Classic badass line: “You think this is being shot…? This ain’t being shot.”
Seed: #11
Occupation: Former Navy SEAL, now a cook
Strengths: Military training, martial arts expertise
Weaknesses: Doesn’t really like to fight, is prone to overconfidence when he does fight
Seagal on the Screen
In the early years, the Master of Aikido rose to power with “Above the Law” in 1988. He’s Mason Storm in “Hard to Kill” and Casey Ryback in the widely popular “Under Siege” movies. His directorial debut was in 1994 with “On Deadly Ground,” though the film tanked. Still, he had some success as Lt. Col. Austin Travis in “Executive Decision” and Jack Taggart in “The Glimmer Man.” His last great success was “Exit Wounds” in 2001. Afterwards began a line of direct-to-video pictures. He’s Sasha Petrosevitch in “Half Past Dead,” Jonathan Cold twice in “The Foreigner” and “Black Dawn,” Chris Cody in “Submerged,” Harlan Banks in “Today You Die,” Marshall Lawson in “Attack Force,” and John Sands in “Flight of Fury.”
Latest Buzz
Seagal seems to have gone off the deep end with his bizarre support of Russia and Putin. Very strange . . . .
Seagal Says
On his great hope:
“I am hoping that I can be known as a great writer and actor some day, rather than a sex symbol.”
On living:
“Try to find the path of least resistance and use it without harming others. Live with integrity and morality, not only with people but with all beings.”