When we think of Jason Statham, we think: bald, brutal, and barely audible. The English action star is known for his gritty persona. The action star was born on July 26, 1967, in England. Seemingly preparing all his life to be an action star, Statham practiced Chinese martial arts, kickboxing, and karate. He also played soccer and was a member of Britain’s national diving team.
Jason’s Early Jobs
While training at London’s Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Statham was scouted by a sports agency and began sports modeling. He was also signed by Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, and French Connection in the late ’90s for various modeling contracts. Even though Statham was booking modeling gigs, he was forced to follow in his father’s street salesman footsteps to make ends meet. He’d sell fake perfume and jewelry on street corners. Jason also made appearances in music videos, including “Comin’ On” by The Shamen in 1993, “Run to the Sun” by Erasure in 1994, and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by The Beautiful South in 1995.
British director Guy Ritchie met Statham when he was developing the 1998 crime comedy thriller Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Ritchie needed to fill the role of street-wise con artist “Bacon.” After learning about Statham’s past as a black market salesman, Ritchie cast him to play the role, and the film was well-received by both critics and audiences. Statham worked with the director again in the 2000 crime comedy film Snatch, playing the role of “Turkish.” Working alongside popular actors Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina, and Benicio del Toro, Statham was able to break into Hollywood. From then on, he starred in numerous action-packed thrillers.
See below our top 5 film picks that Jason Statham kicked butt in.
