Shelter is the latest one-man army actioner from British superstar Jason Statham. After over two decades in the industry, he’s still a major draw in the action world. His movies have grossed over $7 billion worldwide collectively.
Aging like a fine wine, he doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. But here’s the thing: Jason Statham didn’t set out to become an action star – he stumbled into it. So, let’s break down his career and unearth some fun facts you may not have known.
Jason Statham Was a Professional Diver
Before he became a Hollywood megastar, Jason Statham already proved he had ambitions for big things. As a member of Britain’s National Diving Squad, he was a high-level competitive diver for over a decade. Despite his national success, Statham never made it to the Olympics. He participated in the Olympic trials for the 1988 Seoul Games and the 1992 Barcelona Games but failed to qualify for the main events. The athleticism he built carried over into movies like The Meg, where he performed his own aquatic stunts. Also, his skill saved his life on the set of The Expendables 3 when a truck fell into the water prematurely.
Martial Arts Background
Jason Statham’s martial arts background is storied and well-varied. With much of his focus on the Kyokushin style, he reportedly reached the rank of 3rd degree black belt in Karate after training for approximately 12 years. He also has a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has extensive training in Kickboxing, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, Judo, and Boxing.
Various Jobs Before Acting
Once he stepped away from diving, Jason Statham tried his hand at a few different career paths. The early to late 90s served as a period of hustle and bustle while he juggled many jobs simultaneously. Following in the footsteps of his father, he worked as a street vendor, selling fake perfume and jewellery on street corners in London. Alongside some modelling work, he also appeared in music videos as a background dancer/performer. Some videos include “Comin’ On” by The Shamen (1993), “Run to the Sun” by Erasure (1994), and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by The Beautiful South (1995).
How Did He Start Acting?
Instead of referring to his old vocation as street vending, Jason Statham has stated that he was a “streetcorner conman”. When Guy Ritchie was searching for authentic people to cast in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, he met Statham at a modelling event for French Connection. At the time, Statham was mostly splitting his time between modelling and street vending.
Transfixed by his charisma and gift of the gab, Ritchie challenged Statham to impersonate an illegal street vendor and convince him to buy fake jewellery. Statham was so convincing that Ritchie cast him immediately. Although he was only paid a paltry £5,000 for his role, it kickstarted his career. The two have now worked together on five movies. Their sixth collaboration, Viva La Madness, is currently in production.
Roles Jason Statham Missed Out On
However successful it has been, Jason Statham’s career could have looked very different. Early on, he was considered for the lead in Ghosts of Mars (2001), but the studio chose Ice Cube for his star power, relegating Statham to a supporting role instead. He also missed out on playing the iconic Agent 47 in Hitman (2007), with Timothy Olyphant landing the role.
Perhaps most surprisingly, Marvel reportedly came knocking at one point. According to Kevin Feige, the studio pursued Statham for an unspecified film role, though scheduling conflicts forced him to pass. He also rejected the offer to reprise one of his most iconic characters. In a rare misstep by the studios, Statham was offered a three-film contract to continue the Transporter franchise in 2015, but walked away when producers refused to provide scripts upfront and offered him less money despite the series’ success – a decision that led to the franchise fizzling out without him. And while he expressed interest in playing James Bond for Spectre, the role remained with Daniel Craig.
Jason Statham Is About to Go Meta
Just like his past co-star and fellow martial arts savant Jean-Claude Van Damme, Statham will be stepping into the world of meta acting. Reuniting with Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw director David Leitch, the pair will bring forth action comedy flick, Jason Statham Stole My Bike. While plot details are being kept tightly under wraps, it has been announced that Statham will play himself in the $80 million budget spectacle. As the name suggests, it is described as a tongue-in-cheek movie that will likely fall into PG-13 territory.
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