- Born:
- July 26, 1967, Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England (age 59)
- Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):
- "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale" (2007)
- "Cellular" (2004)
- "The Transporter" (2002)
- "Mechanic: Resurrection" (2016)
- "Turn It Up" (2000)
- "The Bank Job" (2008)
- "Hummingbird" (2013)
- "The Fate of the Furious" (2017)
- "Revolver" (2005)
- "Mean Machine" (2001)
- "Wild Card" (2015)
- "Killer Elite" (2011)
- "Gnomeo & Juliet" (2011)
- "London" (2005)
- "Spy" (2015)
- "Blitz" (2011)
- "Transporter 2" (2005)
- "Parker" (2013)
- "The Expendables" (2010)
- "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998)
- "The One" (2001)
- "Ghosts of Mars" (2001)
- "The Italian Job" (2003)
- "Homefront" (2013)
- "The Expendables 2" (2012)
- "Snatch" (2000)
- "Crank" (2006)
- "Collateral" (2004)
- "Safe" (2012)
- "Death Race" (2008)
- "Chaos" (2005)
- "War" (2007)
- "Transporter 3" (2008)
- "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" (2019)
- "The Mechanic" (2011)
- "13" (2010)
- "Furious 7" (2015)
- "The Meg" (2018)
- "The Expendables 3" (2014)
- "Crank: High Voltage" (2009)
Jason Statham
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Who is Jason Statham?
Jason Statham, born on July 26, 1967, in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England, is the son of Eileen and Barry Statham. Before his acting career, Statham was a competitive diver and participated in the 1988 Olympic trials and the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
In the mid-1990s, he transitioned to modeling for brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Leviās. His film debut was in Guy Ritchieās Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), which launched him to stardom. Statham is known for roles in The Transporter (2002), The Italian Job (2003), Crank (2006), and The Expendables series (2010ā2023). He also appeared in the Fast and Furious franchise (2013ā2023) and The Meg (2018).
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What country is Jason Statham from?
Jason Statham was born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom. Statham is an English actor known for his roles as antiheroes in action-thrillers like The Expendables and the Fast & Furious franchise. Before acting, he was a diver and model. He competed at the British National Diving School in 1985 and participated in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
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What types of movies is Jason Statham famous for?
Jason Statham is known for action movies, becoming a prominent action star in the early 21st century. He often plays antiheroes in blockbuster action-thrillers like The Expendables and the Fast & Furious franchise.
Statham's roles include a former special forces soldier in The Transporter series, an FBI agent in War, and hitman Arthur Bishop in The Mechanic films. He has also appeared in The Italian Job, Crank, and The Bank Job. In Spy, Statham played a comedic role as a bumbling agent. He also starred in The Meg, a sci-fi horror film.
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What are some well-known movies that Jason Statham has starred in?
Jason Statham, a famous English actor, is known for his action-thriller roles. Some of his popular movies include:
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
- Snatch (2000)
- The Transporter (2002)
- The Italian Job (2003)
- Crank (2006)
- The Bank Job (2008)
- The Expendables (2010)
- The Mechanic (2011)
- Furious 7 (2015)
- Spy (2015)
- The Meg (2018)
- Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Statham has also starred in sequels to some of these films, such as Transporter 2 (2005), Transporter 3 (2008), Crank: High Voltage (2009), The Expendables 2 (2012), and Mechanic: Resurrection (2016).
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What did Jason Statham do before becoming an actor?
Before becoming an actor, Jason Statham was a street vendor's son who helped sell inexpensive items. He developed a passion for martial arts, soccer, and diving. In 1985, Statham joined the British National Diving School and competed in the Olympic trials for the 1988 Seoul Games. He participated in international competitions, such as the 1990 Commonwealth Games. After failing to qualify for the 1996 Atlanta Games, Statham left diving.
In the mid-1990s, Statham modeled for apparel brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Leviās. His acting debut was in 1998 as Bacon in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. This role led to further success in Guy Ritchie's films, including Snatch (2000), which boosted Statham's fame.
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How have Jason Statham's physical skills, like martial arts and diving, influenced his acting career?
Jason Statham's athleticism significantly shaped his acting career. His background in Chinese martial arts and diving is evident in his action roles. Statham's physical capabilities allowed him to perform many of his own stunts, contributing to the authenticity of his performances in films like The Transporter and Crank. His role in The Meg (2018) paid tribute to his diving past. Statham has been a proponent for recognizing stunt performers with an Academy Award. His action-oriented roles have made him a major action star in the 21st century.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
The 2000s brought a new kind of action movieābigger and louder with more special effectsāas well as a new action star, Jason Statham. The English actor, a former diver and model, portrayed antiheroes in a number of blockbuster action-thrillers, notably those in the Expendables and the Fast & Furious franchises. These movies helped make Statham one of the most bankable action stars in the early 21st century.
Early life
Jason Statham was born on July 26, 1967, in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England. He is the second son of dancer Eileen (nƩe Yates) Statham and Barry Statham, a street vendor who sold inexpensive items, including jewelry. Between shifts helping his father at market stalls, Statham discovered a love for Chinese martial arts, football (soccer), and, most notably, diving. In 1985 he began attending the British National Diving School, and that same year he competed in the Olympic trials for the 1988 Games in Seoul. Although he did not make the cut, Statham participated in other international competitions, including the 1990 Commonwealth Games. After failing to make the national team for the 1996 Atlanta Games, Statham left the sport.
In the mid-1990s, Statham was recruited to model for several apparel brands, including Tommy Hilfiger and Leviās. He made his movie debut in 1998, appearing as the con man Bacon in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. The crime comedy, which was director Guy Ritchieās first feature film, earned widespread praise. It also marked the start of a productiveāand lucrativeādirector-actor friendship. Statham was later cast in Ritchieās second film, Snatch (2000), which also featured Brad Pitt. Both films were commercial hits, and they helped catapult Statham to stardom.
Acting career
In 2002 Statham assumed the title role in The Transporter, about a former special forces soldier who delivers items for criminals. The movie was a box-office success, and two sequels (2005 and 2008) followed. During this time, Statham also starred in The Italian Job (2003), a heist dramedy that featured Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron, and Crank (2006), in which he was cast as an assassin; he reprised the latter role in Crank: High Voltage (2009). He shifted gears with War (2007), playing an FBI agent searching for a contract killer (Jet Li). Also popular was The Bank Job (2008). In addition, Statham had a supporting role in Michael Mannās Collateral (2004), in which Tom Cruise portrayed a hit man.
In 2010 Statham appeared in The Expendables, joining an all-star cast that included Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Li. The action drama, which centers on mercenaries, was a huge hit, and Statham later acted in the three sequels (2012, 2014, and 2023). He also starred as hit man Arthur Bishop in The Mechanic (2011) and Mechanic: Resurrection (2016).
In 2013 Statham joined the cast of the popular Fast and Furious series, playing Deckard Shaw, a former MI6 agent. The character was introduced in Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and then appeared in Furious 7 (2015), The Fate of the Furious (2017), F9: The Fast Saga (2021), and Fast X (2023). Statham also starred with Dwayne Johnson in the spin-off film Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019). In this and numerous other movies, Statham did many of his own stunts, and he has advocated for creating an Academy Award category dedicated to stunt performers.
Stathamās other movies include Paul Feigās action comedy Spy (2015), in which he played a bumbling agent who butts heads with a mousy CIA analyst (Melissa McCarthy). In 2018 he paid tribute to his diving days, starring in The Meg, a sci-fi horror film about a submarine crew attacked by a monstrous prehistoric shark. He also appeared in the sequel, Meg 2: The Trench (2023). In 2021 Statham reunited with Guy Ritchie for Wrath of Man, portraying an armored-truck driver with a mysterious past. The director and actor also teamed up for the action comedy Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023), about the hunt to find a stolen briefcase.
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Personal life
Jason Statham and model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley began dating in 2009, and they announced their engagement in 2016. They later had two children, Jack and Isabella.