Jason Statham

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15 Feb 2024

Jason Statham

Jason Statham, born on 26 July 1967, is an English actor renowned for his roles in action-thriller films, often portraying tough, gritty, or violent characters. Statham is credited with leading the resurgence of action films in the 2000s and 2010s. His film career, up until 2017, amassed over $1.5 billion (£1.1 billion) in ticket sales, solidifying his status as one of the film industry's most bankable stars.

During his youth, Statham engaged in Chinese martial arts, kickboxing, and karate recreationally while working at local market stalls. He was also a dedicated footballer and diver, representing Britain's national diving team and competing for England in the 1990 Commonwealth Games. Following his sporting endeavors, he entered the world of modeling and worked for brands like French Connection, Tommy Hilfiger, and Levi's in various advertising campaigns. His background working at market stalls played a role in his casting in Guy Ritchie's crime films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000).

The success of these films propelled Statham into the spotlight, leading him to star as Frank Martin in the Transporter trilogy (2002–2008). He continued to feature in heist and action-thriller films such as The Italian Job (2003), Crank (2006), War (2007), The Bank Job (2008), The Mechanic (2011), Spy (2015), and Mechanic: Resurrection (2016), establishing himself as a Hollywood leading man. Despite this success, he also appeared in commercially and critically less successful films like Revolver (2005), Chaos (2005), In the Name of the King (2007), 13 (2010), Blitz (2011), Killer Elite (2011), Hummingbird (2013), and Wild Card (2015). Statham regained commercial success as part of the ensemble action series The Expendables (2010–2014) and the Fast & Furious franchise, where he played Deckard Shaw in several films, including the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw (2019).
Jason Statham, born on July 26, 1967, in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, is the son of Eileen (née Yates), a dancer, and Barry Statham, a street seller who also held various odd jobs like house painting, coal mining, and singing in the Canary Islands. Initially choosing not to follow his father's footsteps in working the local market stalls, Statham moved to Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where he dedicated himself to practicing martial arts. Growing up with football player Vinnie Jones, he developed a passion for football, playing for the local grammar school from 1978 to 1983, and also excelled in diving.

Statham's dedication to diving led him to become a member of Britain's National Swimming Squad for 12 years, and he represented England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in the 10-meter, 3-meter, and 1-meter competitions. His time with the national squad taught him discipline and focus, keeping him out of trouble, according to a 2003 interview with IGN.

His entry into the media world began when he was discovered by the agency Sports Promotions, specializing in sports modeling, while training at London's Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Statham became a model for various clothing brands, including Tommy Hilfiger, Griffin, Levi's, and French Connection in 1997. Despite his success in modeling, he had to work as a street seller to make ends meet, selling fake perfume and jewelry on street corners. Statham also made small appearances in music videos for artists like The Shamen, Erasure, and The Beautiful South in the 1990s.
Jason Statham's breakthrough in acting came when he was introduced to director Guy Ritchie while working as a model for French Connection. Ritchie cast him in the role of "Bacon" in the 1998 crime comedy thriller "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." The film was a success, and Statham's performance gained positive attention. His second collaboration with Ritchie came in the 2000 film "Snatch," where he played the role of "Turkish" alongside Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina, and Benicio del Toro.Following the success of Ritchie's films, Statham entered Hollywood and appeared in two movies in 2001: "Ghosts of Mars" and "The One." In 2002, he landed the lead role of driver Frank Martin in the action movie "The Transporter," written by Luc Besson. Statham, with his background in martial arts, portrayed the character convincingly. The film's success led to two sequels, "Transporter 2" (2005) and "Transporter 3" (2008).

Statham's film career continued with roles in "Mean Machine" (2002), "The Italian Job" (2003), and "Cellular" (2004). In 2005, he worked with Ritchie again in "Revolver," which, unfortunately, was a critical and box office disappointment. Statham diversified his roles, playing a dramatic role in the independent film "London" in 2006 and taking on the lead role in the action film "Crank."The year 2008 saw Statham in films like "The Bank Job" and the remake of "Death Race," solidifying his status as an action star. Critics praised his performances, with some noting his emergence as a new action hero. In 2009, he reprised his role as Chev Chelios in the "Crank: High Voltage" sequel.
Statham joined an ensemble cast in the 2010 action film "The Expendables," alongside Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and others. The film was a commercial success, topping the box office charts and grossing $274 million worldwide.

In 2011, Jason Statham starred in the remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film "The Mechanic," playing the role of Arthur Bishop. The film's theatrical trailer, featuring a scene of excessive violence, was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. Despite the controversy, Statham's performance received positive reviews from critics in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The Guardian praised his "now-customary efficiency" in creating an "entertaining hitman thriller," while The New York Times described him as "sleek as a bullet."
Statham returned to British cinema with the police drama "Blitz," where he portrayed Detective Sergeant Tom Brant. The film received mixed reviews, with some finding it "oddly entertaining." Following this, he starred in the action film "Killer Elite," based on real events from Sir Ranulph Fiennes' novel "The Feather Men." Statham played the role of Danny, an assassin who comes out of retirement to save a friend, portrayed by Robert De Niro. Although the film received negative reviews, it returned a negative budget.
In August 2011, Statham began filming "Parker" for director Taylor Hackford, and the film was released in January 2013. In "Parker," Statham played the criminal antihero, a role previously portrayed by Mel Gibson and Lee Marvin. The New York Times described Statham's character as more of an "axiom than a fully rounded human being."
A 2012 BBC News report estimated that Statham's film career, spanning from 2002 to 2012, had generated over one billion dollars in the box office, solidifying his status as one of the industry's most bankable stars. He also reprised his role as Lee Christmas in "The Expendables 2" in 2012.