All news
Swapped Guns for Canes: What 10 Most Popular Actors from 90s Action Movies Look Like Today
But as we know, time is relentless. The film is still on TV, but the character has long since swapped shorts for a jacket and a gun for a cane. What do our old idols from the 90s look like? Let's take a look back in time to see how the faces and bodies of action movie sex symbols have changed over time, and what they look like today. Plus, there's a reason Jean-Claude Van Damme is 64 years old.
Jean-Claude Van Damme is a true legend! He is not just an actor, he is a truly versatile athlete. Karate and kickboxing champion, Mr. Belgium, three-time world champion, screenwriter, director, producer, stuntman and bodybuilder. And that's not all! Van Damme was awarded the title of "Most Desirable Man" three times! He starred in more than 50 films and lost only once out of 55 fights. Although the peak of his fame has already passed, he continues to actively work in the film industry, often writing scripts, directing and even producing his own films. Van Damme turns 64 today. Let's remember which films with his participation became cult!
In 1976, he met trainer Hiro Matsuda, who played a key role in his development as a professional athlete. Hogan's incredible success in wrestling attracted the attention of filmmakers and received offers to star in films, which brought him fame not only in the ring but also on the big screen. He made his debut in the 1982 film Rocky III. He also appeared in the popular films No Holds Barred (1989), Mr. Slam (1990), The Nanny (1993), Thunder in Paradise, and Santa Claus (1996).
Hans Lundgren, the son of a scientist and engineer, was a weak boy who suffered from many illnesses since childhood. However, he was a successful student and planned to become a chemical engineer like his father. Dolf's life changed when he accidentally came across a book about karate that interested him. After enrolling in a martial arts school, he went to his first lesson to vent his pent-up anger at the ridicule of his classmates. The boy, who was given the pseudonym Dolf, gradually began to delve deeper into the study of martial arts. His persistence and hard work paid off. He received a black belt at 14 and won the Swedish championship at 17. Soon after, he won the European Championship title, which became the pinnacle of his athletic career and the opening of new horizons in his life.
After moving to New York, Dolph took acting classes and gave up competing to devote himself entirely to his studies. Despite this, the guy did not stop training and tried to stay in shape. In 1985, Lundgren became famous for his role as Russian boxer Ivan Drago in the film Rocky IV. This success opened the doors for him in the film industry, which was followed by many more memorable roles. However, his filmography was not very diverse. Instead of developing as an actor, Lundgren focused on creating the image of a lonely hero, increasing the number of his achievements on the screen.
Steven Seagal began practicing martial arts at the age of seven, learning hapkido from his Japanese neighbor. After graduating from high school and studying at Fullerton University for a few years, he went to Japan in 1971 to deepen his knowledge of aikido and study Buddhism. In 1975, he became the first American to open a dojo in Japan. In 1982, while working in Kyoto, Seagal was invited by Japanese fencing master Ittoro Onoha and entered the film industry, appearing as an expert in the film "The Challenge." Upon returning to the United States, he founded a martial arts school in Los Angeles, where such celebrities as Sean Connery trained. One of his students, Hollywood agency director Michael Ovitz, was so inspired by Steven Seagal's skills that he invited him to "audition" for the film. This was the beginning of his film career when he made his debut in the film Above the Law.
Willis began his acting career in small theater and appeared on television before gaining fame as a private investigator in the TV series Moonlighting (1985–89). Willis achieved international fame with the release of Die Hard (1988), in which he played police officer John McClane. He continued to play the character in four sequels, establishing him as a straight-laced hero (often a cop or private investigator) in a variety of action and mystery films, including The Last Boy Scout and Hudson Hawk. In 1994, he received acclaim and an award nomination for his outstanding performance as a boxer in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The late 1990s saw Willis's period of success in sci-fi blockbusters such as The Fifth Element and Armageddon, in which he played the role of the world's savior.
Chuck Norris got his start in film with actor Steve McQueen, who taught him karate. His first leading role was in the film Way of the Dragon with Bruce Lee. After that, Norris received only one film offer. It was his role as a villain in the B-movie Hong Kong action film The San Francisco Massacre, released in the United States in 1981. He became a star for Canon Pictures after appearing in the 1977 action film The Challenge! In the 1980s, Norris trained under Jean-Claude Van Damme and helped him find work in the United States. Van Damme first worked in Norris's bar in Newport Beach, and then Norris offered him a cameo role in his film Missing in Action. Chuck Norris has produced many television programs. He also publishes his own magazine and has written seven books.
Mel Gibson is an Australian-American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer who has won two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe for his work on the film Braveheart (1996). He was nominated for the same award again in 2017 for his work on the war drama Hacksaw Ridge. Gibson rose to fame with his role as police officer Max in the science fiction thriller Mad Max (1979), which launched his international career. He then appeared in Tim (1979), which earned him an Australian Film Institute Award and cemented his reputation as an actor. In the early 1980s, Gibson starred in The Year of Living Dangerously (1983), The River (1984), The Bounty (1984), and Mrs Jones. She achieved star status in the United States with films such as Soffel (1984). In Mad Max: The Long Road Warrior (1982) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), he finally cemented his role as the "eternal" cop.
Kurt Russell began his acting career at the age of 10 and signed a contract with Walt Disney in 1960. In his youth, he appeared in numerous television series, and in 1979, he received an Emmy nomination for his leading role in John Carpenter's biographical television film Elvis. The peak of his career came in the 1980s, when he became famous for his role in the cult film Escape from New York (1980), where he played the character Snake Plissken, who became a symbol of world cinema. Russell's films also include comedies and social dramas, such as Man Overboard (1987). However, he is most familiar with action films, and he often turns into strong-willed and physically powerful action heroes, which is noticed by various directors who appreciate his talent.