Mark Strange’s extensive experience in martial arts spans over 24 years. Drawing upon his considerable skills and natural performing style as a talented martial artist, Mark turned to acting and action performing and has worked on a number of feature films along side Jackie Chan, Cary Tagawa, Richard Ng, Ian McKellen and many other established actors.
Mark Strange’s martial arts career began with a string of martial arts tournament successes, including having represented Britain in the 2002 Chin Woo championships in China; Euro-British Full Contact Champion in 1999; and the MAI National Chinese Forms Champion in 1992.
Mark then turned to acting and action performing in the late 90’s with a string of TV and film appearances, including a role in the cult series ‘Roddy Smythe Investigates’. Mark took a key supporting role in the feature film ‘Fist of Justice’ in 2005, and had the immense privilege of working with Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen in Hong Kong on Columbia Tri-Star’s ‘The Medallion’ and ‘The Twins Effect’ and on Warner Bros. ‘Batman Begins’. Mark then took the leading role in his debut independent feature film ‘Displaced’, which also featured Ian McKellen (‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘X-Men’) who provided the voice-over. The film went on to secure world wide distribution and introduced Mark to a global audience.
Mark’s second starring role was in the acclaimed British independent film ‘Underground’, produced by Intense Productions, which allowed him to further hone his acting and action performing skills to an even higher degree. The film won an honourable mention award at the Accolade Film Festival in California for stunts, and also starred Joey Ansah (‘The Bourne Ultimatum’) and Danny John-Jules (‘Red Dwarf’, ‘Blade II’), with the stunts and fights arranged by Mark Strange and Dave Forman (‘Batman Begins’, ‘The Last Samurai’). The film is currently on general DVD release in numerous countries, including the U.S.A. by City Lights Media and Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Corporation (WEA), Latin America, Japan, Poland, Argentina, Canada, Australia and pay TV channel HBO. ‘Underground’ is now available on DVD nationwide in the UK.
In June 2007, Mark secured a supporting role in the epic action drama ‘Bodyguard: A New Beginning’, which was shot on location in Hong Kong and the UK. In this film he worked alongside renowned Asian actors Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, ‘The Last Emperor’, ‘Mortal Kombat’), and Richard Ng (‘Winners and Sinners’, ‘My Lucky Stars’). A UK/Hong Kong Co-Production, the film is currently being sold worldwide and is already available nationwide in the UK and is due for release in the US by Lionsgate in September 2009.
So what next for Mark Strange? In addition to his continued work as an action martial arts performer, he is expanding his undoubted repertoire as an actor, with the varied range of roles he has lined up in the years to come.
Joining me on the show today, is Dr Joe Rubino.
Wed, Sep 2, 2009
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