Jason Statham has made a name for himself as one of the biggest action stars of the decade, and the actor’s career trajectory makes perfect sense when his background is taken into consideration. In the past 26 years, Statham has gone from a relative unknown to a highly bankable movie star, thanks to his appearances in blockbusters such as the Transporter series, the Expendables franchise, and the Fast & Furious films. Almost every Jason Statham movie is jam-packed with action, which makes sense given the star’s former life.

A former market stall trader, Statham got his big break as an actor in 1998 when he starred in Guy Ritchie’s crime-comedy, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Since then, the British actor has carved a career for himself as one of the most reliable and charismatic action stars of his generation. The secret to Statham’s success is far less of a mystery, however, when one takes a glance at his truly remarkable life behind the camera.

Jason Statham’s Background In Diving & Martial Arts Prepped Him For Action
The Star Has All The Right Qualifications And Expertise

Statham’s early life growing up in England was a highly athletic one, with the would-be actor practicing a number of sports. From a young age, Statham had a keen interest in martial arts, something that he still has to this day. Among the many styles he’s trained in include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, karate, taekwondo, kickboxing, and Wing Chun. He first began practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu alongside Guy Ritchie while the two were working together in the early 2000s, and is currently a purple belt in the sport. His fighting skills have been on display in a wealth of Jason Statham’s movies.

Statham is equipped with more than enough skills to meet the criteria of an action star.

Additionally, Statham is an excellent diver and swimmer, so much so that he competed for England as part of the diving team at the New Zealand Commonwealth Games in 1990. Similar to his interest in martial arts, Statham’s enthusiasm for water sports hasn’t waned over the years, and he currently enjoys windsurfing, wakeboarding, and jet skiing, skills that came in handy for the first two Meg movies. Furthermore, the actor was formally an avid footballer and has taken up rock climbing as an adult. Overall, Statham is equipped with more than enough skills to meet the criteria of an action star.

Statham Considered Becoming A Stuntman First (& He Supports The Stunt Community)
His Career Trajectory Could’ve Looked Very Different

It’s hardly a surprise, given his sporting background, that Statham performs many of his own stunts. In fact, it’s usually a matter of insurance or safety that prevents him from doing more rather than a lack of willingness. Statham even considered becoming a stuntperson before he became an actor. As a child, his interest in sports was borne out of a desire to one day be a stuntperson. As such, Statham has a lot of respect for the profession and has even advocated for stunt performers to get their own Oscar category. Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2013, he said:

how much responsibility these coordinators have for some of the greatest entertainment in action movies. I mean, all of the stunt men—these are the unsung heroes. They really are. Nobody is giving them any credibility.

Whether Statham ever gets his wish for stuntpeople to be honored by the Academy still remains to be seen. It is interesting, however, to imagine a world where Statham didn’t become a billion-dollar movie star and, instead, worked solely as a stunt performer. While he certainly has the skills and the right attitude, it’s hard to get away from the idea that, given his abundance of natural charisma and watchability, Statham was always destined to be a star.