Steven Seagal, the action movie star known for his martial arts prowess, carefully curates his image as a tough guy who often surrounds himself with accomplished martial artist. This calculated persona has been a cornerstone of his career since the 1980s, blending his on-screen roles with his real-life martial arts background. Recently, Seagal has been seen in short clips featuring UFC champion Alex Pereira, where he’s ostensibly teaching the decorated kickboxer and now UFC champion how to strike and kick. These interactions, while drawing attention and maintaining Seagal’s macho image, also raise questions about how self aware he is.
Steven Seagal has a background in AIkido but he is barely a Black Belt
His journey in the world of martial arts began in the fall of 1974 when he met Miyako Fujitani in California. Fujitani, a second-degree black belt and daughter of an Osaka aikido master, would become a pivotal figure in Seagal’s life and martial arts career.
Drawn by his newfound interest in Aikido and possibly by Fujitani herself, Seagal followed her back to Japan in October of the same year. Their whirlwind romance culminated in marriage just two months later, in December 1974. The couple went on to have two children together, a son named Kentaro and a daughter named Ayako.
In Japan, Seagal immersed himself in the world of Aikido, teaching at the school owned by Fujitani’s family. It was here that he would earn his aikido black belt in 1978. However, the circumstances surrounding this achievement have been called into question. In a 1993 interview, Fujitani made a startling claim about Seagal’s black belt test: “The only reason Steven was awarded the black belt was because the judge, who was famous for his laziness, fell asleep during Steven’s presentation. The judge just gave him the black belt.”
As Seagal’s martial arts career progressed, so did his penchant for grandiose claims. He has stated that he helped train CIA agents in Japan, boasting, “They saw my abilities, both with martial arts and with the language. You could say that I became an advisor to several CIA agents in the field, and through my friends in the CIA, I met many powerful people and did special works and favors.” Seagal also claimed to have combatted yakuza during his time in Japan. However, Fujitani has vehemently refuted these allegations, and there is no evidence to support Seagal’s claims of involvement with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Seagal’s carefully curated image was first linked with mixed martial arts world extended when he claimed he helped train Brazilian mixed martial artist Lyoto Machida, who credited Seagal for helping him perfect the front kick that he used to knock out Randy Couture at UFC 129 in May 2011.
Seagal’s Has Plenty of Ego and an Elevated Sense of Self-Importance
The action star’s recent movies, particularly those produced after 2011, showcase a stark contrast to his earlier work and highlight a seeming unwillingness to put in the effort expected of a leading man.
Further fueling this criticism is Seagal’s company, Steamroller Productions, which produces many of his recent films. This arrangement allows Seagal unprecedented control over his projects, seemingly enabling him to dictate terms that prioritize his comfort over the quality of the final product. The result is often poorly executed action sequences and implausible scenarios that strain credibility.
Seagal’s portrayal of characters significantly younger than his actual age, often with minimal effort to appear youthful or fit, has also drawn derision. Critics argue this demonstrates a disconnect between Seagal’s self-image and reality, as well as a disregard for audience expectations.
The actor’s adoption of various accents and personas in his films, particularly his attempt to speak with African American or Chinese inflections, has been viewed as culturally insensitive and further evidence of his detachment from appropriate self-awareness.
Seagal even claimed he was Asian at one point during a press junket.
“Me, I’m Asian. I was raised in Asia and, to be honest with you, my favorite films of all time are really [Akira] Kurosawa films. He was a friend of mine.” – Seagal told the press.
Steven Seagal got so out of shape he performed action scenes in several of his movies while sitting
In movies like “Sniper: Special Ops” and “A Good Man,” Seagal reportedly spends a significant portion of his screen time sitting down, even during action sequences.
One particularly egregious example comes from “Sniper: Special Ops,” where Seagal’s character barely moves from his chair while operating a radio, lazily pointing his gun at a nearby window. In another scene, when his partner gets shot, it’s painfully obvious that Seagal’s character is being pulled by a wire rather than using his own strength to drag his comrade to safety.
To compensate for Seagal’s lack of mobility, the films now often feature a younger martial artist who performs the majority of the fight scenes. Seagal’s contribution to the action is minimal, with reports describing his gun-firing technique as “limp-wristed” and lacking any semblance of proper aiming.
Despite these limitations, Seagal continues to be cast as a highly skilled special forces operative in his films. The movies attempt to maintain the illusion of his prowess by using outdated photos of a younger, fitter Seagal in dossiers and promotional materials, sometimes resorting to poorly photoshopped images to mask his current physique.
These low-budget productions, often made through Seagal’s own production company, seem to prioritize quantity over quality. They frequently feature convoluted plots, questionable acting, and a roster of aging action stars and wrestlers in supporting roles.
Seagal’s laziness even became a meme for a while with a notable VFX studio creating a funny animation compilation of a Steven Seagal performing action scenes while seated.
Joe Rogan on Steven Seagal Doing Aikido: There’s Zero Chance in real combat situations
On an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe Rogan discussed Steven Seagal’s martial arts background with guests The Black Keys, expressing doubt about the practicality of Seagal’s aikido in real combat situations. Rogan acknowledged Seagal’s legitimate standing as the first American to run a dojo in Japan and aikido’s historical connection to samurai combat but argued that the martial art is ineffective against modern fighting techniques.
“If someone just grabs you and wrestles you like a Division 1 wrestler against aikido, there’s zero chance,” Rogan stated. He used the example of MMA champion Daniel Cormier, asserting that an aikido practitioner would have no defense against Cormier’s wrestling skills.
Good strategy or a public pariah?
This makes it all the funnier that Seagal is actively trying to both portray a tough guy on film and in real life.
Even if we don’t take into account numerous troubling accusations around Seagal, He’s quite a character.
Steven Seagal has become a comedic figure whose larger-than-life persona blurs the line between reality and fiction. His martial arts background forms the basis of his self-centered image as a tough, formidable character, both on and off-screen. However, his habit of exaggerating his achievements, along with the declining quality of his recent films and a questionable sense of self-awareness, invites scrutiny. From dubious claims of CIA involvement to action roles where he’s barely physically engaged, Seagal defies the typical trajectory of aging action stars. Yet, whether intentional or not, his comedic flair keeps him relevant in the zeitgeist, while many of his 80s and 90s peers have faded from the spotlight.