I see this page as sort of an amalgamation of the classic internet FAQs and the facts, trivia or just plain rumours about Steven Seagal that I find interesting, hence FAQts. Some of these question and answers have been inspired by the wacky emails I have received over the years, others are just down to my own perverse interest in Seagal's on-screen violence.
Q01. Are you Steven Seagal?
A01. No, I am not Steven Seagal. It doesn't matter how many emails I get from mid-west housewives or grammatically challenged Eastern Europeans, I am still not Steven Seagal. I am just a half-crazed fan of celluloid violence with a hang-up about Steven and, obviously, too much time on my hands.
Q02. Can you teach me Aikido?
A02. No, as much as I'd love to give a correspondence-course in Aikido by email I can't. The main reason for that is that I am not Steven Seagal. The other reason is that I don't know Aikido. Both are pretty compelling, don't you think?
Q03. How tall is Steven Seagal?
A03. Good, we're off me being Steven Seagal. He's 6'4" by all accounts. If you're imperially challenged, that means 193cm.
Q04. How much does Steven Seagal weigh?
A04. Come on, the man is over 50 years old. He doesn't have to share that information with anyone. Maybe he's had one too many veggie subs lately, or chugged top many Mountain Dews, that's no reason to get personal! All that actually means I don't really know. I guess his weight varies, like it does for the rest of us.
Q05. What is Steven's shoe size?
A05. This is getting silly. You're not that freak who has been posting about Steven's "beautiful feet" in the forums are you? If you really wanna know, I suggest buying a ticket out to LA and checking out his star in front of Mann's Chinese Theatre with a tape measure. There are rumours though that right before he came out to put his feet in the wet cement, he put on a bigger size pair of shoes. Could this be true? Judging from the picture on the right, I'd have to say certainly not.
Q06. When was Steven Seagal born and where?
A06. Steven was born on the 10th of April, 1951 in Lansing, Michigan. If you thought it was Palermo, Sicily you've been watching Above the Law too many times.
Q07. What's that gun I keep seeing Steven use?
A07. Steven has a collection of Colt 1911s and you see in one in almost all of his movies. Seagal has four 1911s from Caspian Arms. Caspian gave Seagal's handgun maker Terry Tussey two guns to modify for Seagal and to evaluate them as part of their quality control and development. Their factory serial numbers are SEAGAL 1 to SEAGAL 4, which is pretty damn cool, I think you'll agree.
Q08. Steven looks like he can really shoot that thing in his movies. How come?
A08. Seagal's expertise with firearms is somewhat extensive. It is a matter of record that he has instructed law enforcement officers and others in advanced shooting techniques. Seagal has introduced a unique style that incorporates martial arts principles to CQB. Seagal uses a Kendo-modified Weaver stance which is basically a samurai sword fighting stance, the only difference being the foot position as related to target. This stance creates a better natural body alignment to the targets center of mass. In fact, the upper torso posture is similar to the thrusting or advancing samurai technique, where the body is bent slightly forward from the waist. This stance delivers a certain balance to the lower body and so eliminates any shifting of the spine and shoulders that a totally upright body would experience when defending against a violent sword slash or, in this case, a handgun recoil. Seagal has his shooting arm slightly bent pressing forward with the other hand wrapped around his knuckles, pulling back and thus creating isometric tension. Seagal says he tries to keep his handgun skills in tune his self-imposed regimen, firing up to 3,000 rounds a month when he has the time and opportunity to do so.
Q09. Is it true Seagal worked for the CIA?
A09. This is one of the most widely disputed claims about Steven Seagal. "You can say that I lived in Asia for a long time and in Japan I became close to several CIA agents," Seagal has said, choosing his words carefully. "And you could say that I became an adviser to several CIA agents in the field and, through my friends in the CIA, met many powerful people and did special works and special favors." Others say that Seagal was a CIA operative, running black-ops into Vietnam and Cambodia. It remains a fact that, while in Japan, Seagal studied security and surveillance techniques. Some claim that it was this knowledge, as well as his obvious martial arts wizardry that attracted the attention of the CIA. "These guys were my students. They saw my abilities, both with martial arts and with the language. My CIA godfather told me he'd never heard any American speak Japanese so well. I would say I was a prime candidate to be recruited."
In a recent appearance on the Late Show, David Letterman asked Seagal straight out: "Have you ever worked for the CIA?" Seagal said he couldn't answer that question and Letterman immediately retorted: "Well, if you didn't, then you could say so?" to which Seagal only shrugged. Was he only playing for publicity, or was he bound by the official secrets act? "I'd be very happy if nobody believes me," Seagal has said without a trace of irritation. "I don't think you can find anyone in the agency who can prove they work for the agency. That`s the whole point." Listen to what one of his former commanders has to say about him. But don't take his word on it, listen to Seagal himself. Nah, I'm just kidding, y'all. These sound bites were taken from two of his movies. But, they could've been actual quotes.
Q10. Can you put me in touch with Steven?
A10. Unfortunately, I am not known to the Big Man...at all. So, the best I can do for you is give you the bog-standard fan address but make sure you have something valid to say before disturbing him!
Mr. Steven Seagal
c/o Steamroller Productions
1041 North Formosa Avenue, #200
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Q11. Is it true Seagal wanted to take on Lennox Lewis?
A11. It has been reported that Seagal has said that he could take out heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in the ring. This caused an outcry among boxing fans, but as one Seagal fan put it: "How the hell is Lennox ever gonna hit Seagal? There’s just no way." Seagal even said he would wear gloves and comply 100% with boxing rules, and still beat Lewis hands down. Insolent? Sure, but think about it. How is a (reasonably) slow boxer ever gonna manage to land a punch on a seventh dan Aikido master? My bet is that Our Hero could take out any boxer in the world.
Q12. Did Seagal train with O'Sensei?
A12. There have been some rumours that Seagal has trained with O’Sensei. Although a lucrative piece of gossip, the years just don't add up. Seagal travelled to Japan to study Aikido in 1970 but O-Sensei died on April 26, 1969 at the age of 86.
Q13. How was Seagal discovered?
A13. After studying Aikido in Japan, returned to the US in 1982 and opened his schools in Los Angeles, California and Taos, New Mexico. Steven became the favorite teacher of students like Michel Ovitz, James Coburn and Sean Connery who encouraged his acting aspirations. Like many others, Seagal fell into the role of movie star more or less by accident. In 1987 Michael Ovitz (generally considered the most powerful man in Hollywood) asked Steven to put on a martial arts demonstration for the President of Warner Brothers and some other industry heavies. That demonstration led to Ovitz personally financing a screen test for Steven that ultimately landed him his first film Above the Law which grossed over US$20 million and propelled Steven to instant stardom.
Well folks, that's it for now. Keep your wacky questions coming!