Other "Seagal brings Hollywood to Thailand "!!

BANGKOK POST - 30 April 2003

Seagal brings Hollywood to Thailand

Martial arts star wrote his latest movie with a Thai backdrop in mind and persuaded reluctant producers to film here

Story by PENCHAN PHOBORISUT, Picture by YINGYONG UN-ANONGRAK

300403_out01.jpg


Steven Seagal can often be spotted in Thailand. The Hollywood action star is Buddhist. He loves the country's spectacular scenery so much that he plans to buy a house up in the mountains in northern Thailand. Seagal even persuaded Hollywood producers to film his upcoming movie, Belly of the Beasts, in Thailand, and wrote the movie himself with Thailand in mind.

The movie is currently filming here with Hong Kong director Tony Ching. The team has been here for four months and will wrap up its location shooting on May 5.

This interview with Seagal took place on the set in Bangkok where the crew was diligently shooting an action scene. Soldiers clad in green uniforms armed with rifles and guns hid behind jeeps stationed in front of a two-storey wooden mansion. The actors waited for a signal to fire at their opponents. Then, a piercing round of gunfire billowed smoke and startled the press crowd who had gathered to watch.

In the sweltering night with the added heat of the bright spotlights, we waited patiently for two hours, accompanied by mosquitoes, for the scene to finish.

Then out came Seagal wearing a ponytail, greeting us with a Thai wai.

``This has been a great experience for me,'' said Seagal. ``I've wanted to shoot a movie in Thailand for 15 to 20 years. This is my first chance to do it.''

Seagal needed to find a way to come up with the $20 to $30 million it takes to shoot a production in this country. ``I could never get the studio to come to Thailand up until now,'' confessed Seagal, who became famous for his impressive martial arts skills in films such as Under Siege, Marked for Death and Executive Decision.

Seagal put up a million dollars for the movie so that production could take place in Thailand.

``The money was spent on insurance. The movie, The Beach, had an astronomically terrible experience [filming] in this country,'' Seagal explained. ``Many people said they would never shoot a movie in Bangkok or Thailand again. [They said] no one would ever want to make a movie here.

``But I would attribute the failures of The Beach not to Thailand but to poor planning on the American side. You have to hire the right people and do the right thing. Even if you don't hire the right people, you have to be professional enough to get through it,'' Seagal said.

Seagal admitted that his current production has also encountered some difficulties while shooting but said he has received help from many people, including Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Set against a backdrop of Thailand, Seagal portrays a former CIA agent who searches for his kidnapped daughter.

````[The movie] is about treachery and about how money corrupts,'' he said. Seagal said he felt ``proud'' and ``honoured'' to be able to include in the movie references to Buddhism and great Buddhist monks. In the film, his character's brother is a Buddhist monk.

Seagal said that filming in the highly humid, 36-degree Celsius heat of the night has been a daunting task. ``Unfortunately, I didn't get the people who were working with me to move in a timely fashion. We were [supposed] to start in December when it would have been nicer weather.

``The heat now has been very hard for the fighting scenes. Doing a lot of fighting in this kind of heat is devastating. It's rough.''

Seagal does his own stunts. He said that the most difficult stunt he's ever done in his life was ``when I was dropped from 18 feet [5.5 metres] and broke my leg.'' He also cites jumping off a moving train and through a glass window as among the most difficult stunts he's done.

Seagal said that it was a great experience working with three local actors _ Sarah Malakul, Pongpat Wachirabanjong and Chakrit Yamnam.

``Until now, I haven't had a chance to work with Thai actors and actresses. The people I am working with are wonderful ... Sarah is right for the [role]. She could be my daughter in real life because we both look Oriental. Chakrit is a very deep, powerful, humble, sensitive actor. Pongpat is so humble and talented. I love him. He's just a great human being.''

Seagal said he wished he could have hired more Thai actors.

``I was going to put Add Carabao in this movie ... But Add was busy on tour. I couldn't get him.''

Seagal recently played guitar with the well-known Thai band, Carabao, at the Tawandaeng Brewery in Bangkok.

``I've been playing music since I was about five years old. It's my first love. I have played with many great legends. I was born and raised in the blues,'' Seagal said.

The actor has a blues and reggae album produced by Rick Wick that will be released in several months.

``[Rick Wick], in my opinion, is the greatest producer alive. He's won 30 Grammys. He's worked with Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez,'' Seagal said.

Will we hear any of Seagal's songs in his movie?

``Actually, I've had offers to put my songs in most of my movies,'' he replied. ``But I have refused because I don't want people to think I use the movies to promote my music career.''

Belly of the Beast will be released in the United States at Christmas and is scheduled to be screened in Thailand in early 2004.
*******************************

"Then out came Seagal wearing a ponytail, greeting us with a Thai wai. "

Good News !! :)

in oneness
 

Lotussan

I Belong To Steven
There are too many wonderful ones...
Thanks for all the great thumbnails (avatar size photos) you provided in the gallery suzi!
You are just greaaat! :)
I really like the one rodrigo has, too...
Very powerful...What an exciting man...
 

suziwong

Administrator
Staff member
You're welcome Lotus !!! :)
You are great too my friend, everybody is great in this site !! I love all of you !!
 

Lotussan

I Belong To Steven
Suziiiii, I like your signature, what a smile huh? :D
And all the new photos I never saw, wow...
But all those dumb letters covering up his face are annoying....
Thank-You!
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, Suzi - I've got an account at Getty Images, and I can't find those photos! Where are they hiding?
 

suziwong

Administrator
Staff member
You're welcome.:) and Thank you !!

"But all those dumb letters covering up his face are annoying...."
Yes I know it's too bad but photo is photo!!
I tried too many times TD at last I found. But not a lot !! I guess that's all. But I will check out from time to time.
 

Lotussan

I Belong To Steven
Me too...
I love that smile, it's such a magnetic smile...
Makes me smile back...
He's just got something sooo special...
Wow is right...
 

Lotussan

I Belong To Steven
Yes Suziiiii,
I love him totally, too...:)
He is a special man, and thank-you for the gallery photos, I especially like him with the children, he seems so sweet...:)
 

suziwong

Administrator
Staff member
Lotussan said:
Yes Suziiiii,
I love him totally, too...:)
He is a special man, and thank-you for the gallery photos, I especially like him with the children, he seems so sweet...:)

uhummmmmmmmmm :eek: :eek: he seems so sweet everytime !!!! ;)
 

Lotussan

I Belong To Steven
heh, heh, now that's the kind of man I need...
Strong AND Sensitive, what girl wouldn't like that...:) ;) :)
 
Top