124-548: Steven Frederic Seagal ( / s ɪ ˈ ɡ ɑː l / sig- AHL ; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician. A 7th- dan black belt in aikido , he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan where he became the first American to teach in an aikido dojo . He later moved to Los Angeles where he continued teaching aikido. In 1988, Seagal made his acting debut in Above
248-543: A Go school during the Edo period . It is now also used in most modern Japanese fine and martial arts. Martial arts writer Takao Nakaya claims that this dan system was first applied to martial arts in Japan by Kanō Jigorō (1860–1938), the founder of judo , in 1883, and later introduced to other East Asian countries. In modern Japanese martial arts , holders of dan ranks often wear a black belt ; those of higher rank may also wear either red-and-white or red belts depending on
372-598: A Night Wolves -organized show in Sevastopol , Crimea, supporting the Crimean annexation and depicting Ukraine as a country controlled by fascists. On November 3, Seagal was granted Russian citizenship by Putin. His views on Ukraine and Russian citizenship caused Ukraine to ban him from entering the country because he "committed socially dangerous actions". Seagal visited the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2015 and met with
496-452: A movie star . Fujitani then "scrimped and saved for years, even denying herself and her children necessities, to help pay his way home." According to Fujitani, "he then availed himself of her savings and hied off." Seagal returned to Taos, New Mexico , with his student (and later film stuntman) Craig Dunn, where they opened a dojo, although Seagal spent much of his time pursuing other ventures. After another period in Japan, Seagal returned to
620-404: A "peacemaker". He visited Prisco in prison at Rahway, New Jersey and paid Prisco's lawyer $ 10,000. Dan (rank) The dan ( 段 ) ranking system is used by many Japanese, Okinawan, Korean, and other martial arts organizations to indicate the level of a person's ability within a given system. Used as a ranking system to quantify skill level in a specific domain, it was originally used at
744-403: A Duan is officially entitled to use the title "Grand Master". 7. Qinglong—qi duan : Bronze/blue Dragon 8. Yinlong—ba duan : Silver Dragon 9. Jinlong—jiu duan : Gold Dragon The term Dan was used on the badges up to 2005 when the term Duan was adopted, however the term Dan was never used on the certificates of grade; the certificates always use the term Duanwei. Korean martial arts lacked
868-579: A Kill (2003), stating that she lost her job on the film after the incident. In February 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney 's office acknowledged that it was reviewing a potential sex-abuse case involving Seagal. In March 2018, Regina Simons publicly claimed that in 1993, when she was 18, Seagal raped her at his home when she arrived for what she thought was a wrap party for the movie On Deadly Ground. In September 2018, Los Angeles prosecutors refused to charge
992-563: A TV station in Spain, on May 12, 2011. It premiered in the UK on 5 USA , with the first episode broadcast July 20, 2011. The series was renewed for a second season airing on ReelzChannel . In the UK, True Justice was repackaged as a series of DVD movies, with each disc editing together two episodes. Many of Seagal's films share unique elements which have become characteristic of his body of work. His characters often have an elite past affiliation with
1116-448: A black belt. In martial arts such as iaidō , kendō or jōdō , no external signifier of rank is worn, though a black belt is by far the most recognizable symbol to the general public. The highest dan ranks are sometimes reserved for the founder or leaders of a style and only high-ranking students can be promoted to them. For example, only five living people hold a tenth dan in judo and only about thirty-five worldwide have been promoted to
1240-480: A break with his previous persona as a genre-ready inner-city cop. On Deadly Ground was poorly received by critics, especially denouncing Seagal's long environmental speech in the film. Regardless, Seagal considers it one of the most important and relevant moments in his career. Seagal followed this with a sequel to one of his most successful films, Under Siege , titled Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995). According to co-star Morris Chestnut , Seagal rewrote many of
1364-474: A brother", Putin bestowed the Russian award of Order of Friendship medal, upon Seagal in 2023; Peskov has said of Putin: "he's definitely seen some of his movies." While in Japan, Seagal married his first wife, Miyako Fujitani, the daughter of an aikido instructor. With Fujitani, he had a son, actor and model Kentaro Seagal, and a daughter, writer and actress Ayako Fujitani . Seagal left Miyako to move back to
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#17327806722131488-456: A certain extent, dan ranks are often regulated. This means that players will have to show good results in tournaments or pass exams to be awarded a dan rank. Serious students of the game will often strive to attain a dan rank. Dan ranks are generally available up to about 7th dan; professional player ranks go up to 9th dan. As in Go, shogi has also traditionally used "dan" and "kyū" ranks to define
1612-492: A dan grade). Different athletic departments within the Japanese school system were already using markers of rank, most notably in swimming, where advanced swimmers wore a black ribbon around their waists. Kano adopted the custom of having his yūdansha wear black obi (belts) in 1886. At that time, these obi were not the belts that karateka and jūdōka wear today; the students were still practicing in kimono . They wore
1736-716: A dissenting action that came amidst the growing international boycott of Russia . In August 2022, he visited Olenivka in Donetsk Oblast , the site of the Olenivka prison massacre , with Donetsk People's Republic leader Denis Pushilin , who claimed that Seagal was filming a documentary about the war in Donbass . Seagal also met with Leonid Slutsky . On February 27, 2023, he received the Russian Order of Friendship from Vladimir Putin for his "major contribution to
1860-454: A fifth era. These chronological "eras" describe different phases of Seagal's career, and include the "Golden Era" (1988–1991), the period of Seagal's first successes, the "Silver Era" (1992–1997), during which Seagal saw the peak of his fame and made high-profile blockbusters, a "Transitional Period" (1998–2002) during which he made lower-profile or ensemble films, a lengthy " direct-to-video " period (his most prolific to date, 2003–2008) and, in
1984-660: A former chair of the Arizona Republican Party , Tom Morrissey, in writing a self-published conspiracy thriller novel, The Way of the Shadow Wolves: The Deep State And The Hijacking Of America , which featured a Tohono Shadow Wolf tracker working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to foil a plot by Mexican drug cartels and the " deep state " to smuggle in Islamist terrorists to
2108-649: A four-film deal, Nasso enlisted members of the Gambino crime family to threaten Seagal in an attempt to recoup money Nasso allegedly lost. Gambino family captain Anthony Ciccone first visited Seagal in Toronto during the filming of Exit Wounds in October 2000. In January 2001, Primo Cassarino and other gangsters picked up Seagal by car to bring him to a meeting with Ciccone at a Brooklyn restaurant. At
2232-482: A grading system up until the Japanese occupation (1910–1945) during which a variety of Japanese martial arts were introduced into the Korean school system, most notably judo, karate-do and kendo. After the occupation ended, newly emerging martial arts like taekwondo , tang soo do , soo bahk do and hapkido adopted the dan (단, 段) and geup (급, 級) ranks. The dan rank system is also used by baduk players. Nowadays,
2356-602: A law to prevent the torture of baby elephants. In 1999, Seagal was awarded a PETA Humanitarian Award. In a March 2014 interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta , Seagal described Vladimir Putin as "one of the great living world leaders". He expressed support for the annexation of Crimea by Russia . In July 2014, following calls for a boycott, Seagal was dropped from the lineup of the August Blues Festival in Haapsalu , Estonia . The Estonian musician Tõnis Mägi ,
2480-419: A lawsuit against Seagal in a Los Angeles County Superior Court , requesting more than one million dollars in damages . In her suit, Nguyen alleged Seagal engaged in sexual harassment, the illegal trafficking of females for sex, failure to prevent sexual harassment, and wrongful termination . Seagal denied the allegations, but his reality show Steven Seagal: Lawman was suspended while his attorneys resolved
2604-530: A medical technician, and Samuel Seagal, a mathematics teacher. His mother was of Irish descent, while his father was Jewish. His paternal grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. During an interview for the Russian talk show Let Them Talk , Seagal stated that he has paternal ancestors from the Siberian city of Vladivostok , as well as Belarus and Saint Petersburg. He said that genetic testing determined that he has Yakut and Buryat ancestry as well. When he
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#17327806722132728-466: A movie audition. De Rossi alleged that during an audition in Seagal's office, he told her "how important it was to have chemistry off-screen" before unzipping his pants. On an April 18 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Katherine Heigl alleged on the final day of shooting for Under Siege 2 that Seagal told her that he had girlfriends the same age as the 16-year-old Heigl. Kimmel responded by displaying
2852-401: A pathological liar. Due to lack of trust, most pathological liars' relationships and friendships fail. If this continues, lying can become so severe as to cause legal problems, including, but not limited to, fraud. The average age of onset is before adulthood. Individuals with the condition tend to have average verbal skills as opposed to performance abilities. Thirty percent of subjects had
2976-443: A photo from the film's promotional tour showing Seagal's hand on Heigl's chest while they posed for a photo. On November 9, 2017, Dutch model Faviola Dadis posted a statement on her Instagram account stating that she also had been sexually assaulted by Seagal years earlier. On January 15, 2018, actress Rachel Grant publicly accused Seagal of sexually assaulting her in 2002, during pre-production on his direct-to-video film, Out for
3100-552: A putative phenocopy of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia . Taken together, these findings implicate dysfunction in the prefrontal and cingulate cortices, both of which are implicated in lie-telling in healthy individuals - the former across various types of lying (different subregions handling different kinds) and the latter only in feigning ignorance. The mechanisms of how lesions to these structures induce lying are unknown, but it has been suggested that reduced affective theory of mind and loss of sociomoral affect may induce
3224-535: A risk to the self or others; and occurs for longer than 6 months" (p. 63). Defining characteristics of pathological lying include: Some psychiatrists distinguish compulsive from pathological lying, while others consider them equivalent. Others deny the existence of compulsive lying altogether; this remains an area of considerable controversy. Pathological lying is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), although only as
3348-692: A role in the Kurt Russell film Executive Decision , portraying a special ops soldier who appears in only the film's first 45 minutes. Former Warner Bros Vice President Bill Daly later stated Seagal agreed to the role in exchange for the studio forgiving him losing his director's salary due to going over-budget with On Deadly Ground . The same year, he filmed a police drama The Glimmer Man (1996). In another environmentally conscious and commercially unsuccessful film, Fire Down Below (1997), he played an EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance agent fighting industrialists dumping toxic waste in
3472-482: A scientific work in wushu research, i.e. publications, DVD, training of Duanwei examined students. Six Duanwei can use the title of Master as this is the highest technical grade. 4. Qinghu—si duan : Bronze/blue Tiger 5. Yinhu—wu duan : Silver Tiger 6. Jinhu—liu duan : Gold Tiger Advanced Level: Advanced level is only awarded to very experienced masters with excellent reputation in Wushu. The person awarded such
3596-823: A set of style books was issued for duan wei 1-6 exams. Examinations for each level are based on preset forms and applications, including partner forms. The badge has also been changed to include the duan wei number i.e. 1–6. Entry level for experienced practitioners has now been limited to 3rd Duan and below so as to tighten up the rankings. Symbol: 段位 Duan Wei "level" Beginning Level: So-called basic duans for students with some years of experience. 1. Qingying—yi duan : Bronze/blue Eagle 2. Yinying—er duan : Silver Eagle 3. Jinying—san duan : Gold Eagle Intermediate Level: Middle-level duans are for wushu students/coaches who are able to teach and have between 5 and 10 years of wushu coaching experience, depending on level applied for. Starting from 5th Duan, there has to be proof of
3720-462: A sexual trafficking lawsuit filed against Seagal. The suit was later dropped. A&E resumed the show for the second season, which began on October 6, 2010. Production on Season 3 started in February 2011, with a change of location from Louisiana to Maricopa County, Arizona . Two episodes were scheduled to be aired, beginning on January 4, 2012. Shortly before the episodes were to be aired, Season 3
3844-592: A son, Kentaro, and a daughter, Ayako . Seagal taught at the school owned by Miyako's family and earned his aikido black belt in 1978. Interviewed in 1993, Fujitani stated that: "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." Seagal has claimed that he helped train CIA agents in Japan : "They saw my abilities, both with martial arts and with
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3968-528: A symptom of other disorders such as antisocial , narcissistic , and histrionic personality disorders , not as a stand-alone diagnosis. The former ICD-10 disorder Haltlose personality disorder is strongly tied to pathological lying. Pathological lying is represented in both the DSM-5 and ICD-11 alternative models of personality disorder which emphasise dimensions of personality dysfunction, rather than specific categorical disorders. "Deceitfulness", an aspect of
4092-606: A tenth dan has been issued. Political tensions having to do with status and rank, predate the introduction of the Dan grading system by centuries. However, the introduction of the Dan ranks has led to the creation of new and specific types of 'rank politics' and social conflicts, which sometimes afflict martial arts schools and organizations. The topics associated with such challenges include, but are not limited to: Pathological liar Pathological lying , also known as pseudologia fantastica ( Latin for "fantastic pseudology"),
4216-474: A therapist and he wanted Victoria Jackson to be his patient who's just been raped. And the therapist says, 'You're going to have to come to me twice a week for like three years," because, he said, 'That's how therapists freaking are. They're just trying to get your money.' And then he says that the psychiatrist tries to have sex with her." The cast and crew's difficulties with Seagal were later echoed on-air by Michaels during guest host Nicolas Cage 's monologue in
4340-667: A villain in Robert Rodriguez 's Machete (2010), almost all the films Seagal has made since the latter half of 2001 have been released direct-to-video (DTV) in North America, with some theatrical releases to other countries around the world. Seagal is credited as a producer and sometimes a writer on many of these DTV movies, which include Black Dawn , Belly of the Beast , Out of Reach , Submerged , Kill Switch , Urban Justice , Pistol Whipped , Against
4464-413: A “ pathological liar ” due to his propensity of making greatly exaggerated or outright fabricated statements about his personal life and achievements. For instance, Seagal has claimed that he was a student of the founder of aikido , Morihei Ueshiba ; despite the fact that Ueshiba died in 1969 when Seagal was 17 and five years before Seagal moved to Japan at age 22 — when he moved there to allegedly avoid
4588-442: Is a chronic behavior characterized by the habitual or compulsive tendency to lie. It involves a pervasive pattern of intentionally making false statements with the aim to deceive others, sometimes for no clear or apparent reason, and even if the truth would be beneficial to the liar. People who engage in pathological lying often report being unaware of the motivations for their lies. In psychology and psychiatry , there
4712-563: Is a guitarist and has released two studio albums, Songs from the Crystal Cave and Mojo Priest , and performed on the scores of several of his films. He has worked with Stevie Wonder and Tony Rebel , who both performed on his debut album. He has been involved in a line of "therapeutic oil" products and energy drinks. Seagal is an environmentalist , animal rights activist, and supporter of 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso . In 2004, he
4836-507: Is an item of the interpersonal facet of the Psychopathy Checklist -Revised (PCL-R), alongside superficial charm , grandiosity , and manipulativeness . It is endorsed where an individual lies and deceives so frequently that it is a defining or central characteristic of their interactions with others. Lying in such persons is described as both calculated and aimless, with deceiving others thought to have some intrinsic value to
4960-428: Is an ongoing debate about whether pathological lying should be classified as a distinct disorder or viewed as a symptom of other underlying conditions. The lack of a widely agreed-upon description or diagnostic criteria for pathological lying has contributed to the controversy surrounding its definition. But efforts have been made to establish diagnostic criteria based on research and assessment data, aligning with
5084-406: Is by examination. Whereas dan grades are awarded for technical ability, there is a parallel shogo system awarding the higher teaching grades of renshi , kyoshi , and hanshi . Renshi and kyoshi are awarded by written examination while hanshi is awarded by election. Although the dan system is distinctly Japanese, it has been adopted by many other martial arts styles. The dan system and
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5208-423: Is common to both gendai budō or arts of other east Asian origin, and to arts that are derived from these, or from other areas, it is not universal. In modern times, a dan-ranked practitioner of a style is usually recognized as a martial artist who has surpassed the kyū , or basic, ranks. They may also become a licensed instructor in their art. In many styles, however, achieving a dan rank means that, while one
5332-433: Is commonly believed that even the strongest women professionals are generally only equivalent in playing strength to shōreikai 1- or 2-dan ranked players. In fact, no woman professional has ever successfully completed the shōreikai system and been awarded the rank of 4-dan. Three women have made it as far as 1 dan in the shōreikai, and two have made it as far as 3 dan. While the use of the kyū/dan system, and colored belts
5456-450: Is effective for both his novelty value and his ability to be both literally and figuratively disarming." He achieved mainstream success in 1992 with the release of Under Siege , which reunited Seagal with director Andrew Davis for what critics described as " Die Hard on a battleship". Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 79% based on reviews from 28 critics. The site's consensus states: "A well-directed action thriller that makes
5580-517: Is introduced as a false protagonist only to be killed halfway through and Machete (2010), which features Seagal in a rare villainous role. Seagal's films also frequently reflect aspects of his personal life. His music appears in several of his films (for example, Into the Sun and Ticker , where he appears as part of a bar band), as does his fluency in other languages (he speaks Japanese in Into
5704-474: Is no longer considered a beginner, one is not yet necessarily an expert. Rather, it indicates a high degree of competence across a reasonable range of techniques. The total number of dan ranks is style-specific (1st through 5th and 1st through 10th are common in Japanese martial arts). The lower dan grades normally are attained through a grading examination or sometimes through competition. The higher dan grades usually require years of experience and contribution to
5828-464: Is no longer used. Amateur players train to become professionals at one of the JSA's apprentice schools and are ranked from 6-kyū to 3-dan. Since only exceptionally strong amateur players are able to qualify for the shōreikai, it is generally believed that the typical shōreikai 6-kyū is at least the equivalent of an amateur 3 or 4 dan player. Shōreikai 3-dan players who either win or finish runner-up in one of
5952-435: Is normally increased during lie-telling. These findings, alongside data showing pathological liars are faster at generating and telling lies, have been taken to suggest that liars lack the cognitive control and socioaffective networks required for inhibiting truthful responses, monitoring behaviour and believability, and adjusting deceptions to fit changing facts may be more efficient in pathological liars. Pathological lying
6076-441: Is not interesting enough. The only diagnosis in the current system where a symptom of purposeless, internally motivated deception occurs is factitious disorder . This diagnosis deals with people who lie deliberately about having physical or psychological disorders. Research or testing must be done to confirm a person does not in fact have a physical or other disorder. This may become troublesome because medical records are sealed to
6200-470: Is often translated as "assistant instructor." At about the grade of godan , the holder may receive a full teaching license: shihan ( 師範 ) , literally "instructor/model." Traditionally, someone who holds the shihan title may open their own school with this license. Many styles also have the separate teaching or "master" grades of renshi , kyoshi , and hanshi . Generally, the lower dan grades are achieved by gaining greater knowledge and understanding of
6324-413: Is some variation even within styles. Generally, belts do not have markings that indicate the actual dan grade. Okinawan styles often use gold bars to denote the various masters titles rather than grades after fifth dan . Thus one gold stripe can designate Renshi ( 錬士 ) , two designated Kyōshi ( 教士 ) , and three designated Hanshi ( 範士 ) . In the early 2000s, different Okinawan styles started using
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#17327806722136448-584: Is the guardian of Yabshi Pan Rinzinwangmo , the only child of the 10th Panchen Lama of Tibet . When she studied in the United States, Seagal was her minder and bodyguard . Seagal lent his voice as a narrator for an activist film project, Medicine Lake Video . The project seeks to protect sacred tribal ground near Seagal's ranch in Siskiyou County . He also wrote an open letter to the leadership of Thailand in 2003, urging them to enact
6572-452: Is the act of knowingly and intentionally or willfully making a false statement. Normal lies are defensive and told to avoid the consequences of truth telling. They are often white lies that spare another's feelings, reflect a pro-social attitude, and make civilized human contact possible. Pathological lying can be described as an habituation of lying: someone consistently lies for no obvious personal gain. There are many consequences of being
6696-476: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Various theories have been proposed to explain the causes of pathological lying, including stress, an attempt to shift locus of control to an internal one, and issues related to low self-esteem . Some researchers have suggested a biopsychosocial - developmental model to explain this concept. While theories have explored potential causes,
6820-778: The CIA , Special Forces , or Black Ops (for example, Casey Ryback in Under Siege , a former Navy SEAL , Jack Cole in The Glimmer Man , an ex-CIA police detective, or Jonathan Cold in The Foreigner and Black Dawn , an ex-CIA Black Ops freelancer). His characters differ from those of other action movie icons by virtue of their near-invulnerability; they rarely face any significant physical threat, easily overpowering any opposition and seldom facing bodily harm or even temporary defeat. Two notable exceptions are Executive Decision (1996), in which Seagal's character
6944-526: The Kentucky hills. In 1998, Seagal made The Patriot , another environmental thriller which was his first direct-to-video release in the United States (though it was released theatrically in most of the world). Seagal produced this film with his own money, and the film was shot on-location on and near his farm in Montana . After producing Prince of Central Park , Seagal returned to cinema screens with
7068-440: The handicapping system , with a difference of one rank roughly corresponding to one free move at the beginning of the game. With the ready availability of calculators and computers, "rating" systems have been introduced. In such systems, a rating is rigorously calculated on the basis of game results. Dan (abbreviated online as "d") ranks are for advanced players. Although many organizations let players choose their own kyū rank to
7192-457: The original PlayStation called Deadly Honor , but it was cancelled for undisclosed reasons in its beta phase of development. In 2005, Seagal Enterprises began to market an energy drink known as "Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt", but it has since been discontinued. Seagal has also marketed an aftershave called "Scent of Action", and a range of knives and weapons. In 2013, Seagal joined newly formed Russian firearms manufacturer ORSIS , representing
7316-544: The 2012 updated addition, a "Chief Seagal" period (2009–Present) during which Seagal moved into television and began reflecting elements of his Steven Seagal: Lawman persona in his films. Seagal plays the guitar and among his extensive collection are guitars previously owned by "the Kings"; Albert , BB , and Freddie , as well as Bo Diddley , Stevie Ray Vaughan , Buddy Guy , Howlin' Wolf , Muddy Waters , and Jimi Hendrix . In 2004, he released his first album, Songs from
7440-648: The Antagonism domain, is trait encompassing pathological lying in the DSM-5's model, while the current ICD-11 trait domain of Dissociality (analogous to DSM-5 Antagonism) holds pathological lying to be a behavioural expression of the Lack of Empathy facet. Lie detector tests have shown that pathological liars exhibit arousal, stress, and guilt from their deception. This is different from psychopaths , who experience none of those reactions. People affected by antisocial personality disorder lie for external personal gain in
7564-611: The Children's Palace, she pursued a career as a professional dancer. She won a number of dancing contests and was considered the top female dancer in Mongolia, excelling at ballroom dancing in particular. Elle first met Seagal in 2001, when she worked as his interpreter during his visit to Mongolia. Seagal has seven children from four relationships, two grandchildren by his eldest son, Kentaro and one granddaughter by his daughter Ayako Fujitani. In addition to his biological offspring, Seagal
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#17327806722137688-441: The Crystal Cave , which has a mix of pop, world , country , and blues music. It features duets with Tony Rebel , Lt. Stichie, Lady Saw , and Stevie Wonder . The soundtrack to Seagal's 2005 film Into the Sun features several songs from the album. One of his album tracks, "Girl It's Alright", was also released as a single in several countries alongside an accompanying music video. Seagal's second album, titled Mojo Priest ,
7812-696: The Dark , Driven to Kill , A Dangerous Man , Born to Raise Hell , and The Keeper . Beyond the Law (2019) is one of Seagal's few movies to have had a theatrical release in North America since Machete . In 2009, A&E Network premiered the reality television series Steven Seagal: Lawman , focusing on Seagal as a deputy in Jefferson Parish , Louisiana . In the 2010s, Seagal's direct-to-video films increasingly started to become ensemble pieces, with Seagal playing minor or supporting roles, despite
7936-584: The Korea Taekkyon Association also issues dan ranks to taekkyeon practitioners. Someone who has received a dan rank is called a yudanja (유단자, 有段者). Someone who has received a "high" dan rank (6th Dan upwards) is called a godanja (고단자, 高段者). In some Korean schools, most notably in Kukkiwon -style Taekwondo, there is also a poom system in place (품, 品; "pum" using standard Romanization). Practitioners who have not yet reached
8060-794: The Law (titled Nico in Europe), with director Andrew Davis . Seagal was asked to make the film by his former aikido pupil, agent Michael Ovitz , who believed that he could make anyone a movie star . The film grossed $ 18,869,631 in the U.S. and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times stated "It contains 50 percent more plot than it needs, but that allows it room to grow in areas not ordinarily covered in action thrillers." Following its success, Seagal's subsequent movies were Hard to Kill , Marked for Death , and Out for Justice ; all were box office hits and made Seagal an action hero . Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Seagal
8184-437: The Law , which is regarded as the first American film to feature aikido in fight sequences. By 1991, he had starred in three successful films, and would go on to achieve greater fame in Under Siege (1992), where he played Navy SEALs counter-terrorist expert Casey Ryback , a role he reprised in the sequel Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995). In 1994, he starred in his directorial debut film On Deadly Ground . During
8308-576: The September 26, 1992, Season 18 premiere. When Cage worried that he would do so poorly that the audience would regard him as "the biggest jerk who's ever been on the show", Michaels replied: "No, no. That would be Steven Seagal." Seagal directed and starred in On Deadly Ground (1994), featuring Michael Caine , R. Lee Ermey , and Billy Bob Thornton in minor supporting roles. The film emphasized environmental and spiritual themes, signaling
8432-424: The Sun ) and religion (Buddhism features prominently in The Glimmer Man and Belly of the Beast ). His past as an aikido teacher is also incorporated into several films, for example Above the Law (which opens with a montage of real-life photos from Seagal's own past) or Shadow Man , where he is seen giving an aikido demonstration. Several of his films also feature prominent political messages, most notably
8556-700: The United States in 1983 with senior student Haruo Matsuoka . They opened an aikido dojo, initially in North Hollywood , but later moved it to the city of West Hollywood . Seagal left Matsuoka in charge of the dojo, which the latter ran until the two parted ways in 1997. Seagal 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. In 1987, Seagal began work on his first film, Above
8680-545: The United States of America or the world hostage by taking a venue where people are tuning in to watch a football game and imposing their political views." He also expressed skepticism of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections . Not long after this, former two time World boxing heavyweight champion George Foreman publicly challenged Seagal to an official ten-round MMA match in Las Vegas, which Seagal promptly declined. In 2017, Seagal collaborated with
8804-523: The United States through the U.S.–Mexico border . In October 2017, Seagal met with Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte while scouting locations in Manila for a possible film. During the visit, Seagal flashed Duterte's signature fist . In 2021, Seagal gave a katana to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry special envoy while visiting Canaima National Park . Maduro referred to Seagal as "my brother." On May 30, 2021,
8928-454: The United States. During this time, he met actress and model Kelly LeBrock , with whom he began an affair that led to Fujitani granting him a divorce. Seagal was briefly married to actress Adrienne La Russa in 1984, but that marriage was annulled the same year over concerns that his divorce had not yet been finalized. LeBrock gave birth to Seagal's daughter Annaliza in early 1987. Seagal and LeBrock married in September 1987 and their son Dominic
9052-656: The actor based on Regina Simons accusations, due to California's statute of limitations . Two months later, the case involving the actress Rachel Grant was dismissed for the same reasons. Seagal became embroiled in a legal case involving film producer Julius R. Nasso after Nasso attempted to extort Seagal. Nasso produced seven of Seagal's films beginning with Marked for Death in 1990. The two "became best friends", according to Seagal, and formed Seagal/Nasso Productions together. Their relationship became strained, however, and their partnership ended in 2000. Believing that Seagal owed him $ 3 million in compensation for backing out of
9176-420: The age of 15 cannot test for a dan rank. For them, there is a system of four poom grades. After they reach the age of 15, their poom -grade can be changed to the corresponding "dan"-grade. When numbering the dan ranks, Sino-Korean numbers are used. Common names for the dan ranks are thus: †For most Korean martial arts, the dan ranks do not go past ninth dan, although on some occasions in some organizations,
9300-486: The art along with physical skill. The higher the dan grade, the more leadership ability, teaching experience, and service to the style play a role in promotion. In modern kendo , the dan system was recently changed so that 8th dan is the highest attainable rank. Unlike Judo , all dan promotion within the All Japan Kendo Federation , International Kendo Federation and its member countries
9424-442: The case. On July 14, 2010, three months after Nguyen filed her suit, she withdrew her claim without explanation. On August 30, 2011, Jesus Sanchez Llovera filed a lawsuit against Seagal over his part in a Maricopa county police raid with heavy weapons (notably including an army surplus tank) of Llovera's residence for suspicion of cockfighting . The incident was taped for Seagal's A&E reality show Steven Seagal: Lawman . Llovera
9548-680: The company in both a promotional capacity as well as lobbying for the easement of US import restrictions on Russian sporting firearms. Seagal has an extensive sword collection, and at one time had a custom gun made for him once a month. Seagal owns a home in the Mandeville Canyon section of Los Angeles , and a home in Louisiana . He formerly lived on Staten Island in New York. Seagal is a Buddhist and in February 1997, Lama Penor Rinpoche from Palyul monastery announced that Seagal
9672-503: The country's long-time president, Ilham Aliyev . Seagal has expressed support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and dispute with neighboring Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . Seagal spoke out against the protests during the United States national anthem by professional athletes , stating, "I believe in free speech, I believe that everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but I don't agree that they should hold
9796-499: The country, and has been asked to teach aikido to the Serbian Special Forces . Seagal was granted Russian citizenship on November 3, 2016; according to government spokesman Dmitry Peskov , "He was asking quite insistently and over a lengthy period to be granted citizenship." Various media outlets have cited Seagal and President Vladimir Putin as friends and Seagal stated that he "would like to consider [Putin] as
9920-412: The desire to lie, while impaired inhibitory control may prevent the regulation of such urges. Pathological lying which begins early in development (e.g., as part of psychopathic personality rather than being acquired by brain injury or disease) appears to relate to increased prefrontal white matter and reduced prefrontal activation when telling lies, a significant finding given that prefrontal activation
10044-638: The development of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation". In May 1991 (during the filming of Out for Justice ), Warner Brothers employees Raenne Malone, Nicole Selinger, and Christine Keeve accused Seagal of sexual harassment . In return for remaining silent, Malone and another woman received around $ 50,000 each in an out-of-court settlement. Around the same time, at least four actresses said that Seagal had made sexual advances, typically during late-night "casting sessions". In another incident, Jenny McCarthy said that Seagal asked her to undress during an audition for Under Siege 2 . In 1995, Seagal
10168-573: The draft for the Vietnam War by marrying a Japanese national. According to Seagal's first wife, Miyako Fujitani: "I met Steven in California in the fall of 1974. He followed me back to Japan in October. We got married in December 1974." Fujitani was a second-degree black belt and daughter of an Osaka aikido master who had come to Los Angeles to teach aikido. After they married, they had
10292-416: The environmentalism evident in On Deadly Ground . While Seagal's acting in Above the Law gained praise from the likes of Roger Ebert , Seagal has repeatedly faced criticism from both critics and fans who accuse him of playing the same character in many of his movies, as well as displaying a lack of emotional range. In fact, his typecasting has been informally referred to as "Seagalism" and has become
10416-543: The fact that he often received top billing. Maximum Conviction , Force of Execution , Gutshot Straight , Code of Honor , Sniper Special Ops , The Asian Connection , The Perfect Weapon , Cartels , and China Salesman all exemplify this trend. This has led some commentators to criticize Seagal for his low-effort participation in movies which heavily promote his involvement. In 2011, Seagal produced and starred in an American television action series entitled True Justice . The series first aired on Nitro ,
10540-737: The forms of money, sex, and power. Pathological lying is strictly internal. The difference between borderline personality disorder (BPD) and pathological liars is that BPD patients try to cope with their fear of abandonment , mistreatment, or rejection by making empty threats of suicide or false accusations of abandonment. Pathological liars do not feel rejected; they have high levels of self-assurance that help them lie successfully. Unlike those with histrionic personality, pathological liars are more verbally dramatic than sexually flamboyant. Narcissists think they have achieved perfection and lack empathy for others. Pathological liars do not show these antisocial behaviors; they may lie because they think their life
10664-405: The founder of judo. Kanō started the modern rank system in 1883 when he awarded shodan (the lowest dan rank) to two of his senior students ( Shiro Saigo and Tomita Tsunejirō ). Prior to this, martial arts schools rewarded progress with less frequent menkyo licenses, giving the disciple the right to teach what he has learnt, the menkyo system containing in itself several ranks, the latter being
10788-714: The higher ranks and kyū being used for lower ranks. The dan ranking system in Go was devised by Hon'inbō Dōsaku (1645–1702), a professional Go player in the Edo period. Prior to the invention, top-to-bottom ranking was evaluated by comparison of handicap and tended to be vague. Dosaku valued the then highest title holder, Meijin at 9 Dan. He was likely inspired by an ancient Chinese Go ranking system ( 9 Pin Zhi ) and an earlier court ranking system ( nine-rank system ), although lower numbers are more senior in those systems. Dan ranks were transferred to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō (1860–1938),
10912-421: The highest grade (10th dan ) sometimes wearing a red belt in some systems. In Jūdo, 6th to 8th dan may wear a red and white-patterned belt, and 9th dan and above may wear a solid red belt. Blue with a red stripe is sometimes worn for Renshi (錬士) or for a person recognized by the older Ryu Kyu Kingdom title of Shinshi (from Shenshi, 紳士), a general Confucian term for a resident Chinese scholar and emissary. There
11036-424: The individual. The lies are told with ease, even when the contradicting facts are readily assessable, and the person normally shows some pride in their ability to lie, and may even openly boast of it as a talent or gift. The PCL-R distinguishes pathological lying from manipulation, which it treats separately as the strategic use of deceit and misdirection for personal gain, often by exploiting or using someone. Lying
11160-590: 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." Fujitani has refuted these allegations and has also dismissed Seagal's claims that he had combatted yakuza . There is no evidence that Seagal has ever worked with the Central Intelligence Agency . In the early-1980s, Seagal had aspirations to return to America and become
11284-598: The late 1980s, after teaching the deputies martial arts, unarmed combat, and marksmanship , then-sheriff Harry Lee (1932–2007) asked Seagal to join the force. Seagal's rank in Louisiana was ceremonial. Steven Seagal: Lawman , a series which follows his work in the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, premiered on A&E on December 2, 2009. Seagal stated that "I've decided to work with A&E on this series now because I believe it's important to show
11408-427: The latter half of the 1990s, Seagal starred in three more feature films and the direct-to-video film The Patriot . Subsequently, his career shifted to mostly direct-to-video productions. He has since appeared in films and reality shows, most notably as the main villain in Robert Rodriguez 's Machete (2010), and Steven Seagal: Lawman , which depicted Seagal performing duties as a reserve deputy sheriff. Seagal
11532-515: The meeting, Ciccone reportedly told Seagal that he had a choice of making four promised movies with Nasso or paying Nasso a penalty of $ 150,000 per movie, and that if Seagal refused, Ciccone would kill him. Seagal, who later claimed that he brought a handgun to the meeting, was able to stall Ciccone and escape the meeting unharmed. In the spring of 2001, Seagal sought out another mobster, Genovese crime family captain Angelo Prisco , to act as
11656-413: The menkyo kaiden (免許皆伝）, the license attesting that the disciple has mastered the whole teaching of the art ; another way of rewarding a particularly skilled disciple was by choosing him as next sōke by transmitting him the secret scrolls of the school, the densho (伝書）. There was still no external differentiation between yūdansha ( black belt ranks) and mudansha (those who had not yet attained
11780-425: The minister of Foreign Affairs, Urmas Paet , and Parliament 's Foreign Affairs chairman Marko Mihkelson had all condemned inviting Seagal into the country, with Paet saying, "Steven Seagal has tried to actively participate in politics during the past few months and has done it in a way which is unacceptable to the majority of the world that respects democracy and the rule of law." In August 2014, Seagal appeared at
11904-475: The most of its confined setting, Under Siege marks a high point for early '90s action—and its star's spotty filmography." Reviewers praised Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey's performances as the film's villains, and it is often considered Seagal's best film to date. On April 20, 1991, Seagal hosted Season 16 , Episode 18 of Saturday Night Live . The series' long-time executive producer Lorne Michaels and cast-members David Spade and Tim Meadows called Seagal
12028-459: The nation all the positive work being accomplished here in Louisiana—to see the passion and commitment that comes from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in this post- Katrina environment." The series premiere drew 3.6 million viewers, ranking as best season opener for any original A&E series ever. On April 14, 2010, the series was suspended by Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand due to
12152-707: The playing strength of a shogi player. Amateur players can, through over-the-board (OTB) play, achieve ranks from 15-kyū to 8-dan. In addition to dan and kyū, an Elo -type rating system is also used by the Japan Amateur Shogi Association for the tournaments it organizes. The ranking system used by the Japan Shogi Association (JSA) for professionals uses similar terminology, but is actually quite different in terms of ability. Professional player ranks start at 4 dan and go up to 9 dan. There also used to be 10 dan ranking, but this
12276-413: The preceding headings". Pathological lying shows a complex relationship with brain function. Compulsive lying has been reported in multiple neurological disorders, including early lesions of the prefrontal cortex , developmental disruption of white matter pathways connecting frontal cortex with temporal , limbic and parietal regions, disruptions to the functioning of the cingulate cortex , and
12400-475: The precise factors contributing to pathological lying have yet to be determined. The phenomenon was first described in medical literature in 1890 by G. Stanley Hall and in 1891 by Anton Delbrück. Curtis and Hart (2020) defined pathological lying as "a persistent, pervasive, and often compulsive pattern of excessive lying behavior that leads to clinically significant impairment of functioning in social, occupational, or other areas; causes marked distress; poses
12524-470: The pro-Kremlin systemic opposition party A Just Russia — Patriots — For Truth announced that Seagal had received an official membership card to the party. In March 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Seagal visited Moscow where he organized his birthday party, attended by many people connected to Vladimir Putin, including some affected by international sanctions . This has been criticized as
12648-463: The public. People who pathologically lie tend to lie about their identities and history. Because the symptoms do not match, they may go undiagnosed. They could well be diagnosed under the catchall rubric of an unspecified personality disorder or even under "Other specified disorder of adult personality and behavior": "This category should be used for coding any specified disorder of adult personality and behavior that cannot be classified under any one of
12772-553: The rank since its inception; of those 10th dan promotions only fifteen were conferred by the Kodokan, all of them to Japanese judoka. In other styles, the dan ranks are not the highest level that might be attained, with instructor certification and judge/judgment authorization being understood as higher-level or more sophisticated. Many arts use between one and ten dan ranks: In many martial arts, black belts are often worn for all dan grades. In others, different colors are used, with
12896-494: The release of Exit Wounds in March 2001. The film had fewer martial arts scenes than Seagal's previous films, but it was a commercial success, taking almost $ 80 million worldwide. It was considered at the time to be a "comeback" for Seagal. However, Seagal was unable to capitalize on this success and his next two projects were both critical and commercial failures. The movie Ticker , co-starring Tom Sizemore and Dennis Hopper ,
13020-463: The relevant modern martial art. This may be through instruction or research and publication. These grades can only be awarded by a higher-graded representative of the principal dojo or sometimes by a steering committee. There is no set achievement level that is universal. Ranking systems are specific to the school or style, so ranks do not necessarily translate across different martial arts styles . In fact, dan ranks do not necessarily indicate one wears
13144-413: The scenes he was in. "The only time they really stuck to the script or had ad libs was the stuff when he really wasn't there. It was a lot of stuff, because at that time I think he was flying a helicopter, he was doing something... He would come to set, "Okay, you're gonna say this. I'm gonna say this and this is gonna happen and then you do that." That's how we did a lot of that movie." In 1996, Seagal had
13268-555: The show's "worst host ever". Spade and Meadows cited Seagal's humorlessness, his ill-treatment of the cast and writers, and his refusal to do a " Hans and Franz " sketch because the skit's title characters had previously said that they could "beat up Steven Seagal". Seagal has never been invited back to the show. Meadows commented, "He didn't realize that you can't tell somebody they're stupid on Wednesday and expect them to continue writing for you on Saturday." SNL cast member Julia Sweeney later recalled that Seagal "had this idea that he's
13392-442: The stripes to designate individual dan grades above godan . Others, including many Uechi organizations, have followed suit, while others have not. In many styles shodan implies that the basics of the style have been mastered. At about sandan , the student may start teaching independently but under the supervision of their teacher. The license for this level is shidōin ( 指導員 ) , literally "member of instruction/coaching", which
13516-436: The style. Dan ranks are also given for strategic board games such as Go, Japanese chess ( shōgi ), and renju , as well as for other arts such as the tea ceremony ( sadō or chadō ), flower arrangement ( ikebana ), Japanese calligraphy ( shodō ), and Japanese archery ( Kyudo ). Today, this ranking system is part of the hallmark, landscape, and cultural "adhesive" of modern Japanese society. The Chinese character for
13640-594: The subject of much parody . In 2008, author and critic Vern published Seagalogy , a work which examines Seagal's filmography using the framework of auteur theory . Vern describes themes of government corruption (particularly involving the CIA), environmentalism , and adoption of foreign cultures as being examples of recurrent motifs in Seagal's films, among a variety of others. The first edition breaks Seagal's career into four chronological "eras", marked by specific differences in style and content. The 2012 updated edition adds
13764-489: The two 3-dan league tournaments held each year are awarded the rank of 4-dan and granted professional status. Although there is no difference in the systems used for men and women amateurs, the JSA and the Ladies Professional Shogi-players' Association of Japan, or LPSA, do use a slightly different system for ranking women professionals. Women professionals are ranked from 3-kyū to 6-dan and it
13888-702: The well-known symbol of a black belt have been absorbed into common usage to represent a person with above-average or highly trained skills in a particular discipline. In 1998, the Chinese Wushu Association together with the National Sport Commission and the Chinese Wushu Research Institute established a graduation system based on nine Duan levels. In 2011 the Duan Wei system was changed and
14012-403: The wide obi still worn with formal kimono. In 1907, Kanō invented the modern keikogi (white practice uniforms), and belts in white for mudansha and black for yūdansha. Traditionally, the level of Go players has been defined using kyū and dan ranks. Kyu ranks are considered student ranks, whilst dan ranks are considered master ranks. Especially in amateur play, these ranks facilitate
14136-508: The word dan (段) literally means step or stage in Japanese, but is also used to refer to one's rank , grade , or station , i.e., one's degree or level of expertise, knowledge and seniority. In Chinese pinyin , however, the same character is pronounced duàn in Mandarin with the 4th tone, and was originally used to mean phase . Dan is often used together with the word kyū ( 級 ) in certain ranking systems, with dan being used for
14260-465: Was 5, Seagal moved with his parents to Fullerton, California . His mother later told People magazine that prior to the move Seagal was frail and suffered from asthma : "He was a puny kid back then. But he really thrived after the move [from Michigan]." Seagal attended Buena Park High School in Buena Park, California , and Fullerton College between 1970 and 1971. Seagal has been described as
14384-472: Was a tulku , and specifically the reincarnation of Chungdrag Dorje, a 17th-century terton (treasure revealer) of the Nyingma , the oldest sect of Tibetan Buddhism . Seagal holds citizenships in three countries: the United States, Serbia, and Russia. Born in the United States, he possesses jus soli U.S. citizenship . He was granted Serbian citizenship on January 11, 2016, following several visits to
14508-548: Was born in June 1990. Their daughter Arissa was born in 1993. The following year, LeBrock filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences". Seagal is married to Mongolian Erdenetuya Batsukh ( Mongolian : Батсүхийн Эрдэнэтуяа ), better known as "Elle". They have one son together, Kunzang. From an early age, Elle trained as a dancer at the Children's Palace in Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia. After her graduation from high school and
14632-412: Was charged with employment discrimination , sexual harassment, and breach of contract . Cheryl Shuman filed a case against Seagal, accusing him of threatening and beating her during the filming of On Deadly Ground . In August 1995, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki dismissed the case, calling the claims "repetitive and unintelligible". On April 12, 2010, 23-year-old Kayden Nguyen filed
14756-462: Was filmed in San Francisco before Exit Wounds , and went straight to DVD. Half Past Dead , starring hip hop star Ja Rule , made less than $ 20 million worldwide. It was ranked in a Rotten Tomatoes editorial on the 100 worst movies of all time. Seagal was also nominated for Worst Actor at the 2002 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards and the 23rd Golden Raspberry Awards . Other than his role as
14880-472: Was granted both Russian and Serbian citizenship in 2016. In 2018, he was appointed Russia's special envoy to the U.S. Seagal has declared himself, "one million per cent" Russian and has lashed out at U.S. "disinformation". In 2024, Seagal also wrote a letter to Putin "expressing his willingness to fight and die for him". Seagal was born on April 10, 1952, in Lansing, Michigan , the son of Patricia Anne Fisher,
15004-508: Was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame . Seagal has been the subject of controversy during his career. Since 1991, multiple women have accused Seagal of sexual harassment or assault. He is a supporter of Vladimir Putin , to whom he once referred as "one of the great living world leaders". He backed the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He
15128-453: Was released in April 2006 and spawned a concert tour. Thom Jurek of AllMusic panned the album, rating it 1.5 stars out of 5 and stating that Seagal's guitar playing "rarely rises above bar band pedigree" and that "all of this music takes itself so seriously that it borders on delusional excess." Seagal has been a Reserve Deputy Chief in the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana , Sheriff's Office. In
15252-505: Was seeking $ 100,000 for damages caused during the raid and a letter of apology from Seagal to Llovera's children for the death of their family pet. Llovera claimed that his 11-month-old puppy was shot and killed during the raid. Llovera failed to file court-ordered paperwork after his attorney withdrew from the case and the lawsuit was dismissed in January 2013. In 2017, actress Portia de Rossi accused Seagal of sexually harassing her during
15376-588: Was suspended, with no explanations given. Season 3 premiered on January 2, 2014, but the show was not renewed for a fourth season. In October 2011, Seagal was sworn-in as the Sheriff department’s deputy sheriff of Hudspeth County, Texas , a law department responsible for patrolling a 98-mile stretch of the Texas-Mexico border. In 1997, Seagal was to be featured in an action video game for the Nintendo 64 and
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