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Biography

Robert Samuels

Biography

  • American martial artist Robert Samuels was a fan of martial arts and Hong Kong cinema, following in the footsteps of Jim Kelly & Ron Van Clief. Samuels got his first role on the movie The Gambling Ghost where he played a minor bad guy, but his knowledge of martial arts and enthusiasm made an impression on Sammo Hung who would later give him his biggest role in Don't Give A Damn, before introducing him to Yuen Wo-ping who hired him to play one of the terrorists trying to take over the cruise liner in The Red Wolf. Samuels would then appear as an extra in Teddy Robin's Hong Kong Grafitti, before leaving Hong Kong to break into the American industry.
    - IMDb mini biography by: Abbott

Trivia

  • Samuels was offered the lead role of Al Simmons in the film Spawn, but turned it down, as he felt the film was limiting for an actor as expressive as himself being required to be masked and augmented by CGI.
  • African American actor and martial artist who lived briefly with Sammo Hung, leading him into working with the prolific Hong Kong star on numerous occasions. He often played villains or gang members.
  • Lawrence Fishbourne observed Samuels persona on set of The Matrix, and modeled his performance as Morpheous on Samuel's character and spirituality.
  • Samuels was the first African American Member of the prestigious Hong Kong Stuntman's Association (HKSA) and sits on its board of director to this day.
  • According to interviews with Samuels himself, he was up for the role of Jackson in American Ninja but lost out to Steve James, and as second choice for Wesley Snipes role in Passenger 57.

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