Ray Park

Ray Park
Park in June 2011
Born Raymond Park
(1974-08-23) August 23, 1974
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Nationality British
Occupation Actor, martial artist, author
Years active 1997–present
Website raypark.com

Raymond "Ray" Park (born 23 August 1974) is a Scottish actor, author and martial artist. He is best known for playing Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Solo: A Star Wars Story,[1] Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra[2][3] and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Edgar on Heroes.[4]

Early life

Ray Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland. At the age of seven, he moved with his family to London, England.[5]

Park was introduced to martial arts by his father, who was a fan of Bruce Lee, and began training in the traditional Chinese Northern Shaolin Kung Fu when he was seven years old. He added wushu to his hobbies by age 14. When he was 16, Park won Great Britain's Martial Arts National Championship for his class and then went to Malaysia to try to improve his skills. He went on to compete in martial arts tournaments around the world and won awards before turning his attention to acting in the late 1990s.[6]

Career

Park began working in films as a stunt double for the film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, doing the stunts for both Robin Shou and James Remar. Park also did some cameos as monsters, including Baraka. All of these were non-speaking roles.[7]

In 1999, Park appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, as the Sith Lord Darth Maul. While the character had few lines, Park's voice was dubbed over with that of actor Peter Serafinowicz. From his work on Star Wars, Park was cast in a cameo role in Fanboys as a Skywalker Ranch security guard who says, "Time for you to get mauled, boy," as he pulls out two nightsticks.

In addition to this acting work, he has also been Christopher Walken's fight stunt double for the film Sleepy Hollow. Park appeared in the scene where Walken's character, the Headless Horseman, murders the Killian family and Brom Bones, among others.[8]

Park posing with Vincent Pastore at the 2013 Wizard World New York Experience

Park had his first real speaking part in X-Men as Toad.

In December 2007, Park was confirmed for the role of Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation involving a variation of the international G.I. Joe force who fought the minions of Cobra in the comics.

He worked with comic book creator-turned-filmmaker Kevin VanHook in the film Slayer, starring in the dual roles of acrobatic twin vampires. This film also saw him appearing again with Sleepy Hollow co-star Casper Van Dien.

ComiCon 2007 saw the premiere of the teaser trailer for Descendants, another comic book adaptation based on an independent comic by writer Joey Andrade.[9]

Park appeared as Edgar in the fourth season of the television series Heroes.

Park was also included in the motion capture team of the 2008 James Bond video game adaptation of Quantum of Solace.

In the comic book-styled film Hellbinders, he plays a soulless mercenary who, along with an elite assassin (Johnny Yong Bosch) and the last remaining member of the long dead Knights Templar, Esteban Cueto, must overcome their innate mistrust of each other and join forces to defeat Legion before it opens the gates of hell itself and overruns the entire world. Park narrated on 26 February 2010 the introduction of The FireBreather, a car from Classic Design Concepts in Detroit Autorama 2010, which appears in Park's supernatural thriller Jinn.[10]

In 2011, Park guest starred in the TV series Nikita as the London Guardian, Brendan. He reprised his role in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), as Darth Maul with Sam Witwer providing the voice.[11]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997Mortal Kombat: AnnihilationRaptor #3/Tarkatan (Baraka) #2Also stunt double for Robin Shou and James Remar
1999Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceDarth MaulNominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor)
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
Sleepy HollowHeadless Horseman (apart from Christopher Walken scenes)
2000X-MenToad / Mortimer Toynbee
2002Ballistic: Ecks vs. SeverA.J. Ross
2005Potheads: The MovieMr. D
2006SlayerAcrobatic Vampire Twins
2007What We Do Is SecretBrendan Mullen
The Legend of Bruce LeeChuck Norris
2009FanboysTHX Security Guard #2
G.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraSnake-Eyes
HeroesEdgarSeason four, recurring role
HellbindersMax Lindermann
2009Spartacus: Motion ComicArkadiosNarrator
2010The King of FightersRugal Bernstein
2011NikitaLondon Guardian, BrendanEpisode: "Into the Dark"
Supah NinjasHarryEpisode: "Kickbutt"
2013G.I. Joe: Retaliation Snake-Eyes
2014JinnGabriel
2015Mortal Kombat X: GenerationsErron Black
2016Mortal Kombat: LegacyErron Black
2018Accident ManMac
Solo: A Star Wars StoryMaul
TBAR.A.M.Damien MaxwellPre-production
Future FightersHenry "Hank" LiddellPre-production

References

  1. ↑ Wetmore, Jr., Kevin J. (10 August 2017). The Empire Triumphant: Race, Religion and Rebellion in the Star Wars Films. McFarland & Company. p. 127. ISBN 9781476611716.
  2. ↑ "GI JOE – YO JOE, The Snake Has Returned". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  3. ↑ "Interview: Ray Park on the Set of G.I. Joe". IESB. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  4. ↑ "Ray Park: Unmasked on HEROES". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "Biography". Official Ray Park Website. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  6. ↑ The Ray Park Picture Pages. Superior Pics. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ray Park and Martial Arts: Part 1". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  8. ↑ "Ray Park and Martial Arts: Part 2". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  9. ↑ Butler, Blair (July 26, 2007). "g4tv.com-video17177: 'The Descendants'". G4TV.
  10. ↑ "Ray Park to Breathe Fire in Jinn; Meet Him This Friday in Michigan". Dread Central.
  11. ↑ Simpson, George (24 May 2018). "Solo 2: How two MAJOR Star Wars villains are set up for the inevitable sequel". Daily Express. Express Newspapers. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
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