Jason Statham is an icon in Hollywood. With a unique presence in the films he stars in, fans have been following his stoic characters for years now. He has starred in many classic films, ranging from The Transporter to The Expendables, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, and even The Fast and the Furious franchise. Through these roles, he has established himself as a timeless figure in the film industry.
Since it takes years for one to actually make it into the film industry, actors famously take jobs outside of their interests while they audition for the next big role. Interestingly enough, Statham’s career before acting was not a side gig, but something he took very seriously. Before starring in mega-hit films, the actor was a professional diver.
Jason Statham’s Career Before Acting Is Impressive
Jason Statham’s acting journey began in 1998 when he starred in the comedy-crime film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The film was funded by Tom Cruise, who ended up shooting him to the forefront of the film industry. However, many might not know that eight years before starring in the film, he was a professional diver.
Long before he entered the gilded gates of Hollywood, Statham represented England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. Although the actor wasn’t able to make as significant of an impact as his acting career, the experience was quite insightful for him. In 2008, he gave an interview with the BBC (via The Olympics) and he talked about the same.
I think what I didn’t achieve (in sports) has probably helped me focus more and take my acting career more seriously,
The actor revealed that he believes the impact that he was not able to make in sports, was able to help him gain a better insight into his own capabilities. It helped him focus more on acting, which helped him become the icon that he is today.
Fans Are Stunned To Know Jason Statham’s Past
Recently, an Instagram account posted clips of Jason Statham from his diving days. It is safe to assume that this part of his life is not well-known among his fans. However, they were nothing but impressed at his past profession. Since the clips showed the actor when he was younger, many fans were surprised at his hair, being used to his clean shaved look.
Others pointed out how they feel more respect towards the actor now that they know about his other areas of interest. They pointed out how he had probably lived an entire lifetime before he became an actor, and that makes him more interesting in the eyes of those who admire him.
“first time i’ve seen him with hair.” said Fatman on Instagram.
“got a whole new respect for jason statham” added endshumour.
“I love when people have lived multiple lifetimes. Makes them interesting.” mentioned ifeanyi_awesome.
“I heard about him being a diver, I thought they meant scuba diving. This is really impressive.” daadmiu said.
“Why did he not pike dive with a triple somersault off the ship in the Meg 2 though.” said elle_es__.
In 2018, Stathman starred in an action film called Meg, following a member of an underwater research facility who is stuck in a very tough spot with a 75-foot prehistoric shark. Some fans pointed out how the actor could have entered the water a lot cooler in the film after finding out about his diving career.