Why weren't they bigger?
Discussion
I was just watching a Michael Jai White film and I was wondering why he never hit stardom like other action stars.
Yes I know - he's not the greatest actor, but (imo) he's streets ahead of Steven Seagal or JCVD and his films (to me) are not significantly worse than offerings from Arnie/Stallone/Statham et al and even though Stathsm isn't even in the same ball park as the big 2 mentioned here he seems to be waaay ahead of MJW...
Yes I know - he's not the greatest actor, but (imo) he's streets ahead of Steven Seagal or JCVD and his films (to me) are not significantly worse than offerings from Arnie/Stallone/Statham et al and even though Stathsm isn't even in the same ball park as the big 2 mentioned here he seems to be waaay ahead of MJW...
It would have been good to see him in this if it ever got made https://youtu.be/XGnVhqhmip8.
He's a good martial artist just not sure he has that star factor, he's had some bit parts in some major films but then the film's he's mained in are the kind of films you see Seagal/JCVD making now.
Looking at the film's he's starred in, there's a wide variety of stuff from poor to decent, so seems like he just works to get paid rather than try and pick and choose the right film to become an major action film star or maybe he is deemed as not good enough from the powers that be.
Who knows.
Can you think of any major action films where you thought MJW would have played the role better than the actual guy who played it?
He's a good martial artist just not sure he has that star factor, he's had some bit parts in some major films but then the film's he's mained in are the kind of films you see Seagal/JCVD making now.
Looking at the film's he's starred in, there's a wide variety of stuff from poor to decent, so seems like he just works to get paid rather than try and pick and choose the right film to become an major action film star or maybe he is deemed as not good enough from the powers that be.
Who knows.
Can you think of any major action films where you thought MJW would have played the role better than the actual guy who played it?
Radec said:
Can you think of any major action films where you thought MJW would have played the role better than the actual guy who played it?
I suspect he'd have fitted right in for Blade (similar skill set to WS), certainly he'd have been far better than seagal in any of those films. Probably interchangeable with Statham as well?irocfan said:
Radec said:
Can you think of any major action films where you thought MJW would have played the role better than the actual guy who played it?
I suspect he'd have fitted right in for Blade (similar skill set to WS), certainly he'd have been far better than seagal in any of those films. Probably interchangeable with Statham as well?I think WS just has this extra vibe to him that MJW doesn't.
I don't think he would have been a better Blade than him, or say Simon Phoenix in Demolition Man.
It will be interesting to see how Maharshala Ali plays Blade in the future.
Better than Seagal in Under Siege, not sure about that either, all those other crap later films of course he could do those roles.
MJW is good but just don't think he could carry a major release as the title star or pull a worldwide audience because he's in a film.
I'd put him in the same bracket as a Scott Adkins, great martial artist but not major star like say a Donnie Yen/Wesley/early JCVD etc
As with life, it's more often who you know than what you know.
Consider Segal has had the career he's had, Chuck Norris etc, none of them are any great shakes as actors. Even early Arnie in Commando, the door frame in the scene at his house had more charisma than he did.
More so with music, I'm perplexed as to why Paul Pena didn't get the acclaim he deserved. Some of you of a certain vintage will know "Jet Airliner" by Steve Miller Band. It's Pena's song, and Pena did it better.
Consider Segal has had the career he's had, Chuck Norris etc, none of them are any great shakes as actors. Even early Arnie in Commando, the door frame in the scene at his house had more charisma than he did.
More so with music, I'm perplexed as to why Paul Pena didn't get the acclaim he deserved. Some of you of a certain vintage will know "Jet Airliner" by Steve Miller Band. It's Pena's song, and Pena did it better.
Radec said:
...I'd put him in the same bracket as a Scott Adkins, great martial artist but not major star like say a Donnie Yen/Wesley/early JCVD etc
Donnie Yen could have been a massive superstar if he wanted to. Speaks great English (even though accented to some degree) as he was born and bred in Boston, and is even a proper martial artist compared to Jackie Chan.Gassing Station | TV, Film, Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff