Ray Park

Raymond 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]

Ray Park
Park in June 2011
Born
Raymond Park

(1974-08-23) 23 August 1974
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
NationalityScottish
OccupationActor, martial artist, author
Years active1997–present
Websiteraypark.com

Early life

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.[8] While the character only had three lines, Park's voice was dubbed over with that of actor Peter Serafinowicz.[9] 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.[10]

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.[11]

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

Park had his first real speaking part in X-Men as Toad.[12]

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.[13][14]

He worked with comic book creator-turned-filmmaker Kevin VanHook in the film Slayer, starring in the dual roles of acrobatic twin vampires.[15] 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.[16]

Park appeared as Edgar in the fourth season of the television series Heroes.[17]

Park was also included in the motion capture team of the 2008 James Bond video game adaptation of Quantum of Solace.[18]

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.[19]

In 2011, Park guest starred in the TV series Nikita as the London Guardian, Brendan. He reprised his role as Maul in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), with Sam Witwer providing the voice.[20]

In 2019 during Star Wars Celebration, Dave Filoni revealed that Park reprised his role as Maul for the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars through mo-cap performance.[21]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1997Mortal Kombat: AnnihilationRaptor #3 / Tarkatan (Baraka) #2Also stunt double for Robin Shou and James Remar
1999Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceDarth MaulVoiced by Peter Serafinowicz;
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor)
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
Sleepy HollowHeadless HorsemanApart from Christopher Walken scenes
2000X-MenMortimer Toynbee / Toad
2002Ballistic: Ecks vs. SeverA.J. Ross
2005Potheads: The MovieMr. D
2006SlayerAcrobatic Vampire Twins
2007What We Do Is SecretBrendan Mullen
2009FanboysTHX Security Guard #2
G.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraSnake Eyes
HellbindersMax Lindermann
2010The King of FightersRugal Bernstein
2013G.I. Joe: RetaliationSnake Eyes
2014JinnGabriel
2018Accident ManMac
Solo: A Star Wars StoryMaulCameo; Voiced by Sam Witwer

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2008The Legend of Bruce LeeChuck Norris4 episodes
2009HeroesEdgar
Spartacus: Motion ComicArkadios / NarratorVoice
2011NikitaLondon Guardian, BrendanEpisode: "Into the Dark"
Supah NinjasHarryEpisode: "Kickbutt"
2012Breaking InToddEpisode: "Episode XIII"
2020Star Wars: The Clone WarsDarth MaulEpisode: "The Phantom Apprentice"; Motion Capture; Voiced by Sam Witwer
gollark: ++remind "9:20 tomorrow" Mr Bingham step
gollark: ++remind 5h-30m check whether backups somewhere hold pre-2019 screenshots
gollark: ++remind "2d-4h" okay, so apparently that failed
gollark: ++remind 5mo Did the Russians in fact manage to occupy Ukraine?
gollark: ++remind "18:43 tomorrow" roll utterly

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. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  4. "Ray Park: Unmasked on HEROES". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  5. "Biography". Official Ray Park Website. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  6. "Martial Arts". Official Ray Park Website. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  7. "Ray Park and Martial Arts: Part 1". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  8. Maslin, Janet (19 May 1999). "FILM REVIEW; In the Beginning, the Future". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  9. Simpson, George (5 April 2019). "Star Wars: Darth Maul star reveals why he was CUT at the last minute". Daily Express. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  10. Persall, Steve (5 March 2009). "'FANBOYS' DOESN'T USE THE FORCE TO FULL EFFECT". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  11. "Ray Park and Martial Arts: Part 2". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  12. Couch, Aaron (7 January 2014). "Toad to Appear in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  13. Weintraub, Steve (30 July 2009). "Ray Park (Snake Eyes) On Set Interview G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA". Collider. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  14. Weintraub, Steve (14 March 2013). "Ray Park Talks His New Costume and Weapons, Fight Sequences with Storm Shadow and Working with Elodie Yung on the Set of G.I. JOE: RETALIATION". Collider. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  15. "Slayer". Kevin VanHook Official Website. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  16. Butler, Blair (26 July 2007). "g4tv.com-video17177: 'The Descendants'". G4TV. Retrieved on 6 September 2007.
  17. Evans, Chris (17 September 2009). "Ray Park & Robert Knepper Talk "Heroes"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  18. Kelly, Kevin (2 July 2008). "Joystiq eyes (only) on: James Bond in Quantum of Solace: The Game". Engadget. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  19. "Ray Park to Breathe Fire in Jinn; Meet Him This Friday in Michigan". Dread Central. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  20. Silliman, Brian (13 September 2018). "Darth Maul actor Sam Witwer on Ray Park and never saying goodbye". Syfy Wire. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  21. Schedeen, Jesse (14 April 2019). "Star Wars: Clone Wars' Final Season Features Return of Darth Maul and Mandalore". IGN. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
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