A master of several Japanese martial arts, Steven Seagal is a popular action movie hero whose films combine spiritual concepts and social/environmental cons-ciousness with high-voltage violence. Seagal traveled to Japan at the age of 17. There, he perfected his martial arts, earning black belts in aikido, karate, judo, and kendo. Afterwards, he became the first Westerner to open a martial arts school in Japan. Seagal spent about 15 years in Asia before returning to the United States, where he opened a new martial arts academy and also worked as a celebrity bodyguard. Then he contracted to make martial arts films for Warner Bros. His first film Above the Law (1988) was well received and Seagal found himself an instant star among action fans. Seagal attracted mainstream appeal in 1992 when he starred in the Davis-directed hit Under Siege, which is probably his most popular movie. (SD-Agencies)