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Ray Park
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Raymond Park (born 23 August 1974) is a British actor, martial artist and stuntman. He is best known for physically portraying Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Solo: A Star Wars Story, along with a motion capture performance in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars,[2] Toad in X-Men, Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra[3][4] and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Edgar in Heroes.[5]
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Park was born on 23 August 1974 in Glasgow, Scotland. At the age of seven, he moved with his family to London, England.[6]
Park was introduced to martial arts by his father, who was a fan of Bruce Lee, and began training martial arts at the age of 7, starting with one year of Hapkido, then traditional Shaolin Kung Fu such as Nam Pai Chuan at UK Chin Woo Northern Shaolin, as well as modern wushu. When he was 15, Park went to Malaysia to improve his skills. From 1991 to 1996, he was a member of the British national wushu team. Park went on to compete in martial arts tournaments around the world including the World Wushu Championships before turning his attention to acting in the late 1990s.[7]
Career
[edit]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.[8]
In 1999, Park appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, as the Sith Lord Darth Maul.[9] While the character only had three lines, Park's voice was dubbed over with that of actor Peter Serafinowicz.[10] 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.[11]
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 Van Brunt, among others.[12]
Park had his first real speaking part in X-Men as Toad.[13]
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.[14][15]
He worked with comic book creator-turned-filmmaker Kevin VanHook in the film Slayer, starring in the dual roles of acrobatic twin vampires.[16] 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 The Descendants, another comic book adaptation based on an independent comic by writer Joey Andrade.[17]
Park appeared as Edgar in the fourth season of the television series Heroes.[18]
Park was also included in the motion capture team of the 2008 James Bond video game adaptation of Quantum of Solace.[19]
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.[20]
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.[21]
In 2019 during Star Wars Celebration, Dave Filoni revealed that Park reprised his role as Maul for the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "The Phantom Apprentice" through a motion capture performance, with Witwer again providing the voice.[22]
In 2020, it was reported by LRM Online that Lucasfilm had allegedly decided to move forward with Darth Maul without Park following the actor posting inappropriate sexual material on his Instagram account, which was later removed.[23]
In 2022, Park was reportedly set to originally reprise his role as Maul again in the Disney+ streaming series Obi-Wan Kenobi, but his character's inclusion was dropped late into development; sources claim that Park went as far to perform some stunt training and shoot some footage, though other sources claim that Park's scenes consisted solely on test footage before the character was written out.[24]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Legend of Bruce Lee | Chuck Norris | 4 episodes | [25] |
| 2009-2010 | Heroes | Edgar | 8 episodes | [25] |
| 2009 | Spartacus: Motion Comic | Arkadios / Narrator | Voice | [25] |
| 2011 | Nikita | London Guardian, Brendan | Episode: "Into the Dark" | [25] |
| Supah Ninjas | Harry | Episode: "Kickbutt" | [25] | |
| 2012 | Breaking In | Todd | Episode: "Episode XIII" | |
| 2020 | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul | Episode: "The Phantom Apprentice"; motion capture; Voiced by Sam Witwer | [22] |
| 2022 | Obi-Wan Kenobi | Episode: "Part I" (archival material) |
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Vaynshteyn, Gina (25 July 2020). "Did Ray Park's Instagram Get Hacked? His Wife Made an Official Statement". Distractify. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "GI JOE – YO JOE, The Snake Has Returned". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ "Interview: Ray Park on the Set of G.I. Joe". IESB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ "Ray Park: Unmasked on HEROES". Kung Fu Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
- ^ "Biography". Official Ray Park Website. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "Martial Arts". Official Ray Park Website. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "Ray Park and Martial Arts: Part 1". Kung Fu Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (19 May 1999). "FILM REVIEW; In the Beginning, the Future". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Persall, Steve (5 March 2009). "'FANBOYS' DOESN'T USE THE FORCE TO FULL EFFECT". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Ray Park and Martial Arts: Part 2". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
- ^ Couch, Aaron (7 January 2014). "Toad to Appear in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ^ Weintraub, Steve (30 July 2009). "Ray Park (Snake Eyes) On Set Interview G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA". Collider. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Slayer". Kevin VanHook Official Website. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ Butler, Blair (26 July 2007). "g4tv.com-video17177: 'The Descendants'". G4TV. Retrieved on 6 September 2007.
- ^ Evans, Chris (17 September 2009). "Ray Park & Robert Knepper Talk "Heroes"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Kelly, Kevin (2 July 2008). "Joystiq eyes (only) on: James Bond in Quantum of Solace: The Game". Engadget. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Ray Park to Breathe Fire in Jinn; Meet Him This Friday in Michigan". Dread Central. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
- ^ Silliman, Brian (13 September 2018). "Darth Maul actor Sam Witwer on Ray Park and never saying goodbye". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ a b Schedeen, Jesse (14 April 2019). "Star Wars: Clone Wars' Final Season Features Return of Darth Maul and Mandalore". IGN. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ Medina, Joseph Jammer (28 July 2020). "Star Wars Rumor: Lucasfilm Moving Forward Without Ray Park As Darth Maul Following Instagram Post | LRM Top Shelf Rumor". LRMonline. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ Kit, Borys; Couch, Aaron (14 March 2022). "'Obi-Wan Kenobi': Darth Maul Scenes Cut, Luke Skywalker Replaced During Creative Overhaul". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Magazines 2024, p. 93.
- ^ a b Magazines 2024, p. 90.
Print sources
[edit]- Magazines, Titan (2024). Star Wars Insider Presents The Dark Side Collection (Hardback ed.). Titan Magazines. ISBN 9781787744516.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ray Park.
- Official website
- Ray Park at IMDb
- Ray Park at the TCM Movie Database
| International | |
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| National | |
Ray Park
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Raymond Park (born 23 August 1974) is a Scottish-born British actor, martial artist, and stunt performer renowned for his physicality in action roles.[1] Best known for portraying the Sith apprentice Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), where his martial arts expertise brought the character's acrobatic lightsaber duels to life, Park has built a career leveraging his competitive wushu background in high-profile franchises.[2][3]
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, and raised in the Govan district, Park relocated with his family to London at the age of seven, where he was inspired by martial arts icons like Bruce Lee and the television series Monkey.[1][3] He began training in martial arts at age seven, initially in Hapkido, before advancing to Nam Pai Chuan and Northern Shaolin Chin Woo kung fu styles; by his early teens, he had incorporated kickboxing and wushu into his regimen.[1] At 16, he won Great Britain's Martial Arts National Championship, and in 1991, he joined the Great Britain Wushu Team, training in Malaysia and competing internationally.[3] Park achieved significant accolades, including four gold medals at the European Wushu Championships, a top-seven placement (as the first from Europe) at the 1991 World Wushu Championships in Beijing, and recognition as the highest-placing non-Asian at the 1995 International Wushu Federation World Championships in Baltimore; he was also crowned All-Round European Champion.[1]
Park's professional career began as a stunt double, notably for James Remar as Raiden in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) and for Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow (1999).[2][3] His breakout came with the role of Darth Maul, which showcased his agility and swordsmanship, leading to voice and motion-capture work for the character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020) and a physical cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).[2] Subsequent notable performances include the agile mutant Toad in X-Men (2000), the super-soldier Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), the speedster Edgar in the NBC series Heroes (2008–2009), and the assassin Mac in Accident Man (2018).[3][2] Other credits encompass Agent A.J. Ross in Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002), Chuck Norris in The Legend of Bruce Lee (2010), and stunt work across various action films.[2] As of November 2025, Park remains active in conventions and has projects in development, though no major new releases have been confirmed recently.[4]
Early life and training
Childhood and family
Ray Park was born on August 23, 1974, in Glasgow, Scotland.[4] He was raised in the Govan district of the city during his early years.[5] At the age of seven, Park relocated with his family to London, England.[6] He moved alongside his parents, younger brother, and sister, settling into a new environment that shaped his formative experiences.[6] From a young age, Park developed an interest in physical activities, beginning to teach himself gymnastics as a means to build strength and agility.[6] His family background emphasized support for such pursuits, though specific dynamics remain sparsely documented.[5]Martial arts development
Ray Park developed an early interest in physical disciplines, beginning with self-taught gymnastics at a young age, which laid the foundation for his athletic prowess. He later pursued formal gymnastics training at age 15 through a school program that combined it with martial arts, eventually becoming a coach by age 19 and leading a squad to first place at the London Youth Games in 1996.[7][1] Influenced by his father's admiration for Bruce Lee and the television series Monkey, Park began formal martial arts training at age 7 with hapkido. He later advanced to Nam Pai Chuan, Northern Shaolin Kung Fu in the Chin Woo style, wushu, and kickboxing, training in various environments in London to refine techniques in forms and weapons. This diverse regimen emphasized precision, agility, and power, building on his gymnastics base for comprehensive body control. At age 16, he won Great Britain's Martial Arts National Championship.[7][1][3] From 1991 to 1996, Park represented Great Britain in international wushu competitions, marking him as the first European athlete to place in the top seven worldwide at the 1991 World Wushu Championships in Beijing, where he excelled in taolu (forms). He secured multiple medals, including two silvers at the 1991 Chin Woo International Wushu Championships in Kuala Lumpur, four golds as all-around champion at the European Wushu Championships in London, two golds and one silver at the International Chin Woo Wushu Championships in Tianjin, China, and the highest non-Asian ranking in taolu at the 1995 IWUF World Wushu Championships in Baltimore. These accomplishments in both forms and weapons categories highlighted his competitive dominance before transitioning to professional pursuits.[1][7]Professional career
Stunt work entry
Ray Park transitioned from competitive martial arts to professional stunt work around the age of 23, leveraging his expertise in wushu and gymnastics to enter the film industry.[1] His background in acrobatics and martial arts, including multiple world and European championships in wushu forms and tumbling, attracted stunt coordinators seeking performers skilled in dynamic, high-energy sequences.[1] This foundation from his training enabled him to adapt competitive techniques to on-screen action, marking his shift from athlete to professional.[1] Park's first major film involvement came as a stunt performer in Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997), where he served as a stunt double for actors Robin Shou (Liu Kang) and James Remar (Raiden).[8] In addition to doubling duties, he performed as Raptor #3 and a Tarkatan (Baraka #2), executing fight scenes that highlighted his martial arts precision.[9] These roles involved intense combat choreography, including flips and strikes drawn from his wushu training.[1] Following this debut, Park took on additional early stunt assignments, including uncredited work that helped build his reputation for Hong Kong-style action sequences characterized by fluid acrobatics and weapon handling.[1] His ability to incorporate wushu elements into fight designs, such as rapid kicks and aerial maneuvers, positioned him as a go-to performer for physically demanding roles in action films.[1]Acting breakthrough
Park's transition from stunt work to acting began with his casting as the Sith apprentice Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), a role that capitalized on his martial arts expertise for the character's physical demands. Originally hired as a stunt performer, Park impressed director George Lucas during test footage, leading to his promotion to the lead antagonist despite having no prior acting experience. The part involved extensive motion capture for facial expressions and body movements, intricate sword fighting sequences choreographed to blend elements of kendo, rapier, and acrobatics, and only minimal dialogue—limited to grunts and snarls voiced by Peter Serafinowicz—to emphasize Maul's menacing silence. Under stunt coordinator Nick Gillard, Park underwent three weeks of intensive training alongside co-stars Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor, developing a predatory fighting style inspired by a caged tiger to heighten the character's ferocity during the film's climactic duel.[10][11] Building on this breakthrough, Park portrayed the mutant henchman Toad in X-Men (2000), further showcasing his agility in high-energy action sequences. As Magneto's agile sidekick, Toad's role highlighted Park's acrobatic prowess through wall-clinging leaps, a extendable tongue for combat, and dynamic staff fighting in the assault on the X-Mansion, where he briefly overpowers Storm, Cyclops, and Jean Grey. This performance, drawing directly from his gymnastic and wushu background, marked his first speaking part, though limited to snarls and taunts that reinforced the character's feral nature. Critics praised Park's physicality, noting how his stunt-honed movements made Toad a memorable, if brief, threat in the ensemble cast.[12][13] Park continued securing villainous roles that leaned on his combat skills, appearing as the assassin Agent A.J. Ross—known as "The Prince of Darkness"—in Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002). As Ross, Park played a ruthless DIA operative tasked with pursuing the rogue agent Sever, delivering intense hand-to-hand confrontations that highlighted his precision strikes and endurance. Early reviews of these performances often commended Park's kinetic presence but critiqued the limited range beyond physicality, contributing to his typecasting as agile action antagonists in the post-Star Wars era.[14][13]Later roles and franchise returns
Following his breakthrough performances in major franchises, Ray Park continued to leverage his martial arts expertise in action-oriented roles throughout the late 2000s and 2010s. In 2009, he portrayed the silent ninja warrior Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, a role that required intensive preparation in ninjutsu and swordplay to capture the character's agile, masked combat style.[15][16] Park reprised the character in the 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation, where Snake Eyes engaged in high-stakes battles emphasizing his loyalty to the G.I. Joe team and rivalry with Storm Shadow, further showcasing Park's proficiency in wire work and close-quarters combat.[17][18] That same year, Park expanded into television with his role as Edgar in the fourth season of Heroes, playing a carnival operative with superhuman speed who served as a secondary antagonist before evolving into an anti-hero figure.[19] The character's rapid movement abilities allowed Park to demonstrate his acrobatic talents in dynamic fight sequences, adding depth to the series' ensemble of powered individuals.[19] Park's association with the Star Wars universe persisted into the late 2010s and early 2020s through returns to his iconic Darth Maul character. He made a brief live-action cameo as Maul in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), physically embodying the Sith Lord in a climactic scene that connected to the character's animated appearances in other media.[20][21] In 2020, Park provided motion capture performance for Maul in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, specifically for the episode "The Phantom Apprentice," where he choreographed the intense lightsaber duel against Ahsoka Tano to ensure authentic physicality in the animation.[22][23] However, Park's planned return as Maul in the 2022 Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi did not materialize, as scenes featuring the character were cut during a creative overhaul of the production.[24][25] Park had been in active preparation for the role, but the storyline shifted focus away from Maul to other antagonists.[26] Beyond film and television, Park contributed motion capture work to video games, including The Legend of Blue Jacket & Red Coat (2020), where his performance supported the project's action sequences.[4] By late 2025, no major new acting roles had been announced for Park, with his professional activities increasingly centered on fan conventions and appearances celebrating his past franchise contributions.[4]Filmography
Films
Ray Park's feature film credits span stunt work, acting, and physical performances, often highlighting his martial arts expertise in action sequences. His debut in film came through stunt roles that showcased his acrobatic and combat skills, leading to prominent acting opportunities in major franchises.- 1997: Mortal Kombat: Annihilation - Served as stunt double for the character Rayden and performed uncredited physical roles as Reptile and Baraka, marking his entry into Hollywood stunt work with contributions to fight scenes.
- 1999: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace - Portrayed Darth Maul, providing the physical performance and co-developing the iconic lightsaber duel choreography alongside Nick Gillard.
- 1999: Sleepy Hollow - Performed stunts as the rider for the Headless Horseman, utilizing his gymnastic background for dynamic horseback action sequences.
- 2000: X-Men - Played Toad, a mutant henchman, delivering agile fight scenes that emphasized his parkour and martial arts abilities.
- 2002: Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever - Acted as Agent A.J. Ross, participating in high-octane gunfights and chases that highlighted his stunt coordination.
- 2006: X-Men: The Last Stand - Provided stunt performance support for action sequences in the superhero ensemble.[27]
- 2006: Slayer - Portrayed the Acrobatic Twins, a demonic entity, with motion and combat work central to the horror-action narrative.
- 2007: What We Do Is Secret - Appeared as Brendan Mullen in the biographical drama about the punk band Black Flag.
- 2009: Fanboys - Played Carl the Security Guard (THX Security Guard No. 2), a minor role in the comedy involving a Star Wars fan quest.
- 2009: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Embodied Snake Eyes, the silent ninja commando, executing all personal stunts and sword fights.
- 2009: Hellbinders - Acted as Max, a mercenary in the supernatural action film, contributing to sword and hand-to-hand combat choreography.
- 2010: The King of Fighters - Portrayed Rugal Bernstein, the antagonist, in the video game adaptation with intense martial arts battles.
- 2013: G.I. Joe: Retaliation - Reprised Snake Eyes, performing advanced ninja combat and wire work in franchise sequels.
- 2014: Jinn - Played Gabriel, an archangel, in the supernatural thriller, blending acting with physical demon confrontations.
- 2018: Accident Man - Depicted Mac, a hitman, showcasing brutal close-quarters combat in the action-comedy.
- 2018: Solo: A Star Wars Story - Cameo as Darth Maul, reprising the physical role in a brief but impactful appearance.
- 2021: City Limits - Acted as Brian Hull in the action thriller centered on crime and betrayal.