Wesley Snipes
American actor, holder of a 5th dan in Shotokan karate and a 2nd dan in hapkido, known as the vampire Blade from the trilogy launched in 1998.
Quick Facts
United StatesBiography
Wesley Snipes is an American actor, born on July 31, 1962, in Orlando, Florida. A source lists his film work as spanning 1984–2010 and again from 2013.
He began training at the age of twelve. He holds a 5th dan in Shotokan karate and a 2nd dan in hapkido. He also trained capoeira under Mestre Jelon Vieira, kung fu at the USA Shaolin Temple, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing. In New York he was taught combat techniques by his friend and mentor Brook Ellis, from whom he also learned arnis.
His film debut came in 1986 with Wildcats. In 1997 he won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice festival for One Night Stand. From 1998 he played the vampire Blade in the trilogy; on Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004) he was also a producer, and he most recently returned to the role in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). He had the lead role in the action film The Art of War (2000) and also appeared in the action film Game of Death (2010).
In 1991 he founded the production company Amen-Ra Films with its subsidiary Black Dot Media. In the 1990s he and his brother founded the security firm Royal Guard of Amen-Ra, whose guards were trained in law and martial arts.
Associated Martial Arts
An Afro-Brazilian art on the border of fight and dance. Two players play in a circle (roda) to singing and berimbau music, the technique rests on ginga, kicks and dodges.
KarateNotable figure→An Okinawan striking art reshaped in the 20th century into Japanese budo and an Olympic sport. Built on kata and hand and foot techniques.
Ranks and titles
- 5th danShotokan
- 2nd danHapkido