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Scott Adkins
Stuttgart 2023 -Comic Con Germany- Scott Adkins- by-RaBoe 013 (cropped).jpg
Adkins in December 2023
Born (1976-06-17) 17 June 1976 (age 48)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • producer
  • martial artist
Years active 1998–present
Children 2

Scott Edward Adkins (born 17 June 1976) is a British actor and martial artist. He gained prominence with his villainous portrayal of the Russian prison fighter Yuri Boyka in the American martial arts film Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006), a role he reprised in its sequels Undisputed III: Redemption (2010), which won him an Action on Film Award for Breakout Action Star, and Boyka: Undisputed (2017), which won him a Jackie Chan Action Movie Award for Best Action Movie Actor.

Born in Sutton Coldfield, Adkins began practising martial arts at age 13, taking up taekwondo and earning his black belt at age 19. His early acting credits include minor roles in the Hong Kong films The Accidental Spy (2001), Black Mask 2: City of Masks (2002), and The Medallion (2003), and the American films Special Forces (2003), Unleashed (2005), and The Pink Panther (2006). His first lead role was as Casey Bowman in the American martial arts film Ninja (2009), a role he reprised in the sequel Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013).

Adkins is known for his collaborations with Jean-Claude Van Damme, starring in The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008), Assassination Games (2011), Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning and The Expendables 2 (both 2012). He also collaborated with Wu Jing in Wolf Warrior (2015), Donnie Yen in Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019), Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais in Triple Threat (2019), and Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Early life

Scott Edward Adkins was born into a family of butchers in Sutton Coldfield on 17 June 1976. He first became interested in martial arts at the age of ten, when he visited a local Judo club with his father and older brother. After being robbed at age 13, his interest in martial arts grew even more. That same year, he began to practice taekwondo. At age 16, he started to practice kickboxing and eventually became a kickboxing instructor for the Professional Karate Association. He also ran weekly classes at the Fitness First in Bearwood. He has since gained experience in aikido, capoeira, gymnastics, jujutsu, karate, Krav Maga, MMA, ninjutsu, and wushu.

Adkins was inspired by Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. He said in 2012, "I wanted to be an actor first because I grew up idolising action stars. The first one for me was Bruce Lee, and then there was Stallone and Arnold, and then Van Damme came along in '88 and really inspired me."

Career

Adkins secured a role in a Hong Kong martial arts film called Dei Seung Chui Keung (2001), known in English as Extreme Challenge. He was spotted by Head of the Hong Kong Stuntmen Association and director Stephen Tung and British-born Hong Kong movie expert Bey Logan. He had the opportunity to work with some of Hong Kong cinema's leading action directors including Yuen Woo-ping, Corey Yuen, Sammo Hung, and Jackie Chan. He was soon offered a guest role in the BBC series Doctors (2000) and appeared in a few episodes of the BBC series City Central (1999) and EastEnders (2003), and a lead role in the Sky One comedy-drama Mile High (2003), followed by a regular role in BBC's Holby City (2006).

Starring roles in feature films soon followed with Adkins' portrayal of Talbot in Special Forces (2003) and Yuri Boyka in Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006). It was this film that broke him into the mainstream with his villainous portrayal of the Russian MMA underground fighter Yuri Boyka. After this, he had guest starring roles in bigger budget films like The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and The Tournament (2009), and played Jean-Claude Van Damme's main adversary in The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008). He shared the role of Weapon XI with Ryan Reynolds in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). His first lead role was as Casey Bowman in the American martial arts film Ninja (2009), a role he reprised in the sequel Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013).

In 2012, Adkins was cast to star in Métal Hurlant Chronicles, a television adaptation of the popular French comic book Metal Hurlant. He has worked in four films with his idol Jean-Claude Van Damme: The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008), Assassination Games (2011), Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, and The Expendables 2 (both in 2012). In 2014, he played King Amphitryon in The Legend of Hercules. He was reunited with action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping in 2019 when he starred alongside Donnie Yen in Ip Man 4: The Finale as the main antagonist Barton Geddes. According to Adkins, Yen personally requested him to star in the film. He also starred in Day Shift (2022) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Accidental Spy Lee's bodyguard / Turkish leader Credited as Scott Edward Adkins
Extreme Challenge Isac Borman Direct-to-video
Pure Vengeance Dany Short film
2002 Black Mask 2: City of Masks Dr. Lang
2003 Special Forces Talbot Direct-to-video
The Medallion Snakehead's Henchman
2005 Danny the Dog Swimming Pool Fighter
Pit Fighter Nathan Direct-to-video
2006 The Pink Panther Jacquard / Footballer
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing Yuri Boyka Direct-to-video
2007 The Bourne Ultimatum Agent Kiley
2008 The Shepherd: Border Patrol Karp Direct-to-video
Stag Night Carl
2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Weapon XI Shared role with Ryan Reynolds
The Tournament Yuri Petrov
Ninja Casey Bowman Direct-to-video
2010 Undisputed III: Redemption Yuri Boyka
2011 Assassination Games Roland Flint
2012 El Gringo The Man
The Expendables 2 Hector
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning John Direct-to-video
Zero Dark Thirty John Simmons
2013 Legendary Travis Preston Direct-to-video
Green Street 3: Never Back Down Danny Harvey
Ninja: Shadow of a Tear Casey Bowman
2014 The Legend of Hercules King Amphitryon
2015 Zero Tolerance Steven Direct-to-video
Wolf Warrior Tom Cat
Close Range Colton MacReady Direct-to-video
Re-Kill Parker
2016 Home Invasion Heflin
Jarhead 3: The Siege Gunny Raines
Grimsby Pavel Lukashenko
Criminal Pete Greensleeves
Hard Target 2 Wes Baylor Direct-to-video
Doctor Strange Lucian / Strong Zealot
Eliminators Martin Parker / Thomas Mackenzie Direct-to-video
2017 Savage Dog Martin Tillman
Boyka: Undisputed Yuri Boyka
American Assassin Victor
2018 Accident Man Mike Fallon Direct-to-video; also producer and screenwriter
Deadpool 2 Weapon XI Archive footage; shared role with Ryan Reynolds
The Debt Collector French Direct-to-video
Incoming Reiser
No Surrender The Crazy One
2019 Abduction Quinn
Triple Threat Collins
Avengement Cain Burgess Direct-to-video
Ip Man 4: The Finale Barton Geddes
2020 Debt Collectors French Direct-to-video
Legacy of Lies Martin Baxter
Seized Nero
Dead Reckoning Marco
The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud Max Cloud
2021 One Shot Jake Harris
Castle Falls Mike Wade
2022 Day Shift Diran Nazarian
Section Eight Leonard Locke Direct-to-video
Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday Mike Fallon Direct-to-video; also producer, screenwriter and fight choreographer
2023 John Wick: Chapter 4 Killa Harkan
Wherever You Go Joseph
2024 One More Shot Jake Harris direct-to-video
Lights Out Don 'The Reaper' Richter
The Killer's Game Angus Mackenzie
Take Cover Sam Lorde Direct-to-video
2025 Skyline: Warpathdagger Eric Corley Post-production; Direct-to-video
Diablo dagger Kris Chaney Post-production; direct-to-video; also producer
TBA Death Marchdagger James Wright Post-production, direct-to-video; also screenwriter
Key
Films that have not yet been released Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Scott Adkins Hector
Adkins in 2011
Year Title Role Notes
1998 Dangerfield Episode: "Paths"
1999 City Central Jake Clanton Episode: "Life Liberty and Pursuit"
2000 Doctors Ross 3 episodes
2001 The Big Breakfast Himself 1 episode
2002 Mutant X Marko Episode: "Sign from Above"; uncredited
2003 EastEnders Joel 6 episodes
2005 Mile High Ed Russell 12 episodes
Hollyoaks: Let Loose Ryan 2 episodes
2006 Holby City Bradley Hume 9 episodes
2012, 2014 Métal Hurlant Chronicles Guillame / Joe Manda 3 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Category Results
2010 Undisputed III: Redemption Action on Film Award Breakout Action Star Won
2017 Boyka: Undisputed Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards Best Fight Won
2017 Boyka: Undisputed Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards Best Action Movie Actor Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Scott Adkins para niños

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