Vladimir Kulich facts for kids

Vladimír Kulich was born on July 14, 1956. He is an actor from the Czech Republic and Canada.

He is famous for playing characters like Buliwyf in the movie The 13th Warrior. He also played Tiberius in Ironclad. On TV, he was Erik in Vikings. You might also know his voice as Ulfric Stormcloak in the video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. He was also The Beast in the TV show Angel. In 1995, he appeared as Olafsson in an episode of The X-Files called "Død Kalm."

Before becoming a full-time actor, Vladimír Kulich was a professional ice hockey player. He lived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, when he played hockey. He often helps out at charity games, playing hockey with former players from the Los Angeles Kings.

Early Life and Hockey Dreams (1956–1977)

Vladimír Kulich was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. His family was already involved in acting. His uncle ran a theater company in Prague. This allowed young Vladimír to see what theater was like. He visited the theater often. When he was about five years old, his uncle let him help with small tasks. These tasks often included getting drinks during breaks.

Kulich became very interested in acting. He thought acting would be his future job. He started by playing small parts in the State Theatre of Czechoslovakia. His first paid acting job was in a Czech movie. He played a crying boy who had lost his balloon. However, his acting plans changed. His parents divorced, and he moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with his mother.

Kulich was twelve years old when they moved to Quebec. They lived in a less wealthy part of their neighborhood. He was sad to find no theaters or acting chances nearby. So, he started playing hockey instead. As his mother looked for work, Kulich spent more time on the sport.

As Kulich became more serious about hockey, he stopped acting for a while. He got encouragement from John Ferguson, Sr.. Ferguson was a famous player for the Montreal Canadiens. He often watched Kulich's games. Ferguson liked the young player. When Ferguson became the head coach for the New York Rangers, he offered Kulich a chance. Kulich could try out for the team.

Kulich did not make the New York Rangers team. But he soon played for one of their minor league teams. This team was in Port Huron, Michigan. Even though he might still be called up to the main team, Kulich decided to stop playing professional hockey. He retired after one year, when he was 21 years old.

Starting His Acting Career (1978–1999)

After stopping his hockey career, Kulich tried different things. He worked at a summer camp for children with disabilities. He also started reading more and tried painting. He couldn't find a clear path. So, Kulich moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. There, he started a whitewater river rafting business. It was near Chilliwack, B.C.. Kulich owned and ran the business. He also sometimes guided the rafting trips for ten years.

This business helped him get back into acting. The acting industry was growing in Vancouver. Some people even called the city "Hollywood North". This was because many TV and film projects were being made there. One weekend, two producers from the TV show 21 Jump Street went on a rafting trip with Kulich's company. They were impressed by his unique look. They offered him a small part on their show. Kulich accepted. The role was not big. He played a doorman and only said one word. Still, it helped him get back into acting. It put him on the path to more recognition.

Soon, Kulich started getting guest roles on other TV shows. These included MacGyver and Wiseguy. In January 1990, he decided to try his luck in Hollywood. He drove from Vancouver to Los Angeles, California. He planned to give himself one month to find an agent. Kulich knew he would need to return to Canada in the spring. He had to get his rafting business ready if Hollywood didn't work out.

The month was almost over when Kulich finally got a call. An agent had accepted him. Still being practical, Kulich gave himself one more month to find work. His agent sent him to an audition for a TV miniseries. It was called The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake. Kulich felt a bit discouraged after the audition. He thought his efforts weren't noticed. So, he decided to go back to Vancouver a few days early. But his trip to Hollywood was still a success. As the month ended, he got a call. He was needed back in L.A. He had gotten the part!

Through the mid-1990s, Kulich kept working in movies and TV shows. He mostly stayed in Vancouver. He worked steadily, appearing on shows like The Commish and Highlander. His most memorable early role was on The X-Files. He played a crew member who was not affected by strange events on a ship. For this episode, Kulich had to learn lines in Norwegian. This was his first truly rewarding acting experience.

Again, he thought about Hollywood. He liked living in Canada. But the chance for more success in L.A. was too strong to ignore. Kulich got his green card. He moved to the US soon after.

The 13th Warrior Film

After moving, Kulich faced money problems. He was often sent to audition for roles as Nazis and terrorists. He became so unhappy with his agent that he fired him. He didn't even have another agent lined up. Soon after, his old agent called him. Even though Kulich was no longer his client, the agent had heard about a Viking movie. He thought Kulich would be perfect for it.

The project was first called Eaters of the Dead. Later, the name changed to The 13th Warrior. Kulich was told very little about the movie. The audition was also very simple. Two months passed before he heard that the director, John McTiernan, wanted to meet him. By the time of his screen test, Kulich realized this was a big project. He hoped it would be his "big break."

Filming was long and hard at times. It took place in the familiar landscapes of British Columbia. Kulich had never ridden a horse before playing Buliwyf. This character was based on the mythical hero Beowulf. But Kulich took to the role naturally. When the movie came out in 1999, people noticed his performance. Unfortunately, the film did not do as well as hoped. This was partly due to disagreements between the producer and director. Still, it was a good experience for Kulich. It brought him new fame and more fans. His performance in this movie helped him get other important roles later on.

Acting Roles and Other Interests (2000–Present)

After The 13th Warrior, Kulich went back to the Czech Republic. He thought about buying a home there and retiring quietly. But in the end, he decided to keep acting in the US. The trip did make him more interested in his Czech background.

Back in LA, Kulich looked for more important film and TV roles. In 2002, he got a call about a part. Casting agents for the TV show Angel contacted him. Angel was a spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They wanted him to play The Beast. Kulich knew little about the show at first. But he knew of it because he shared the same manager as the show's star, David Boreanaz.

When he read for the role, Kulich saw concept art of the character. At first, he was a bit worried. The part meant he would be covered in special makeup and a big costume. He would be completely unrecognizable. Only his voice would be the same. Still, he realized that being considered for such a role showed trust in his acting skills.

Kulich accepted the part. The role of The Beast was a recurring one. He appeared in eight episodes during Angel's 2002-2003 season. Filming took 11 weeks in the fall. Kulich's transformations on set were a lot of work. He wore a fiberglass bodysuit that weighed about 50 pounds. It took an hour to put on. The makeup and prosthetics took four hours to apply. But the silver dollar-sized contact lenses worried him the most. Kulich had recently had laser eye surgery. He was afraid the contacts might cause damage.

Even though the costume made him feel trapped, the experience was good. It gave Kulich more attention as an actor than The 13th Warrior did. He also got to share his first on-screen kiss with Angel co-star Charisma Carpenter.

After his time on Angel, Kulich attended some fan events. These included a party in February 2003 that raised $30,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He was also a special guest at a convention in London, England, in June 2005. In May 2004, Kulich also spoke at an entertainment event. It was at the University of Southern California. He shared his knowledge with aspiring artists.

Kulich returned to acting in late 2005. He was offered the role of The Swede in the action movie Smokin' Aces. His time on screen was short, but he was important to the story. The movie's writer and director, Joe Carnahan, admired Kulich's work in The 13th Warrior. He quickly offered him the job. When Smokin' Aces came out in 2007, it did well financially. It became even more popular on DVD.

In 2006, Kulich met his two half-brothers. They were his father's sons from another marriage. Before this, the three had never met. Kulich knew little about them. Once they got to know each other, they decided to start a production company. It was called Charles Bridge Productions and was based in Prague. The name comes from the Charles Bridge. This is a historic bridge in Prague from 1357. It is a famous landmark. Kulich wants the company to help foreign film companies use his homeland for future projects.

Kulich played Tiberius in the 2011 movie Ironclad. Tiberius was the leader of Danish soldiers. The movie is about King John's attack on Rochester Castle in 1215.

In 2011, Kulich lent his voice to Ulfric Stormcloak. This character is the leader of a rebellion in the video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This game was made by Bethesda Softworks and was very popular.

Hobbies and Helping Others

Because he has traveled a lot, Kulich speaks four languages fluently. These are Czech, French, English, and Hungarian. He hopes to someday write and direct his own films.

Kulich has not forgotten his love for sports. He no longer plays hockey professionally. But he is still a big fan of the sport. Lately, Kulich has returned to playing hockey for fun. He sees it as a way to stay active and remember his past. He has used his hockey skills in many charity games. These games are sponsored by the Los Angeles Kings and their former players. He played in the "Freeze the Disease" Pro/Celebrity Hockey Games in 2005, 2006, and 2007. The Freeze the Disease Foundation helps children and young adults with cystic fibrosis.

Kulich loves dogs, especially large breeds. He has adopted many dogs from animal shelters over the years. His dog Spanky, a 95-pound pit bull terrier, visited him on the set of Angel. This was on his last day of filming. The show's star, David Boreanaz, also loves dogs and welcomed Spanky warmly. Kulich also helps a rescue group that works with pit bulls that have been mistreated.

The actor also loves architecture. He has worked on several house renovation projects. He has learned woodworking and electrical tasks. But his favorite part is redesigning houses. This includes big changes like removing walls to add more space. This work has sometimes helped him earn money. It has also been a good way to relax. Kulich has also learned to play the guitar. He has written songs for himself, just for fun.

Kulich has been a fan of motorcycles for many years. His father also shared this interest. In April 2007, the actor had a serious motorcycle accident in Prague. He had a ruptured spleen and five broken ribs. He stayed in the hospital for three days. But then he had an allergic reaction to his pain medicine. So, he stayed for ten days. Kulich now sees the accident as a life-changing event. He is thankful that he survived.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Vladimir Kulich para niños