Yayan Ruhian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yayan Ruhian
Yayan Ruhian interviewed on Ini Talkshow in May 2017
Born	(1968-10-19) October 19, 1968 (age 56) Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesian
Occupation	Martial Artist, actor
Notable work	The Raid The Raid 2
Spouse(s)	Wawa Suwartini ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	3
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Yayan Ruhian (born October 19, 1968) is a famous Indonesian martial artist and actor. He is well-known for his roles in action movies. You might recognize him from films like The Raid (2011), where he played Mad Dog. He also appeared in The Raid 2 (2014) as Prakoso. Yayan Ruhian even had a role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) as Tasu Leech. He also played a police chief in Beyond Skyline (2017) and Skylines (2020).

Yayan Ruhian's Life and Career

Yayan Ruhian was born in Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia. This was on October 19, 1968. When he was 13, he started learning pencak silat. This is a traditional Indonesian martial art. He wanted to "show his masculinity" by learning it. His father had practiced karate.

Yayan trained with a group called Pencak Silat Tenaga Dasar. He later became a trainer and a referee. However, being a referee meant he could not compete in tournaments himself. By the mid-2000s, Yayan Ruhian taught pencak silat in many countries. These included Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. He also learned other martial arts, like aikido. He even worked as a hand-to-hand combat instructor for the Indonesian National Police.

Starting His Acting Journey

In 2008, filmmaker Gareth Evans asked Yayan for help. He needed help with the fight scenes for his movie Merantau. Yayan also tried out for a role in the film. He said he just wanted to do his best, no matter if he got the part. He ended up playing the character Eric. Merantau was released in 2009. In the movie, his character was a small but strong fighter. He could easily defeat much bigger opponents. After the film, many people wanted to learn silat from him. Some even called him Eric.

Becoming Mad Dog in The Raid

Yayan Ruhian played Mad Dog in Evans' 2011 film The Raid. He also helped create the fight choreography with his co-star Iko Uwais. Gareth Evans described Mad Dog as a very tough character. He was a "cold, irredeemable psychopath." Mad Dog preferred to fight with his bare hands. He wanted to truly feel the fight. A film critic from The New York Times said Mad Dog was the best character in the film. She called him a "commanding physical presence."

After this movie, Yayan's face and a word his character used, gereget, became very popular online. They turned into an internet meme. In 2014, Yayan Ruhian said he didn't mind the memes. He felt it meant people had watched his movie. In 2012, a magazine reported that Yayan and Iko went to Hollywood. They were there to help with a new American version of The Raid.

New Roles and Challenges

In Evans' 2014 movie, The Raid 2, Yayan Ruhian played Prakoso. Prakoso was an assassin and a trusted friend of a mafia boss. Gareth Evans wanted to make sure people knew Prakoso was different from Mad Dog. Prakoso was a new character, a sixty-year-old man. He was a loyal worker but a struggling father and husband. Yayan again worked with Iko Uwais on the fight scenes. A film critic from the London Evening Standard praised Yayan's acting as Prakoso. She said his movements told his life story.

In mid-2014, it was announced Yayan Ruhian would be in a Japanese film. It was called Yakuza Apocalypse: The Great War of the Underworld. He played a character named Kyoken. In this movie, a Yakuza member finds out his boss is a vampire. Yayan also appeared in the Indonesian action movie Comic 8: Casino Kings in 2014.

He then appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). He played Tasu Leech. He was joined by his co-stars from The Raid movies, Iko Uwais and Cecep Arif Rahman.

In 2017, he was in the alien invasion movie Beyond Skyline. He played a police chief in Laos. He played this same character, named Huana, in Skylines in 2020.

In 2019, Yayan Ruhian was in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. He played Shinobi #2, one of Zero's students. He was again with Cecep Arif Rahman. He also appeared in the 2019 Malaysian film Wira as Ifrit.

Yayan Ruhian's Personal Life

Yayan Ruhian speaks Sundanese and Indonesian very well. He also knows a little English. As of 2017, Yayan Ruhian has three children. They live with his wife in Tasikmalaya. Because of his acting work, Yayan Ruhian lives in Jakarta. Besides acting, he teaches pencak silat. He also teaches special breathing techniques. These techniques were developed in the Perguruan Silat Tenaga Dasar Indonesia.

Yayan Ruhian's Acting Style

On screen, Yayan Ruhian often plays characters who are tough and strong. These characters usually don't speak much. But they have amazing endurance, stamina, and fighting skills. He is often cast in roles where he is an opponent or a villain.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Video games

Awards and Nominations

Yayan Ruhian has been recognized for his acting skills. Here are some of the awards he has been nominated for:

See also

In Spanish: Yayan Ruhian para niños