Steven Frederic Seagal (/sɪˈɡɑːl/; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician who also holds Serbian and Russian citizenship.
Seagal was born in Lansing, Michigan. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan,becoming the first foreigner to operate an aikido dojo in the country. He later moved to Los Angeles, California, where he had the same profession. In 1988, Seagal made his acting debut in Above the Law. By 1991, he had starred in four successful films.