THE INTERVIEW
LEE CHARLES
TALKS TO LYNNE HAGUE
Wirral-born Lee Charles is six-times World Championship Kickboxer and embarking on a Hollywood career. He talks to Lynne Hague about his career, ambitions, love for Wirral and why it’ s important to give back to the local community.
You have been training since you were 6 years old, but if you hadn’ t gone down the path of martial arts, was there anything else that you wanted to do when you grew up? Martial Arts has always been a major factor in my life. From the first time I saw a Bruce Lee movie, I literally became obsessed wanting to be like him. Outside of the Martial Arts, I was always very athletic. I played football to a high standard when I was young and played for Everton, Tranmere and eventually signed for Wrexham- although this was short lived, as I suffered an injury which saw them terminate my contract. My dream of becoming a professional football player then started to take a back seat. Even though I had always continued to train in Martial Arts, my love for it grew stronger, and from there I went on to represent my country winning 6 World Kickboxing Championships and I’ m now making waves in the movie industry. So I guess the injury wasn’ t that much of a bad thing.
Your 2006 trip to LA kicked off your career as a stuntman and ultimately to acting roles in some serious productions like Dracula Untold, what were those early days like? When I set out on my trip to the States, I never for one minute thought this would open the door to what has now become a career. I was embarking on a journey of discovery in the Martial Arts, wanting to visit gyms / Dojos throughout the USA. My first port of call was LA and one of my hero’ s Benny The Jet had his own gym there in West Hollywood. I had been emailing them and we’ d been discussing a training session( all I wanted to do was to get a few photographs and say I had been at The Jets Gym). So, on my first day in LA, I phoned the gym and went along in the hope of meeting everyone. I spoke with the gentleman on reception and I felt like I was kind of getting interviewed. During this time I got introduced to Benny’ s wife Sara, we talked and she told me Sensei Benny was returning to the gym and he wanted to meet me. Well you can imagine how happy I was, going to meet one of my idols. We sat and spoke for hours, he invited me to attend the Lee Strasburg Theatre and Film Institute. The next thing I knew I was learning to act and perform stunts. I was literally in the right place at the right time- skills I have perfected over the years have served me well. I bonded with Sensei Benny, forming a tight friendship and becoming a member of his stunt team, working in Hollywood movies with A list actors. A crazy time which still makes me smile on reflection.
You clearly made an impression on Actor / Director Noel Clarke whilst working with him on‘ I Am Soldier’- as he cast you in his next film‘ The Anomaly’ – a big release, what was it like suddenly working with the likes of Brian Cox and Luke Hemsworth? It was crazy, I remember whilst working on‘ I am Soldier’, Mr Clarke mentioned to me that he was genuinely interested in me being in his next movie. We had a brief chat and I did a short performance for him and he said he would be in touch once we had finished filming. True to his word he called me a few months later and offered me the role of Patch in‘ The Anomaly’. Before I knew it I was working on a production with Ian Sommerhalder, Alexis Knapp, Brian Cox, Luke Hemsworth, Michael Bisping and of course Noel himself. A truly unbelievable time- filming on location in London and Times Square, New York. This was an experience I will never forget and I learnt a lot about my new profession from some of the best in the business. Since this I have had a great opportunity to work with Mr Clarke on several occasions most recently in“ Brotherhood”, the final instalment of the hugely successful“ Kidulthood” series.
You’ ve been a busy boy with four films in post production, what was it like working with a Bond-Pierce Brosnan and a bond baddie- Dave Bautista on‘ Final Score’? Unfortunately, due to contracts I can’ t say too much about the movie itself. But to me I’ m just a normal guy from the Wirral so to find myself
12 wirrallife. com