The transcript below is from the video “Whatever Happened To Steven Seagal?” by Looper.

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

The savviest movie stars give the people what they want. And in the late ’80s, the people wanted a sort-of-mystical, stone-faced martial arts expert with a ponytail—in other words, Steven Seagal. He ruled the box office for years with huge hits like Hard to Kill, Above the Law, and Under Siege, but tastes change and eventually, he faded from movie star prominence. So what ever happened to Steven Seagal?

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games): 

“The savviest movie starts give the people what they want, and in the late 80s, the people wanted a sort of mystical, stone-faced martial arts expert with a ponytail – in other words, Steven Seagal.”

(A scene from a movie – Steven Seagal)

“I have something in my pocket right now to completely clear up that bruise on your forehead.”

“What bruise?”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

“He ruled the box office for years with huge hits like Hard to Kill, Above the Law, and Under Siege, but tastes change and eventually, he faded from movie star prominence.  So whatever happened to Steven Seagal?  He still makes lots of movies.  Seagal’s contract with Warner Bros. ended with the release of the environmentally-themed thriller Fire Down Below in 1997.”

(A scene from a move – Steven Seagal)

“Cracked my wood, that’s not good.”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games): 

He Still Makes Lots of Movies

“He still makes action movies, though, it’s just that most of them have gone straight to DVD or streaming.  In fact, Seagal has churned out more than 30 movies in the last two decades with awesome titles like Urban Justice, Out for a Kill, and Half Past Dead.  Awesome!”

(A scene from a movie – Steven Seagal)

“We got a problem.”

“How do I look?”

“Like a big fat prom queen.”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

Two cop shows: One Real, One Fake.

In the late 80s, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana Sheriff Harry Lee, asked Steven Seagal to train his force in martial arts, eventually enlisting Seagal as a reserve deputy.  In 2009, Seagal’s side gig became the basis for a reality show on A&E called Steven Seagal: Lawman.”

 (A scene from the reality show Steven Seagal: Lawman – Steven Seagal): 

“This is not good.”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

“It was similar to COPS, except that Steven Seagal was there, which had to be really weird for the criminals.”

(Scene from COPS with Steven Seagal) 

“Steven Seagal!  My wife loves you!  I don’t like you, but my wife loves you!”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

“Sadly, Seagal reportedly resigned from the force after he found himself the subject of an internal affairs investigation that, according to the Phoenix New Times, sought to uncover the truth about “allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault.”  But in 2011, Seagal used the lemons life gave him to make lemonade with the action series True Justice, which he created and starred in as Elijah Kane, head of an elite undercover Seattle task force.  It ran for 26 episodes on the network Reelz before being canceled.

Entrepreneur:

“From 1999 to 2007, Seagal owned a 995-acre lavender farm in northern California where he grew the raw materials for Diamond Lotus Essentials, a line of “therapeutic oils,” and he currently owns an estate in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, where he grows Cabernet grapes that he then sells to other wineries.”

(A scene from a movie – Steven Seagal)

“You’ve done well.”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

“Plus, there’s Steven Seagal’s Lightning Bolt, a line of canned energy drinks that was proudly marketed as the first of its kind to contain Tibetan Goji Berries and Asian Cordyceps.”

(A scene from a Lightning Bolt commercial – Steven Seagal):

“It’s good to be the king, isn’t it?  And guess what, this could happen to you if you drink Lightning Bolt.”

 Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

Real Life Drama

“Seagal has been married four times.  His third and most prominent marriage was with another nostalgic icon, model and actress Kelly LeBrock, most famous for being the dream woman created by teen scientists in Weird Science.  Seagal and LeBrock divorced in 1996 after he reportedly had an affair with their nanny, and she got pregnant.  In 2009, he married his personal assistant, Erdenetuya Batsukh, but a year later, another of Seagal’s former personal assistants, Kayden Nguyen, sued Seagal for one million dollars, alleging he harassed and abused her.  Those allegations were corroborated by two other female ex-employees who alleged similar treatment by the actor, but the suit was dropped later in the year.

Missed Opportunities

“In 2007, Seagal’s pal Jackie Chan is rumored to have suggested that Seagal play the villain in Rush Hour 3.  After that fell through, in 2010, Sylvester Stallone offered Seagal a part in the action flick The Expendables, which was chock full of 80s action heroes.  Seagal refused, though, due to a feud with one of the film’s producers, and missed out on what would have been one of the biggest hits of his career.

World Citizen:

“Bizarrely, two of Seagal’s friends are Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and Russian president Vladimir Putin, with whom Seagal is especially close.”

(A scene from the O’Reilly Factory show – Steven Seagal)

“He is one of the greatest world leaders, if not the greatest world leader alive today.”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

“In addition, Seagal gained citizenship in Serbia in January 2016 after offering to set up a martial arts studio there to go along with his blues concerts.  He probably wouldn’t be able to live in Serbia, however, if he followed through on his plans to someday run for governor of Arizona.

(A scene from the talk show – Steven Seagal) 

“I think our biggest problem is open borders.”

Looper (YouTube Channel, go-to source for the movies, TV shows and video games):

“Sorry, Steven, not every problem can be solved by kicking… or whatever this is.  Thanks for watching!  Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos like the one you just saw and leave us a comment to let us know which Steven Seagal movie is your favorite.  Oh yeah!”