Strange Things Everyone Ignores About Steven Seagal

Steven Frederic Seagal exploded onto the blockbuster action scene in 1988 with his cinematic debut, "Above the Law." With a box-office haul of over $18 million and positive reviews, Seagal began an impressive campaign of stardom that placed him alongside many other action greats. However, the lion's share of his recent work was released straight to video, and Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis' 2010 film "Machete" is his only wide release since 2002.

Nonetheless, there's no denying Seagal's career has been somewhat successful, as he has starred in 23 movies with an aggregate box-office total of around $722 million. Seagal does a lot more than star in straight-to-video movies, though, such as garnering himself a position in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame alongside other greats like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Despite his accomplishments, a lot of celebrities who know Seagal can't stand him, and the complicated legacy of the one-time action star leaves a ton of strange things that everyone seems to ignore.

Any exploration of Steven Seagal's life would be incomplete without acknowledging the numerous and credible accusations of dishonesty that follow him everywhere. They've even come up under oath. In 2003, a Brooklyn court heard from defense attorney George Santangelo, who was defending Anthony Ciccone and Primo Cassarino from accusations of extorting Seagal for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Seagal's case had attracted FBI attention and elements of the defense hinged on Seagal's reputation as a notorious liar, which several sources vociferously supported. Though Ciccone and Cassarino were convicted, Canadian filmmaker and witness Damian Lee told the New York Post that Seagal is generally "delusional" and that most "can't tell what is fact or fiction."

Allegations of Seagal flipping the truth like his aikido partner even extend to his family. According to People, Seagal's mom, Pat, stated that most of the actor's stories about his youth are exaggerated at best. He claimed to have spent most of his youth as a street tough in Brooklyn, but she seems to remember a frail, asthmatic kid who moved from Michigan to California when he was five. Seagal also claimed to study under Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido. His timeline doesn't add up, prompting black belt Terry Dobson to claim, "That story is bull" and that he'd never heard of Seagal.

As long as he's been famous, Steven Seagal has pronounced his last name See-GAL or sig-AHL. Though it doesn't come up often when discussing the actor, he and everyone else have been mispronouncing his name. The name, like Seagal's paternal lineage, is Jewish and, in almost all other cases is pronounced See-gul, emphasizing the first syllable in a way that sounds a lot like the word "seagull." 

Reportedly, there are a couple of reasons why Seagal changed the pronunciation of his name. According to Spy Magazine, Seagal entered into business with his longtime friend, Hollywood producer Gary Goldman. While planning a potential production company, Seagal allegedly objected to the idea of using their names as a business title, stating that Seagal/Goldman Productions would "sound too much like two Jews from the garment business." He then supposedly changed the pronunciation of his surname to avoid sounding too Jewish and instead honor Russian-French modernist artist Mark Chagall, whose work had recently moved him.

To hear others tell it, Seagal does not take criticism well. In 1991, GQ magazine ran a less-than-flattering profile on Seagal, written by Alan Richman. Seagal publicly struck back at the writer, issuing personal insults on Arsenio Hall's iconic talk show, such as calling Richman a "five-foot-two, fat little male impersonator," according to the Orlando Sentinel. Richman, a 5-foot-9 Army captain, responded with more than a touch of sarcasm, stating that he didn't mean to offend but that he could have been far more cruel. Seagal may have tried to take the feud further, as an unnamed security consultant told Spy Magazine: Allegedly, Seagal tried to have Richman blackmailed in revenge. 

Seagal reportedly asked the consultant to set Richman up with a male lover, photograph the results, and use evidence of Richman's supposed homosexuality to ruin his career. The consultant balked at the request and refused, but worse was to follow. During the same meeting, Seagal allegedly asked whether he could arrange a hit on a man from Chicago. The consultant related that he was unsure how Seagal imagined the arrangement going down, and suggested that the action star may have been issuing a broad threat against anyone who would cross him. Once again, Seagal's guest refused his request.

Seagal is known for a selection of exceptionally violent action movies, but he's also been a Buddhist for many years. In 1997, Penor Rinpoche, the Supreme Head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, announced that Seagal was the reincarnation of the 17th-century Buddhist master, Chungdrag Dorje. Rinpoche dubbed him a "tulku," a soul reborn to help others seek enlightenment. Segal was one of only around 30 under Rinpoche's school and, before being bestowed his new position, had donated a considerable sum to Rinpoche's monastery. This led to speculation of a pay-for-pray arrangement, in which Seagal had bought Rinpoche's approval. 

In a written response, Rinpoche stated (via the Independent): "Such movies are for temporary entertainment and do not relate to what is real and important," and Seagal's publicist argued that Seagal's donations had nothing to do with Rinpoche's recognition. At the time, according to The Guardian, Seagal humbly stated, "I don't believe it is very important who I was in my last lives. I think it is important what I do in this life." 

Like many Hollywood stars, Steven Seagal has several marriages under his belt — four, to be exact. Seagal married his first wife, Miyako Fujitani, in 1975, and according to Spy Magazine, some claimed that Seagal married a Japanese national to avoid the draft. Seagal left Japan in 1980 with a promise never to betray Fujitani, but he then married actress Adrienne La Russa in 1984, while still married to Fujitani. Already embroiled in bigamy, he went on to cheat on both of his wives with actress Kelly LeBrock. 

Seagal allegedly saw LeBrock in 1984's "Woman in Red" and fell head over heels. However, some suggest that Seagal planned the relationship as a career move, seeking to increase his appeal by tying himself to a famous actress. LeBrock and Seagal began a torrid affair that left LeBrock pregnant within the year, reportedly leading Fujitani to grant Seagal a divorce and La Russa to request an annulment. La Russa later claimed that she didn't request money from the deal but gave Seagal cash for months to get rid of him. Seagal and LeBrock were married in 1987, but she later filed for divorce in 1994, citing irreconcilable differences. In 2009, he married his current wife, Erdenetuya Seagal, nee Batsukh, after she worked as his assistant for a few years.

Steven Seagal is one of Vladimir Putin's most vocal celebrity defenders, and the two have an apparent friendship that has lasted many years. According to an interview with the state-run outlet Rossiskaya Gazeta (via The Moscow Times), Seagal had more than a few positive things to say about Putin, describing the Russian president as "one of the great living world leaders" who he "would like to consider as a brother." Seagal is also extremely supportive of Putin's policies, vociferously advocating for the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2012. 

In 2013, Putin pitched Seagal as a Russian consul and intermediary between the U.S. and Moscow, which prompted an unnamed official in the Obama administration to tell Buzzfeed, "Our reaction was, 'You've got to be kidding.'" Seagal received Russian citizenship three years later. In 2018, Putin partially made good on his suggestion by naming Seagal a special envoy to improve relations with the United States. In 2023, Putin gave Seagal the Order of Friendship medal to commemorate his support of Russia's activity in Ukraine. Putin isn't even the only controversial world leader he appears alongside. In 2017, Seagal got a photo op with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, complete with vocal support of Duterte's leadership.

Hosting "Saturday Night Live" is a rite of passage for movie stars, but Seagal's attempt at being the host for "SNL" didn't go over well. Foreshadowing the event, his infamous 1991 appearance on "The Arsenio Hall Show" saw him express his apprehension about the performance. Seagal hosted Season 16, Episode 18 of "SNL," and according to several writers and stars, Seagal was the worst host who ever stepped foot into 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Longtime "SNL" writer and former U.S. Senator Al Franken spoke to the "Your Mom's House" podcast about Seagal. He recounts a sketch Seagal pitched, which revolves entirely around a psychologist hypnotizing and sexually assaulting a woman. Franken characterized Seagal as the worst host of all time by a long shot. 

"SNL"' creator Lorne Michaels played the critique of Seagal's performance for laughs in a later episode. Nicolas Cage hosted the premiere of Season 18, which aired just under 18 months after Seagal's episode, but the topic came up again. Cage's opening monologue saw him offer several tasteless comments about the bodies of his female co-stars. Michaels then pulled Cage aside to carefully explain the error of his ways, after which Cage expresses remorse. When Cage expressed concern that he may be the worst host of all time, Michaels assured him that Seagal was worse, a joke that Franken claimed deeply irritated Seagal.

Steven Seagal's catalog of violent action films required the use of a lot of professional stunt performers. Most professional action performers take care not to injure the stunt team, realistically faking attacks without causing real harm, but according to several internal sources, Seagal was not so careful. In an interview with UnRated Magazine, stuntman and Jason Voorhees performer, Kane Hodder, implied that Seagal intentionally hits stuntmen, although he was unwilling to say so outright. However, others have suggested that Seagal is known in the industry for routinely hitting stuntmen. 

Fellow action star and martial artist Michael Jai White spoke to DJ Vlad about Seagal's habits. White has starred alongside Seagal in three movies, including Seagal's directorial debut, "On Deadly Ground," and he described Seagal as a "unique situation" when it comes to "tagging" or striking stunt performers. White noted that the stuntmen had no means of complaining about Seagal, especially on the set of "On Deadly Ground," although he specified that Seagal never struck him during their action scenes. Seagal also had an alleged struggle with stuntman and martial artist Gene LeBell.

Seagal is best known as a movie star, but he also brought his unique set of skills to the world of music as a singer and guitarist. His first album, "Songs from the Crystal Cave," hit the shelves in 2004, and while it didn't crack Billboard's Top 200 for the year, it did reach number 42 in France. Critics were generally less than impressed, and those familiar with the album probably heard a joke about it before they heard any of the songs. The most notable track on Seagal's debut was probably the Jamaican dancehall-inspired "Strut," which contains the immortal line, "When the girls start to strut, you could look at their butt; you shouldn't do that." 

Seagal's second album, "Mojo Priest," came out two years later and was a more focused effort, seeming to eschew the bizarre mix of styles and genres of his first album in favor of a singular vision. Still, critics were even less kind to the follow-up, offering generally awful reviews. Despite the questionable reception, Seagal managed to arrange several notable collaborators on both albums. "Songs from the Crystal Cave" featured songs with Lady Saw, General Stitchie, and Stevie Wonder, while "Mojo Priest" included a duet with the legendary Bo Diddley. Seagal even took "Mojo Priest" on the road with a concert tour, at one point opening for Sammy Hagar.

Steven Seagal has a long history of multiple sexual abuse allegations. In 2010, Kayden Nguyen worked as Seagal's assistant before alleging that he kept her against her will for six days and regularly sexually attacked her. Nguyen later dropped her suit against Seagal, possibly with a settlement, but multiple other assistants have also accused Seagal of sexually abusive behavior. 

In 2018, Faviola Dadis and Regina Simons came forward to accuse Seagal of sexual assaults that occurred years earlier. Simons, an extra in "On Deadly Ground," alleged that Seagal raped her when she was 18, while Dadis claimed that Seagal used an audition as a false pretense to sexually assault her. Simons' case was closed without charges due to California's statute of limitations. Despite these fitting into a long list of similar accusations dating back more than three decades, Seagal has never been convicted of sexual misconduct.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

The A&E reality TV series "Steven Seagal: Lawman" followed the action star's exploits as a reserve deputy sheriff in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, despite Seagal never being a certified law enforcement officer there. Seagal's start in law enforcement began when he impressed some officers with his martial arts skills sometime in the 1980s, so much so that the Louisiana sheriff, Harry Lee, gave him a position on the force. Seagal's time in Jefferson Parish ended when his former assistant, Kayden Nguyen, filed sexual assault charges against him. Still, A&E picked up the show for a third season in Joe Arpaio's Maricopa County, Arizona.

The third season of "Steven Seagal: Lawman" later aired on Reelz instead of A&E, but the series never got a fourth season. Despite leaving the cop show game, Seagal wasn't done holding questionable law enforcement offices. In 2011, Seagal became a deputy in the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Department of southern Texas, reportedly after he personally reached out to the department to request a position. Unlike his ceremonial position in Louisiana, not much word has come out of his work in Texas, potentially because no one appears to be filming it.

In a 1994 interview for "The Baffler," a lawyer under the assumed name Ryan G. Branaugh explained how he once helped Steven Seagal run for office. Offering himself as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, Seagal wanted to start his campaign in 1992 and run in 1994, against the incumbent Democrat, Diane Feinstein. Seagal supposedly took the run seriously, insisting that he'd conducted a considerable amount of independent polling on his own, but also placed a lot of importance on secrecy. 

Supposedly, Seagal quickly dispensed with any discussion of policy and instead, according to Branaugh, "Steven wanted me to concentrate on appearance." One major concern for Seagal was whether or not voters would tolerate his signature ponytail while he was in office. They conducted research, breaking down demographics and preferred ponytail lengths. Branaugh remained convinced that Seagal had a good shot at victory, but the actor eventually bowed out of the race he never officially entered after he realized the Republican candidate would likely outspend him. 

Steven Seagal was an action star in the '90s, but he was far from the only one. In 1991, Seagal began feuding with fellow movie martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme. The two have a fair amount in common, but JCVD is a far bigger star by most metrics, especially pure financial returns: Seagal's box-office total sits around $18 million, while Van Damme holds an impressive total of $566 million. Their fight didn't concern that massive imbalance; their well-publicized feud allegedly started when Seagal spoke about Van Damme on "The Arsenio Hall Show." He carefully questioned Van Damme's record as a martial artist, leading to a rumored altercation at Sylvester Stallone's house party. 

While Seagal hasn't spoken about the subject since, in an interview with The Telegraph, Van Damme stated that former Sony Pictures head Peter Guber offered both action stars $20 million to settle the score, and that Seagal didn't agree to the match anyway. In 2023, Van Damme appeared to have buried the hatchet, telling the Daily Mail, "I have no problem with Steven. When you're young, you want to be the macho man. If I saw him today, I'd have no problem."