Olivier Gruner(French:[ɔlivjeɡʁyne]ⓘ) (born August 2, 1960) is aFrenchactor, filmmaker, martial artist and formerkickboxer.Born inParis,he moved back toFrancein 1988 after serving in the French military and competing as a professional kickboxer, during which time he won a silver medal at theW.A.K.O. World Championships.He has appeared in over 40 films and 4 television series and is best known formartial artsandaction films.[1][2][3]
Olivier Gruner | |
|---|---|
 Gruner in January 2011 | |
| Born | Olivier Gruner 2 August 1960 Paris,France |
| Nationality | French |
| Other names | O.G. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1981–1988 (martial arts) 1989–present (acting) |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Children | 1 |
| Martial arts career | |
| Division | Middleweight |
| Style | Karate,Kickboxing |
| Website | www.oliviergruner.com |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  France |
| Service |  French Navy |
| Years of service | 1978-1981 |
| Unit |  Commandos Marine |
Early life and education
editGruner was born into a French family with parents in the surgery and engineering industry.[4][5][6]
Gruner began martial arts at the age of 11 after watching aBruce Leemovie, which inspired him to pursue bothmartial artsand a potential career in thefilm industry.[1][5]Being constantly bullied at school further motivated him to learn martial arts to defend himself.[7]He began studyingShotokan karate,thenboxing,kickboxing,and full contact kickboxing.[8][6][4]
In 1978, at age 18, he joined theFrench Navy,volunteering for theirCommandos Marineunit, also nicknamed theBérets Verts(Green Berets).[8][6]He was operational inDjiboutiandSomalia,where he was particularly involved in anti-piracy operations.[9]
Kickboxing
editIn 1981, Gruner left the military with the aim of training full-time to compete professionally as a kickboxer.[6]
In 1984, he began fighting as a professional kickboxer. By 1985, his successes in the ring allowed him to fight full-time.[6][4][better source needed]Later that same year he won a silver medal in the1985 W.A.K.O. World Championships.[10]
Gruner retired from professional kickboxing in 1987 and pursued an acting career, following the lead of bodybuildersReg ParkandArnold Schwarzenegger.[1][5][7]To promote himself, Gruner plastered posters of himself around Cannes during the 1987Cannes Film Festival,which caught the attention of a movie producer. Gruner was invited to Los Angeles for screen tests.
Film career
editGruner joined Imperial Entertainment Corporation (Turner Classic Movies- TCM) and began acting in action movies.[5]He has appeared in martial arts magazines, such asBudo Journal,Combat,Impact,Inside Karate,Inside Kung Fu Yearbookand many more.[11]
In 1989, he starred in his first movie: the urban action movieAngel Town.[9]Although the film was not well received, Gruner's screen presence was notable, and his acting was compared favorably toDolph Lundgren.[12]
In 1992, Gruner starred as "Alex Raine" inAlbert Pyun’s Cyberpunk 1992 science fiction thrillerNemesis.[2][13][3]Critics appreciated the amazing movie stunts, thrilling action sequences, and innovative special effects pushing the film industry limits likeBlade RunnerandTerminator 2.[14]BothNemesisandAngel Townwere popular in video distribution,[15]andNemesisis one of the movies Gruner is most proud of.[7]
In 2010, Gruner played Corsair Duguay inTales of an Ancient Empire.
Gruner played Jagger inEscape from Paradise(2019), and Duguay inCyborg Nemesis: The Dark Rift(2019), andThe Target(2019).
2000s: Television
editIn 1999, Gruner appeared as Dieter Vanderval in the episode titled "Wildlife" of the seriesMartial Law.
In 2001, he appeared multiple times as Tawrens, in a 26-episode television seriesCode Name: Eternity.
In 2005,NBChired Gruner to produce a TV series namedThe Pros, a Way of Life,a project that Gruner had started in 2003. It portrayed life behind the scenes, training, and the discipline required of professional athletes.[9]Gruner had completed episodes on professional boxers, surfers, and MMA fighters,[7]whenNBCdecided to shelve the series, and it was never released.[5]A separate video published by Gruner is available.
Gruner played Ivan in the television seriesSeven Days,which premiered in 2019.
2010s: Directing
editGruner's first involvement as a director was in 2002 withInterceptor Force 2.
In 2011, he premiered his first feature film as ascreenwriter,adirector,and an actor,[5]titledRe-Generator.This film was previously known asOne Night,a project Gruner had been working on since 2010.[16]
In 2014, he featured as a director inSector 4: Extraction,adirect-to-videorelease.
In 2015, Gruner released one more film as a director, a producer, a screenwriter, and an actor:EP/Executive Protection.
Film producing
editEarly in his career, Gruner got involved in the production of some of the films in which he was appearing as an actor. This is the case forSavage(1996),Mercenary(1996),Mercenary 2: Thick & Thin(1998),Interceptor Force(1999),The Circuit(2001), andCrooked(2005).
But it was only starting in the 2010s, exceptInterceptor Force 2in 2002, that he accumulated his involvement both as a producer, as an actor, and as a director inOne Night(2010),Re-Generator(2011),Sector 4: Extraction(2014), andEP/Executive Protection(2015).
He has also been involved, as a producer-only, inFront Line(2015). He was both an actor and a producer inIron Cross: The Road to Normandy(2018).
Screenwriting
editGruner co-wrote the stories of some of the movies in which he appeared as an actor.
He wrote the stories ofT.N.T.(1997),Interceptor Force 2(2002),Crooked(2005),One Night(2010),Re-Generator(2011), andEP/Executive Protection(2015).
He also co-wrote the story and the screenplay ofLost Warrior: Left Behind(2008), and co-wrote the story ofSector 4: Extraction(2014).
Business activities
editGruner has always been involved in several other business activities.[9]
Personal Protection Agent
editGruner occasionally provides personal or close protection for celebrities. Many clients prefer an actor who understands the pressure and demands. Gruner does in fact have military training from theBérets Verts,and that is enough experience for many clients.[9]One of such body-guarding clients is the famous Canadian singerCeline Dion.[17][18][19]
However, Gruner also provides body-guarding training at his academy "Gruner Tactical" Or "Gruner Tactical Training Academy."[20]
Training videos
editGruner has been producing training videos formartial arts,combat skills,bodyguarding,andsurvival techniquessince 2012.[4][20]He commercializes those under the various brands of "Gruner Tactical Training Academy" and "O.G Training". More recently, he has been producing a survival reality show video series under the name "Survival X" in 2018.
Personal training
editGruner has always kept a side activity as a personal trainer in various martial arts such as kickboxing andmixed martial arts.[9][5]He usually dedicates this personal training time to competing martial artists, as well as retired champions.
Athletic fashion brand
editHe has also created his own "O.G" trademark athletic fashion brand. Several collections were produced, including "The Lone Operator" collection, and the "Pro Series" collection in 2018.[citation needed]
Helicopter piloting
editGruner is a licensed helicopter pilot, which allows him to mix this activity with film-producing requirements at times. For example, he worked forABC Newsin Los Angeles where he did many chase videos and saw a lot of damage and lethal encounters.[9]Moreover, he was also the helicopter co-pilot in the 1999 movieStorm.[21]
He regularly flies helicopters and considers it a big part of his life. For Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, he regularly flew tours on Hawaii's Big Island. For Maverick Helicopters, he also flew tours over the Grand Canyon.[9]
Personal life
editGruner lives part-time in bothSanta Monica, CaliforniaandLas Vegas, Nevada.He has one son.[5]
He has been regularly maintaining hiskarate,boxingandkickboxingtraining, which he has been completing withBrazilian jiu-jitsu,wrestlingandmixed martial arts.[5]
Gruner has been a volunteer firefighter since 2015.
Kickboxing titles
edit- 1985 W.A.K.O. World Championships- Men's Full-Contact Middleweight
-75 kg[10]
Filmography
editFilms
edit| Year | Title | Involved as | Role | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | ||||
| 1990 | Angel Town | Yes | Jacques Montaigne | First lead and movie,[9][12] | |||
| 1990 | Lionheart | Received thanks for facilitating access to Somalia photos used in the film via GrunerFrench militaryconnections[3] | |||||
| 1992 | Nemesis | Yes | Alex Raine | [2][13][14] | |||
| 1994 | Automatic | Yes | J269 | Fight Choreographer,[3] | |||
| 1995 | Savate aka The Fighter | Yes | Joseph Charlegrand | Video, Fight choreographer | |||
| 1996 | Savage | Yes | Yes | Alex Verne / Savage | Associate producer | ||
| 1996 | Mercenary | Yes | Yes | Captain Karl 'Hawk' May | Video, Associate producer, Fight choreographer | ||
| 1997 | Mars | Yes | Caution Templar | ||||
| 1997 | T.N.T. | Yes | Yes | Alex Girard | |||
| 1998 | Mercenary 2: Thick & Thin | Yes | Yes | Captain Karl 'Hawk' May | TV movie, Co-executive producer | ||
| 1999 | Velocity Trap | Yes | ED Officer Raymond Stokes | ||||
| 1999 | The White Pony | Yes | Jacques | ||||
| 1999 | Storm | Video, Helicopter co-pilot | |||||
| 1999 | Interceptor Force | Yes | Yes | Lieutenant Sean Lambert | Producer | ||
| 2000 | Crackerjack 3 | Yes | Marcus Clay | ||||
| 2000 | Kumite | Yes | Michael Rogers | ||||
| 2001 | G.O.D. | Yes | Adrian Kaminski | ||||
| 2001 | Extreme Honor | Yes | Cody | ||||
| 2001 | The Circuit | Yes | Yes | Dirk Longstreet | Executive producer | ||
| 2002 | Power Elite | Yes | Captain | ||||
| 2002 | Interceptor Force 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Lieutenant Sean Lambert | TV movie | |
| 2003 | The Circuit 2: The Final Punch | Yes | Dirk Longstreet | Video, Executive producer, Helicopter pilot | |||
| 2003 | Deadly Engagement | Yes | Paul Gerard | ||||
| 2004 | SWAT: Warhead One | Yes | Luc Rémy | Video. Fight choreographer. | |||
| 2005 | Crooked | Yes | Yes | Yes | Phil Yordan | Also namedSoft Target | |
| 2006 | The Circuit 3: The Street Monk | Yes | Dirk Longstreet | Video, also namedThe Circuit 3: Final Flight | |||
| 2007 | Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter | Yes | FBI Agent #1 | ||||
| 2008 | Lost Warrior: Left Behind | Yes | Yes | Nash Daniels | Video, Co-writer story and screenplay | ||
| 2008 | Skorumpowani | Yes | Montenegro | ||||
| 2009 | Brother's War | Yes | Anton | ||||
| 2010 | One Night | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | The Beast | Director |
| 2010 | Tales of an Ancient Empire | Yes | Corsair Duguay | Also namedAbelar: Tales of an ancient Empire | |||
| 2011 | Re-Generator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | The Beast | Director,[16] |
| 2013 | Cyborg: Rise of the Slingers | Yes | Duguay | ||||
| 2014 | Sector 4: Extraction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Nash | Executive producer, Co-writer |
| 2015 | EP/Executive Protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Max Webber | |
| 2015 | The whole World at our Feet | Yes | Tony | ||||
| 2015 | Frontline | Yes | Co-producer | ||||
| 2016 | Assassin X | Yes | Ronus Steele | Also namedThe Chemist | |||
| 2016 | Beyond the Game | Yes | Nash Daniels | ||||
| 2016 | Showdown in Manila | Yes | Ford | ||||
| 2016 | Darkweb | Yes | Stanislas | ||||
| 2017 | Iron Cross Brothers Road Home | Yes | |||||
| 2021 | Amour | Yes | Robert | Short film | |||
| 2021 | Iron Cross: The road to Normandy | Yes | Yes | Anton | |||
| 2022 | Gunfight at Rio Bravo | Yes | Marshall Austin Carter | ||||
| 2022 | Escape from Paradise † | Yes | Jagger | Pre-production | |||
| 2022 | Cyborg Nemesis: The dark Rift † | Yes | Duguay | Film announced. Duguay role is rumored only. | |||
| 2022 | The Target † | Yes | Film announced. | ||||
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Martial Law | Dieter Vanderval | Wild Life (1999) |
| 2000 | Code Name: Eternity | Tawrens | - The Shift (2000)
- All Fall Down (2000) |
| 2005 | The Pros, a way of life | Himself | Documentary TV Series partially produced and published by NBC before being shelved, video |
| 2019 | Seven Days | Ivan | - Episode #1.1 (2019) |
| 2020 | CF3: Cult Fans, Films & Finds | Himself | - Nemesis (1992) feat. Olivier Gruner & Thom Mathews (2020) |
| 2021 | The Circuit 2020 | Dirk | - Ranch Terror (2021)
- The Bank Heist (2021) |
Documentaries
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Tales of an Ancient Empire: Behind the Scenes | Himself | Video documentary |
Stunts
edit| Year | Title | Involved as | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Automatic | Fight choreographer | J269 | |
| 1995 | Savate aka The Fighter | Fight choreographer | Joseph Charlegrand | Video |
| 1996 | Mercenary | Fight choreographer | Captain Karl 'Hawk' May | Video, Associate producer |
| 1996 | Savage | Fight choreographer | Alex Verne / Savage | Associate producer |
| 2003 | The Circuit 2: The Final Punch | Action coordinator | Dirk Longstreet | Video, Executive producer, Helicopter pilot |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^abc"Olivier Gruner"Archived27 May 2022 at theWayback Machine,Kick'em in the Ghoulies (KITG),Accessed on December 23, 2018.
- ^abc"Test Blu-Ray: Albert Pyun - Nemesis + Mean Guns",Mickaël Lanoye,Critique Film,France, published on April 20, 2017.
- ^abcd"Bey Logan interview with Olivier Gruner",Bey Logan,ReelEastHK (EELE),Published on August 08, 2012.
- ^abcd"Olivier Gruner",Tong Po, Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze (CSFD), Accessed on January 1, 2019.
- ^abcdefghi"Olivier Gruner: the action movie Star",Alan Mercer,Alan Mercer's Profile,Published on July 9, 2010.
- ^abcde"Olivier Gruner official website",Olivier Gruner,Olivier Gruner.com,Accessed on December 25, 2018.
- ^abcd"Interview: Olivier Gruner",Jason Rugaard,Movies Mavericks,September 23, 2010.
- ^ab"Before and after 7 action actors from the 80's who became world icons" (in Portuguese) / "Antes e depois de 7 stores de ação dos anos 80 que se tornaram ícones mundiais",Cesar Nascimento, Guilherme Rodrigues,BlastingNews,published on August 2, 2017.
- ^abcdefghi"Olivier Gruner the Real Thing",Interview by Erik Paulson at the CSW 2008 Camp in Fullerton,Martial Arts & Action Entertainment,Published on August 5, 2014.
- ^ab"5th WAKO World Championships 1985"(PDF).wako.sport.World Association of Kickboxing Organizations. 2 November 1985.Archived(PDF)from the original on 9 February 2022.
- ^"Olivier Gruner",Ma-Mags,Accessed on January 2, 2019.
- ^ab"'Angel Town' misses the Mark",Kevin Thomas,Movie Review - Los Angeles Times,published on February 23, 1990.
- ^ab"'Nemesis' a provocative, sleek Thriller",Kevin Thomas,Movie Review - Los Angeles Times,published on January 29, 1993.
- ^ab"Behind the scenes: the Making of" Nemesis "(1992)",Albert Pyun, Olivier Gruner,Imperial Entertainment,Published on March 4, 2011.
- ^"Olivier Gruner",Terrence Allen, pp. 57,Black Belt,January 1, 1996.
- ^ab"Review: Re-Generator (2013)",BZ Film,published on May 14, 2013.
- ^"Céline Dion: Olivier ne la quitte plus?!" (in French) / "Celine Dion: Olivier doesn't separate from her anymore?",Pierre-Marie Elstir,France Dimanche,published on August 30, 2017.
- ^"Céline Dion honors Olivier Gruner on his birthday" (in Portuguese)/ "Céline Dion homenageia Olivier Gruner em seu aniversário",Luiz Campos,Action News,published on August 7, 2017.
- ^"Celine Dion: Warm greetings and hugs with her bodyguard" (in French)/ "Céline Dion: Voeux festifs et accolade chaleureuse avec son garde du corps",Purepeople,August 3, 2017.
- ^abTACTICAL, GRUNER."GRUNER TACTICAL".GRUNER TACTICAL.Retrieved30 November2024.
- ^"Storm",IMDb, Accessed on 20 December 2018.
