Steven Seagal (born April 10, 1951 in Lansing, Michigan) is an American action movie actor, producer, and occasional writer and director. A 7th-dan Black Belt in aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an aikido instructor in Japan, before moving to the Los Angeles area, where after becoming noticed by entertainment executives, made his film debut in 1988. Since this time, Seagal has become one of the world’s best-known action stars, and his movies have gone on to earn over $600 million worldwide. Seagal has used his fame as an action star to cross over to other industries, as he is also a recording artist, and the founder of Steven Seagal Enterprises. In addition to his professional achievements, he is also known as an environmentalist, animal rights activist, and is even recognized as a reincarnated Buddhist Lama.