Luc Besson then cast Statham in the titular role of 2002’s The Transporter, about a driver-for-hire- willing to deliver anything as long as the price is right - until he gets involved in the kidnapping of a young woman who has ties to a dangerous drug ring. The film was a huge hit, which established Statham as an action hero and spawned a sequel in 2005. 'The Transporter,' 'Crank,' 'The Mechanic,' & 'The Expendables' Although the role was originally a minor one - with headline-name actors including Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro, front and center - Statham's role evolved substantially, and he became an unforgettable anti-hero. In his next crime comedy, Snatch (2000), Richie brought Statham on again, this time as a petty criminal named Turkish who tries to make a name for himself in underground boxing. And he was fascinated with that, and he just wanted someone who was authentic.” Give me some of the patter.' At the time, I had loads of it. "Guy had written a character that was the same as me,” Statham said in an interview with Esquire magazine.
Ritchie invited him to audition for a part in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. "You work with a team - some people in the crowd, some guys who stand lookout for the police."Īnd that’s how he met filmmaker Guy Ritchie, who was fascinated by Statham's past. "That was street theater," Statham said in a 2007 interview with the Chicago Tribune. Statham once worked as a con artist, selling fake perfume and stolen jewelry on the streets. This helped him land jobs as a background dancer in early '90s music videos like The Shamen's "Comin' On" and Erasure's "Run to the Sun." Movies ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’
An appearance in a Levi's Jeans commercial and work for Hilfiger followed and soon Statham had a modeling career. A few years later, his athletic build caught the eye of a talent agent and landed Statham a gig in an ad campaign for the European clothing retailer French Connection.