Brian Thompson

Last updated
Brian Thompson
Brian Thompson Interview Photo.jpg
Thompson in 2017
Born
Brian Earl Thompson

(1959-08-28) August 28, 1959 (age 63)
Ellensburg, Washington, U.S.
Education Central Washington University
University of California, Irvine
OccupationActor
Years active1983–present
Children2
Website http://www.brianthompson.com/

Brian Earl Thompson (born August 28, 1959) is an American actor. His career began with a small role in the 1984 film The Terminator . He played the villainous "Night Slasher" in the 1986 film Cobra . His first named role was on Werewolf , a horror series that ran during Fox's inaugural broadcasting year of 1987–1988. [1] [2] [3] Thompson has played several characters in the Star Trek franchise—the most notable being the Klingon Lieutenant Klag in which he informed Riker that “Gagh is always best when served live”, the Alien Bounty Hunter on The X-Files , and Eddie Fiori on Kindred: The Embraced . [4] In 2014, he produced, wrote and starred in the B movie parody The Extendables . [5]

Contents

Early life

Thompson was born in Ellensburg, Washington, and raised in Longview. He attended Central Washington University, where he studied business management, played football, and appeared in many school productions. He then moved to California and earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Irvine. [6] He initially trained and pursued a career in musical theater, performing at Riverside Civil Light Opera's production of "The King and I", Long Beach Civic Light Opera's "Bittersweet", and several other musicals. In 1982, he was a resident actor at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival.

Thompson's athletic build and unique facial structure were key in the initial roles he was offered. [7] He has stated that it has occasionally been a double-edged sword when it comes to auditioning for roles, but it has provided him with consistent work. [8] Thompson said, "If you're very physical in stature, you're gonna get hired for action movies. The star's always going to be chasing someone so they need an equal adversary. I'm never going to play a nebbish geek." [1]

Career

Thompson was cast in The Terminator while still in school. He and Bill Paxton had minor roles as punk thugs. [1] [9]

He followed that up with roles on Moonlighting , Otherworld , Street Hawk and Knight Rider before landing the role in the Sylvester Stallone vehicle, Cobra (1986). Although the film was critically panned, it was a commercial success. The New York Times wrote of Thompson's portrayal, "the archvillain, a character that is a cross between a James Bond fantasy villain such as Jaws and a raging psychopath, delivers a scorching monologue – a feat of linguistic sophistication that Cobra would have a hard time matching." [10]

In 1993, Thompson landed another comedic role on the large ensemble series Key West which was filmed on location in the Florida Keys. The series lasted for 13 episodes. He played a "new-age sheriff", which Thompson stated was the favorite role of his career. [11] The character uttered the introductory line, "I'm Sheriff Cody Jeremiah Jefferson. I'm a direct descendant of Wyatt Earp and the Lone Ranger. My personal heroes are Ted Nugent, Buddha and Davy Crockett. I am the last real lawman and the first peace officer of the 21st century." [12]

The following year, Thompson began his tenure on The X-Files and followed that with roles in the science fiction-fantasy series Seven Days , Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed . Between these, Thompson made dozens of appearances in other series and films. [1] [13] In 1996, he appeared in Dragonheart as Brok, the commander of the armies of David Thewlis' villainous king, Einon. The fantasy film, starring Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery, was a moderate success. [14]

Thompson then returned to the big screen as lead antagonist Shao Kahn in the film adaptation of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation . [15] The New York Times called it "colossal compendium of logic-defying martial arts, noisy, hyperactive special effects..." [16] In 2014, Thompson released The Extendables, a film he produced, wrote, and starred in. A parody of movies like The Expendables , Thompson stated that it contained true-to-life instances from his own career. [17] It was released via iTunes. [18] In 2017 Thompson work in thriller indie film Trafficked with Ashley Judd, [19] and in 2019 star in horror film Hoax alongside Adrienne Barbeau; [20] in 2022 appeared in historical thriller film The Tragedy of Macbeth with Denzel Washington.

Star Trek

In 1989, Thompson landed his first Star Trek role on Star Trek: The Next Generation . His size worked against him at first, because the producers were originally looking to cast someone who could fit in a certain costume. He was able to convince them to give him a try: "That was the first of five auditions that I've had for Star Trek and they've hired me every time." [8] Thompson played a Klingon in the episode "A Matter of Honor". [8] [21] In 1993 and 1996, he appeared in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as different characters. In 1994, he appeared in the feature film Star Trek Generations .

In 2005, Thompson was cast as Admiral Valdore in three episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise . Thompson has since participated in Star Trek fandom, giving narrative DVD extras and appearing at conventions. [11] [13] [21]

Personal life

Thompson is a stand up paddle surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiast and studies hapkido. [9] [22] He has two children, Daphne and Jordan. [1]

Selected filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 The Terminator Street Punk
1986 Cobra 'The Night Slasher'
1986 Three Amigos German Thug
1988 Fright Night Part 2 Bozworth
1988 Alien Nation Trent Porter
1988 Miracle Mile Helicopter Pilot
1989 Three Fugitives Second Thug
1990 Lionheart Russell / Roc
1990 Nightwish Dean
1990 Moon 44 Jake O'Neal
1990 After the Shock TomTV movie
1990 Hired to Kill Frank Ryan
1991 Life Stinks Mean Victor
1992 Doctor Mordrid Kabal
1992Rage and HonorConrad Drago
1993 The Naked Truth Bruno
1994 Star Trek Generations Klingon Helmsman
1996 Dragonheart Brok
1997 Mortal Kombat: Annihilation Shao Kahn
1997 Perfect Target Major Oxnard
2000 Jason and the Argonauts Hercules Television miniseries
2001 Joe Dirt Bob 'Buffalo Bob'
2001 Epoch Captain Tower
2001 The Order Cyrus Jacob
2007 Fist of the Warrior Max
2007 Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane Kevin
2009DragonquestKirill
2011 The Arcadian Agmundr
2014 The Extendables [23] Vardell 'V.D.' Duseldorfer
2016Beyond the Game
2017SunflowerCaptain Cody
2017Dark GamesDetective Joe Grimes
2017 Trafficked Max
2019 Hoax John Singer
2019I Am That ManHalpin
2020Big MuddyWyatt Cooper
2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Young Murderer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 Hardcastle and McCormick Police OfficerEpisode: "Ties My Father Sold Me"
1985 Knight Rider KurtEpisode: "Sky Knight"
1988 Favorite Son Rolf Petersen3 episodes
1988 Werewolf Nicholas Remy 6 episodes
1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation Klingon Officer KlagEpisode: "A Matter of Honor"
1990 Alien Nation Peter RabbitEpisode: "Rebirth"
1993 Key West Sheriff Cody Jeremiah Jefferson13 episodes
1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine InglatuEpisode: "Rules of Acquisition"
1995-2000 The X-Files Alien Bounty Hunter 9 episodes
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Goth The BarbarianEpisode: "Siege at Naxos"
1996 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Toman'toraxEpisode: "To the Death"
1996 Kindred: The Embraced Eddie Fiori6 episodes as the leader of the Brujah clan of vampires
1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Luke Episodes: "Welcome to the Hellmouth", "The Harvest"
1998 NYPD Blue ToddEpisode: "Czech Bouncer"
1998 Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Judge Episodes: "Surprise", "Innocence"
2000 Charmed Horseman of WarEpisode: "Apocalypse, Not"
2002 Birds of Prey The CrawlerEpisode: "Split"
2003 Charmed Titan CronosEpisode: "Oh My Goddess (Part 1 & 2)"
2004 NCIS Master Chief Vince NutterEpisode: "The Truth is Out There"
2005 Star Trek: Enterprise Romulan Admiral Valdore3 episodes
2009 Chuck Cliff Arculin / Cliff Siljak Episode: "Chuck Versus the Suburbs"
2012 Californication Mr. ScaryEpisode: "At the Movies" (Directed by Helen Hunt)
2012Spirit of a DentureCaptain Jasper CrowWith Kevin Spacey
2014 Hawaii Five-0 Internal Affairs Detective Nicholas CruzEpisode: "Hana Lokomaika'i"
2017 The Orville DrogenEpisode: "Into the Fold"
2018-19 9-1-1 Captain Vincent Gerrard2 episodes
2021 NCIS: Los Angeles CIA Officer Steven ErdnaseEpisode: "Through the Looking Glass"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeri Ryan</span> German-American actress

Jeri Lynn Ryan is an American actress who played the former Borg drone Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager, for which she was nominated four times for a Saturn Award and won in 2001. She has reprised her role as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard.

<i>Mortal Kombat: Annihilation</i> 1997 martial arts fantasy film

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is a 1997 American martial arts fantasy film directed by John R. Leonetti in his directorial debut. Based on the Mortal Kombat video game franchise, it is the second installment in the Mortal Kombat film series and a sequel to the original 1995 film, of which Leonetti served as cinematographer. Largely an adaptation of the video game Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Annihilation follows Liu Kang and his allies as they attempt to stop the malevolent Shao Kahn from conquering Earthrealm. It stars Robin Shou as Liu, Talisa Soto as Kitana, James Remar as Rayden, Sandra Hess as Sonya Blade, Lynn Red Williams as Jax, and Brian Thompson as Kahn. Only Shou and Soto reprise their roles, with the rest of the characters recast from the previous film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Cage</span> Mortal Kombat character

Johnny Cage is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games/NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in the original 1992 game, he is an action movie star with an extensive martial arts background. The series depicts Cage as one of the primary heroes defending Earthrealm from various threats, as well as the comic foil. In the rebooted timeline, Cage is also the love interest to Special Forces officer Sonya Blade and the father of their daughter Cassie. He is inspired by martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme, particularly Van Damme's character in the 1988 film Bloodsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shao Kahn</span> Mortal Kombat character

Shao Kahn is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as emperor of the fictional realm Outworld, he is one of the franchise's primary villains. Feared for his immense strength, which he complements with a large hammer, and knowledge of black magic, Shao Kahn seeks conquest of all the realms, including Earth. He serves as the final boss of Mortal Kombat II (1993), Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its updates, and the 2011 reboot, as well as the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005). An amalgam of Shao Kahn and DC Comics villain Darkseid also appears as the final boss of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2009) under the name Dark Kahn.

Kabal (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Playable video-game character

Kabal is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) as a former member of the Black Dragon criminal organization. Chosen by the thunder god Raiden to help defend Earthrealm, he pursues redemption by battling invading forces from Outworld. Subsequent installments, however, give Kabal a more good depiction as the leader of a new Black Dragon clan in the original timeline because of the brainwash by Kano, and a villainous depiction as an undead revenant in the reboot. Due to injuries suffered against Outworld's warriors, the character wears a specialized helmet with a built-in life-support system. He possesses superhuman speed and uses a pair of hookswords as his primary weapon.

Baraka (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Mortal Kombat character

Baraka is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games/NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in Mortal Kombat II (1993), he is a Tarkatan, a fictional species residing in Outworld, and his distinctive feature is a set of long metal blades that retract into his forearms. Baraka is a recurring villain throughout the series, often depicted in the service of the franchise's primary villains as well as the occasional love interest to the half-Tarkatan Mileena. The character has received a positive reception for his appearance and Fatality finishing moves.

Jax (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Mortal Kombat character

Jax Briggs is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in Mortal Kombat II (1993) as the leader of a Special Forces unit, he became a mainstay of the series, including as the protagonist of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (2000). The character is distinguished by his metal bionic arms, which he first received in Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), and his abilities are based around his upper-body strength.

<i>Mortal Kombat</i> (1995 film) 1995 film by Paul W. S. Anderson

Mortal Kombat is a 1995 American martial arts fantasy action film directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and written by Kevin Droney. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, it is the first installment in the Mortal Kombat film series. Starring Linden Ashby, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Robin Shou, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto, and Christopher Lambert, the film follows a group of heroes who participate in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to protect Earth from being conquered by malevolent forces. Its story primarily adapts the original 1992 game, while also using elements from the game Mortal Kombat II (1993).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightwolf</span> Mortal Kombat character

Nightwolf is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games/NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) as a Native American shaman selected to help defend Earthrealm against invading forces from Outworld. In addition to his fighting prowess, Nightwolf possesses magical abilities that allow him to enhance his strength and create weapons.

Reptile (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Mortal Kombat character

Reptile is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in the original 1992 game as a hidden opponent, establishing him as the first secret character in fighting game history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonya Blade</span> Mortal Kombat character

Sonya Blade is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. She debuted in the original 1992 game as the roster's sole female fighter. Inspired by martial artist Cynthia Rothrock, she is a military officer with the Special Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Weller</span> American actor (born 1947)

Peter Weller is an American film and stage actor, television director, and art historian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Park</span> Scottish actor and stuntman

Raymond Park is a Scottish actor and stuntman. He is best known for physically portraying Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Solo: A Star Wars Story, along with a motion capture performance in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Toad in X-Men, Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Edgar on Heroes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Jai White</span> American actor

Michael Jai White is an American actor, director and martial artist. He was the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, starring as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn. White appeared as Marcus Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married Too?, and starred as the character on the TBS/OWN comedy-drama television series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse. White portrayed Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and the Cyborg Seth in Universal Soldier: The Return. He portrayed boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO television film Tyson. He also played the title role in the blaxploitation parody film Black Dynamite, as well as the animated series of the same name.

<i>Mortal Kombat</i> Video game series and multimedia franchise

Mortal Kombat is an American media franchise centered on a series of video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a video game starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, but when that idea fell through, a science fantasy-themed fighting game was created instead. Still, the developers paid homage to him with Johnny Cage, a fictional film star whose personal style resembles Van Damme's.

Threshold Entertainment Group, also known as Threshold Entertainment, is an intellectual property company. Its animation subsidiary, Threshold Animation Studios, produces films. Larry Kasanoff is the company's chief executive officer (CEO) after previously serving as president for Lightstorm Entertainment, a company he co-founded with entrepreneur and filmmaker James Cameron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Taslim</span> Indonesian actor and martial artist

Johannes Taslim is an Indonesian actor and martial artist. He was a member of Indonesia's judo national team from 1997 to 2009. He is known for his roles as Sergeant Jaka in The Raid (2011), Jah in Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Star Trek Beyond (2016), as Li Yong in Warrior and as Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat (2021).

Mortal Kombat is an American series of martial arts action films based on the fighting video game series of the same name by Midway Games. The first film was produced by Lawrence Kasanoff’s Threshold Entertainment.

<i>Mortal Kombat</i> (2021 film) Australian-American fantasy action film based on the video game series

Mortal Kombat is a 2021 martial arts fantasy film directed by Simon McQuoid in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham and a story by Russo and Oren Uziel. The film is based on the video game franchise of the same name and a reboot of the Mortal Kombat film series. The film stars Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Max Huang, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. The film follows Cole Young, a washed-up mixed martial arts fighter who is unaware of his hidden lineage or why the assassin Sub-Zero is hunting him down. Concerned for the safety of his family, he seeks out a clique of fighters that were chosen to defend Earthrealm against Outworld.

<i>Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms</i> 2021 animated movie

Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms is a 2021 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film, directed by Ethan Spaulding from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, it is the second installment in the Legends series and a direct sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020). Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and animated by Studio Mir, Boon returned from the predecessor as creative consultant.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bolotin, Louise (June 10, 2012). "INTERVIEW: Action star Brian Thompson on The Terminator". Screen Jabber. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  2. ↑ Schneider, Michael (December 3, 2009). "Fox hunting werewolves". Variety. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Werewolf television series profile". IMDb. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  4. ↑ SFX Staff Writer (June 2, 2011). "SF's Serial Guest Stars". SFX.com. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  5. ↑ Man, Wild Peking (November 23, 2013). "Brian Thompson and Mark Dacascos are 'The Extendables'". City on Fire. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  6. ↑ WGA. "Brian Thompson". IMDb. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Working Class - Brian Thompson". Cultural Atrocities. September 19, 2011. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Eramo, Steve (March 15, 2011). "Sci-Fi Blast From The Past - Brian Thompson (Star Trek: The Next Generation)". SciFi TV & Talk. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Nelson, Craig (October 5, 2012). "Manchester film fans turned out for a special screening of The Terminator and we interview Brian Thompson". Manchester Gossip. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  10. ↑ Darnton, Nina (May 24, 1986). "FILM: SYLVESTER STALLONE AS POLICEMAN, IN 'COBRA'". New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  11. 1 2 Anderson, Phillip (July 22, 2000). "Interviews: Brian Thompson - actor, "X-Files"/"Star Trek"/"Key West"/"Dragonheart"". KAOS 2000. San Diego Comic Con International. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  12. ↑ Hiltbrand, David (January 18, 1993). "Picks and Pans Review: Key West". People Magazine. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  13. 1 2 T'Bonz (March 31, 2014). "APRIL-MAY 2014 TREK CONVENTIONS AND APPEARANCES". Trek Today. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  14. ↑ Tucker, Ken (June 7, 1996). "Dragonheart (1996)". Entertainment Weekly (EW). Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  15. ↑ Staff Writers. "MORTAL KOMBAT: ANNIHILATION (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  16. ↑ VanGelder, Lawrence (November 22, 1997). "Mortal Kombat The Annihilation (1997) FILM REVIEW; Based on a Video Game. Need to Know More?". New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  17. ↑ Valkor (August 22, 2014). "The Extendables Movie Review". The Other View. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  18. ↑ Staff. "The Extendables". iTunes. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  19. ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/trafficked-1046156/
  20. ↑ https://www.joblo.com/trailer-brian-thompson-learns-bigfoot-is-not-a-hoax-this-august/
  21. 1 2 Tenuto, John (December 17, 2012). "REVIEW: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 on Blu-ray". Trek News.Com. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  22. ↑ Wedlan, Candace. "Hapkido Helps Put the Wind in His Sails". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  23. ↑ THE EXTENDABLES Trailer on YouTube
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.