Brian Thompson | |
---|---|
Born | Brian Earl Thompson August 28, 1959 Ellensburg, Washington, U.S. |
Education | Central Washington University University of California, Irvine |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1984–present |
Children | 2 |
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]
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]
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 has 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.
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]
Thompson is a stand up paddle surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiast and studies hapkido. [9] [22] He has two children. [1]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | The Terminator | Street Punk | |
1986 | Cobra | 'The Night Slasher' | |
¡Three Amigos! | German Thug | ||
1988 | Fright Night Part 2 | Bozworth | |
Alien Nation | Trent Porter | ||
Miracle Mile | Helicopter Pilot | ||
1989 | Three Fugitives | Second Thug | |
Nightwish | Dean | ||
1990 | Lionheart | Russell / Roc | |
Moon 44 | Jake O'Neal | ||
After the Shock | Tom | TV movie | |
Hired to Kill | Frank Ryan | ||
1991 | Life Stinks | Mean Victor | |
1992 | Doctor Mordrid | Kabal | |
Rage and Honor | Conrad Drago | ||
1993 | The Naked Truth | Bruno | |
1994 | Star Trek Generations | Klingon Helmsman | |
1996 | Dragonheart | Brok | |
1997 | Mortal Kombat Annihilation | Shao Kahn | |
Perfect Target | Major Oxnard | ||
2001 | Joe Dirt | Bob 'Buffalo Bob' | |
Epoch | Captain Tower | ||
The Order | Cyrus Jacob | ||
2007 | Fist of the Warrior | Max | |
Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane | Kevin | ||
2009 | Dragonquest | Kirill | |
2011 | The Arcadian | Agmundr | |
2014 | The Extendables [23] | Vardell 'V.D.' Duseldorfer | Also writer, producer and director |
2016 | Beyond the Game | ||
2017 | Sunflower | Captain Cody | |
Dark Games | Detective Joe Grimes | ||
Trafficked | Max | ||
2019 | Hoax | John Singer | |
I Am That Man | Halpin | ||
2020 | Big Muddy | Wyatt Cooper | |
2021 | The Tragedy of Macbeth | Young Murderer |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Police Officer | Episode: "Ties My Father Sold Me" |
1985 | Knight Rider | Kurt | Episode: "Sky Knight" |
1988 | Favorite Son | Rolf Petersen | 3 episodes |
Werewolf | Nicholas Remy | 6 episodes | |
1989 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Klingon Officer Klag | Episode: "A Matter of Honor" |
1990 | Alien Nation | Peter Rabbit | Episode: "Rebirth" |
1993 | Key West | Sheriff Cody Jeremiah Jefferson | 13 episodes |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Inglatu | Episode: "Rules of Acquisition" | |
1995-2000 | The X-Files | Alien Bounty Hunter | 9 episodes |
1995 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Goth the Barbarian | Episode: "Siege at Naxos" |
1996 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Toman'torax | Episode: "To the Death" |
Kindred: The Embraced | Eddie Fiori (leader of the Brujah vampire clan) | 6 episodes | |
1997 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Luke | Episodes: "Welcome to the Hellmouth", "The Harvest" |
1998 | NYPD Blue | Todd | Episode: "Czech Bouncer" |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer | The Judge | Episodes: "Surprise", "Innocence" | |
2000 | Charmed | Horseman of War | Episode: "Apocalypse, Not" |
Jason and the Argonauts | Hercules | Miniseries | |
2002 | Birds of Prey | The Crawler | Episode: "Split" |
2003 | Charmed | Titan Cronos | Episode: "Oh My Goddess (Part 1 & 2)" |
2004 | NCIS | Master Chief Vince Nutter | Episode: "The Truth Is Out There" |
2005 | Star Trek: Enterprise | Romulan Admiral Valdore | 3 episodes |
2009 | Chuck | Cliff Arculin / Cliff Siljak | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Suburbs" |
2012 | Californication | Mr. Scary | Episode: "At the Movies" |
Spirit of a Denture | Captain Jasper Crow | Short film | |
2014 | Hawaii Five-0 | Internal Affairs Detective Nicholas Cruz | Episode: "Hana Lokomaika'i" |
2017 | The Orville | Drogen | Episode: "Into the Fold" |
2018-19 | 9-1-1 | Captain Vincent Gerrard | 2 episodes |
2021 | NCIS: Los Angeles | CIA Officer Steven Erdnase | Episode: "Through the Looking Glass" |
The bat'leth is a double-sided scimitar/hook sword/lujiaodao hybrid-edged weapon with a curved blade, four points, and three handholds on the back. It was designed and created by Star Trek: The Next Generation visual effects producer Dan Curry for the Star Trek franchise, where it is the characteristic melee weapon of Klingons. Curry has called the bat'leth "one of the iconic images associated with the show." It has spawned a smaller weapon, which became known as the mek'leth; in Klingon, this is written meqleH. A third weapon, a kur'leth, was later designed by Dan Curry, for Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. Bat'leths have become an enduring symbol of the franchise among fans, and they are occasionally referenced in other media.
Jeri Lynn Ryan is an American actress best known for her role as the former Borg drone Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager (1997–2001), for which she was nominated four times for a Saturn Award and won in 2001. She reprised her role as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023), for which she won another Saturn Award.
Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor. His career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as Xena: Warrior Princess. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship. Since then, he has starred in many high-profile movies, including as Éomer in the second and third installments of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Vaako in the second and third installments of the Riddick film series, Leonard McCoy in the Star Trek reboot film series, Kirill in The Bourne Supremacy (2004), John "Reaper" Grimm in Doom (2005), Judge Dredd in Dredd (2012), Gavin Magary in Pete's Dragon (2016), and Skurge in Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok (2017). In 2013, he starred in the sci-fi series Almost Human. Since 2019, he has starred as Billy Butcher in Amazon's superhero streaming television series The Boys.
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, on which Leonetti served as cinematographer. Largely adapted from the 1995 video game Mortal Kombat 3, Annihilation follows Liu Kang and his allies as they attempt to prevent the malevolent Shao Kahn from conquering Earthrealm. It stars Robin Shou as Liu, Talisa Soto as Kitana, James Remar as Raiden, Sandra Hess as Sonya Blade, Lynn Red Williams as Jax and Brian Thompson as Kahn. Only Shou and Soto reprise their roles, with the other characters recast from the previous film.
Johnny Cage is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and 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, Frank Dux, in the 1988 film Bloodsport. A staple of the franchise, Cage has appeared in various media outside of the games. Reception to the character has been generally positive for his role in the series, character development, gameplay, and Fatality finishing moves.
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 main antagonist 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 main antagonist and final boss of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008) under the name Dark Kahn. A younger persona known as General Shao appears in Mortal Kombat 1 (2023).
This is a list of playable and boss characters from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise and the games in which they appear. Created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the series depicts conflicts between various realms. Most characters fight on behalf of their realm, with the primary heroes defending Earthrealm against conquering villains from Outworld and the Netherrealm. Early installments feature the characters participating in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to decide their realm's fate. In later installments, Earthrealm is often invaded by force.
Jackson "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.
Mortal Kombat is a 1995 American 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).
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, a military officer with the Special Forces. In the storyline of the games, Sonya becomes involved with the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament through pursuit of her archenemy, the criminal leader Kano. She subsequently joins the warriors defending Earthrealm and establishes a government agency dedicated to battling otherworldly threats. The series' rebooted timeline also depicts her as the love interest to martial arts actor Johnny Cage and the mother of their daughter Cassie. A mainstay of the franchise, Sonya has also appeared in various media outside of the games. Reception to the character has been generally positive, with respect to her role as one of Mortal Kombat's primary female fighters.
Peter Francis Weller is an American actor and television director.
"Affliction" is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise, and originally aired on February 18, 2005. The script was written by Mike Sussman from a story by executive producer Manny Coto. It was the second episode of Enterprise to be directed by Michael Grossman. The episode is the first of a two-part story, which concludes with "Divergence".
"A Matter of Honor" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 34th episode overall, first broadcast on February 6, 1989. The teleplay is written by Burton Armus, based on a story by Armus, Wanda M. Haight and Gregory W. Amos, and directed by Rob Bowman.
Mortal Kombat is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992.
"Birthright" is a story spanning the 16th and 17th episodes of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 142nd and 143rd episodes overall.
John Eaves is a designer and illustrator best known for his work on the Star Trek franchise, starting with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. He served as a production illustrator on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise and was involved in all four Next Generation movies, specifically being responsible for the design of the Sovereign-class Enterprise-E. He also worked on a variety of films, such as Top Gun, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Valkyrie and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
Reiner Schöne is a German actor, known for such roles as Dukhat in the Babylon 5 series, Shinnok in Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Esoqq in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Allegiance", Kolitar in the television series Sliders and The Eiger Sanction as Karl Freytag, and as Green Goblin and Optimus Prime in the German dubs of the live-action Spider-Man and Transformers film series respectively.
Liu Kang is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as Earthrealm's greatest warrior and champion, he debuted in the original 1992 game as a Shaolin monk with special moves, which were intended to be the easiest for players to perform. Since his introduction, Liu Kang has appeared as playable in every main installment except Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002). He is also one of the protagonists of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).
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.