Ray Park

Born in 1974, Ray Park is best known for his performance as the Sith Lord Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. His last appearance in Denver was at the first Star Wars Celebration, shortly before the release of the movie.

Park was born in Scotland and moved to London at the age of seven and began training in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu also known as Chin Woo Kung Fu. Seven years later he added wushu, and gymnastics to his regimen. He has since earned his 2nd degree black belt in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and has competed many times in martial arts competitions and brought home many awards for them including, at the age of 16, the Great Britain Martial Arts National Championship. He also qualified to competed with the British wushu team at the 1993 World Wushu Games in Malaysia.

He began working in movies as a stunt double for the movie Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, doing the stunts for both Robin Shou (who played Liu Kang) and James Remar (who played Raiden). Park also did some cameos as monsters, including Baraka the Tarkata. All of which were non-speaking roles.

Although his character Darth Maul briefly spoke in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, his voice was dubbed over with that of actor Peter Serafinowicz.

He played Christopher Walken's stunt double for the movie Sleepy Hollow. Walken's role was the Headless Horseman, and Park did the mimics in the scenes where the Horseman appears without his head.

His first real speaking part came in X-Men as Toad where his character was featured for the movie’s teaser commercials. In one scene of this film, after sending Storm down an elevator shaft, he picks up a length of pipe and swings it around in much the same way he swung his dual-bladed lightsaber as Darth Maul, a signature wushu movement.

He is slated to appear as the Marvel Comics superhero Iron Fist which is currently in preproduction. Iron Fist deals with an American millionaire who becomes a martial artist with the power of focusing his "life force" or chi into his fist, making it glow with energy and become "like unto a thing of iron" and able to impact with superhuman force.

Along other comic book lines, Ray worked with comic book creator-turned-film-maker Kevin VanHook in the movie, Slayer starring in the dual roles of acrobatic twin vampires. This film also saw him appearing again with his Sleepy Hollow co-star Casper Van Dien.

Ray currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife Lisa, and their daughter, Sienna. He is left handed, a trait he has shared with all characters he has played. For more information, visit Ray’s website at Raypark.net. Most of the information for this bio was gleaned from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Park.

Ray Park will be appearing at Starfest for a Q&A session on Saturday or Sunday and signing autographs and available for photo sessions on April 20-22.