Darren Shahlavi, Martial Artist in ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Arrow,’ Dies at 42
ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES
JANUARY 20, 2015 | 12:00PM PT
Alex Stedman
News Editor, Variety.com
@a_sted
Darren Shahlavi, a martial artist who appeared fighting in such works as the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” TV series and “Arrow,” has died, his agent has confirmed. He was 42.
According to his agent, Shahlavi died in his sleep Jan. 14. A cause of death was not revealed.
Shahlavi recently finished shooting on “Pound of Flesh” with Jean-Claude Van Damme, and is also known for his work in “Ip Man 2″ (2010), “Watchmen” (2009), “300” (2006) and “Alone in the Dark” (2005).
Shahlavi began martial arts training when he was 7 years old in Manchester, England. He cut his teeth by moving to Hong Kong in the early ’90s and becoming a stuntman in kung fu films, before he was discovered by director Yuen Woo Ping, who cast him as the villain in kung fu film “Tai Chi Chuan.”
Shahlavi then broke into Hollywood, scoring supporting roles as a boxer fighting Eddie Murphy in 2002’s “I Spy” and 2004’s “The Final Cut” with Robin Williams. In TV, he was a guest star in “Sanctuary,” “Human Target” and “Reaper.”
Shahlavi returned to Hong Kong action films in 2010, co-starring with Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung in “Ip Man 2,” the semi-autobiographical tale of Bruce Lee’s real-life kung fu master Ip Man. Shahlavi played the evil British boxing champ the Twister. The movie would go on to become the most successful Asian film at the box office in 2010.
In 2011, he appeared as Kano in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy.”
In the past few years, Shahlavi had a guest role in the CW’s “Arrow,” appeared in 2012’s “Metal Hurlant” and had a starring role in 2012 TV movie “Aladdin and the Death Lamp.”
On Tuesday, “Arrow” star Stephen Amell tweeted about the news.
Stephen Amell ✔ @amellywood
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RIP Darren Shahlavi. 1st guy I ever fought on Arrow. He was a great dude & a patient, thoughtful partner. Fight looked good because of him.
2:16 PM - 20 Jan 2015
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