An Interview with Silvio Simac
The name Silvio Simac may not be one that is instantly recognizable to most, but the Croatian born martial artist has been working steadily in the world of action entertainment since 2001. Silvio has appeared in a variety of projects over the course of his career and he has worked with some of the best of the best of the action genre like Jet Li, Jason Statham, Scott Adkins, Keanu Reeves, Kane Kosugi and more.
I recently had the chance to fire some questions Silvio’s way. We discussed some of his past projects, his latest movie to hit DVD Knights of the Damned, his background and how he got into the movie biz…
CTB: Let’s start at the beginning, how did you break into the movie business and when did you know that is the path you wanted to take?
SS: My journey started at a very early age as an emerging teenager who excelled in sports. I set several school records and drew considerable attention upon myself from my teachers and coaches who suggested to my parents that I should pursue my talent in sports. Being a 70’s child I was inspired by the late Bruce Lee, who made significant impact on the silver screen and a whole genre of action movies that followed. I expressed my desire to act but that was delayed due to family pressures to go the academic route. It was after I had won multiple accolades and medals in Taekwon-do on the British, European and World stage that I had grasped sufficient confidence to pursue a career in acting.
CTB: Do you think your days competing in Taekwon-do helped prepare you for life as an action star?
SS: Taekwon-do, as with most martial arts in general, tap into the realm of fusion of mind, body and spirit and always striving for the never obtainable state of perfection. To compete within the National Team, one has to push the boundaries consistently with ample determination and devotion. For this reason, competitive Taekwon-do has helped me in so many ways in working through obstacles and challenges that come in my way. Each knock down served me as a lesson to stay focused, get up, go forward, never give up and keep fighting my fight and follow my dreams despite the odds that may lay against me.
CTB: Part of being an action star is being physically fit and you are in phenomenal shape. How much time do you spend in the gym each week?
SS: Whilst I was competing, I would spend 3 – 5 hours a day training in order to evolve and better myself. What I like about training is there is a direct correlation between the effort and work I put in and the results I reap from it. Nowadays I train 2 – 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. My training nowadays is much smarter and strategic as I apply years of experience and knowledge to my regimen.
CTB: Your film Knights of the Damned was recently released on DVD, why do you believe action fans should go out of their way to check out Knights of the Damned?
SS: Knights of the Damned is an exciting and mysterious action adventure where the King has sent his best Knights to defeat the Dragon besieging his castle. Along their epic adventure they encounter malicious sirens, warrior women on a mission of revenge and an unstoppable army of the undead. I play Thomas, one of the three Knights. Thomas has a courageous persona and is a womanizer who often gets himself in sticky situations among his female encounters in each village they sleep over in. The special FX work was done by the same team that worked on the Harry Potter series to bring some real magic to this feature.
CTB: There is a follow up to Knights of the Damned set to premiere later this year and rumor has it a third chapter in the saga is in the works. Can you confirm or deny those rumors?
SS: We shot the second part in the summer of 2017 and will be shooting the final part this summer prior to the premiere of part two. As the story unfolds and gets more intense it will bring the viewers to the edge of their seats.
CTB: One of the most memorable fights in your acting career thus far was your fight against Scott Adkins in Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing. What was it like working with Scott?
SS: I met Scott on set of my first feature film Black Mask 2 in Thailand in 2001 where I play his side kick. Scott lives an hour and a half away from me and we became very close friends after this initial experience. So much so, beyond Black Mask 2, Scott and I went on to do countless joint martial arts seminars, live shows as well as other feature movies and TV Shows. Scott is super focused and determined individual and a pleasure to work along side with on each and every production we did together. He is a highly driven and professional individual and humble to go with it.
CTB: You mentioned that Scott was in your first feature film, 2002’s Black Mask 2: City of Masks, which was also the feature film debut of Andy On. Did you know back then that Andy would go on to have the career he has had? And would you like a chance to work with Andy again now that you both have more experience under your belts?
SS: Scott and Andy On actually just shot a movie together in China. When I met Andy, he was on a 10 year contract with all lead roles so I had a pretty good idea he was going places. Once again, Andy is highly driven, energetic and hard working individual who I became close to. I would love to work with him again and this time both of us with so much more experience.
CTB: I could not help but notice that you had the opportunity to work with the original Tong Po himself, Michel Qissi, in another of your more recent projects, Out for Vengeance. What was that experience like and were you a fan of Kickboxer growing up?
SS: I was and still am a huge fan of Kickboxer which planted the seed for my development and passion in martial arts and inspired me in a big way. I had spoken to Michel Qissi on many occasions discussing possible opportunities for collaboration. I was offered a role in Out for Vengeance and it was very exciting for me but unfortunately Michel and I did not meet on set as we were in separate shooting blocks.
CTB: Before we wrap this up, any advice for aspiring actors out there?
SS: Create a persona and character about you. Keep re-inventing yourself and find your niche. Keep the belief alive, step out of your comfort zone. Dream your life, then live your dream.
