There are times when I can keep up with the birthdays and other times when I’m just too busy to write. At any rate, the love is definitely there for actors and action stars celebrated by the masses, and that especially includes Chilean martial arts star and Ki-Way entrepreneur, Marko Zaror.
I first caught wind of Zaror many years ago as most have if they ever read a website called Twitchfilm (before it was re-branded as Screen Anarchy). Zaror made a name for himself following the releases of films like Chinango, Kiltro and MirageMan, unleashing a martial arts prowess that absolutely equals to some of the best screenfighting talents today, and it certainly helps that Zaror has been able to share some time on the lens with some of these folks to create some of the most memorable action sequences through memorable roles.
One of his most lauded, of course, is that of Dolor in Undisputed 3: Redemption, opposite Scott Adkins in the iconic role of incarcerated fighting circuit champion, Uri Boyka. That the two have since rejoined for another festive outing on the brutal 2017 bone-breaking thriller, Savage Dog, and are now on deck for one of next year’s biggest upcoming releases with Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4, speaks highly to Zaror’s continued accomplishments, and not for nothing as he could, and definitely deserves to go bigger as a leading performance artist.
His credits further include Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills and Alita: Battle Angel, as well as small roles in the televised adaptations of From Dusk Til Dawn, Marvel’s The Defenders, Ali Abbas Zafar’s 2015 Salman Khan starrer, Sultan, and Daniel Zirilli’s Invincible with Johnny Strong. His latest film hails from Gravitas Ventures in the U.S. with Michael D. Olmos’s Green Ghost and the Masters Of The Stone.
Some of his other independent work also includes collaborating with director Riccardo Gabrielli R. to manifest a live-action proof of concept for comic creator Nicolas Rodriguez and 7Glab’s Zambo Dende, and with industry stunt professional and independent film director Vlad Rimburg for Raaz’s Rage, a four-minute, action-packed posthumous tribute to co-star, actor and martial artist Darren Shahlavi, with Larnell Stovall also starring.
One of Zaror’s next ventures will be with Kiltro and Redeemer helmer Ernesto Diaz Espinoza for martial arts action mini-series, El Puño Del Condor. I’ve long since managed to screen a small trailer for the project and it’s definitely as promising as the fans could hope.
Going forward though, there’s other title that remains on the shelf until further notice, which is One Good Thing, an action thriller announced back in 2012 which would pit Zaror together with Indonesian action star Yayan Ruhian, and celebrated Killers and Headshot co-director Kimo Stamboel. Best of all is that it already has a script written by Todd Brown who’s credited as producer on a number of tastemaker titles out of XYZ Films, including The Raid films, The Night Come For Us, Mandy, Blood Quantum, Bao Tran’s The Paper Tigers, and Espinoza’s Redeemer.
I say all this, of course, as an obvious reminder of what Zaror has brought to the table since landing on our radar sixteen years ago with Kiltro. On top of being a talented martial artist, choreographer and screenfighter, he’s an exceptional actor who garnishes his roles with plenty of charisma to match his star power energy. I’ll honestly be surprised if people who go and see John Wick: Chapter 4 next year don’t know who Zaror is, but there’s also the silver lining in getting to discover something you’ve never been exposed to before.
If that’s the case, feel free to join in on the festivities. Zaror is now 44, and still moves like he’s 24, and his continued success is cause for celebration, and posterity.
Happy birthday Marko!
Lead pic: Nu Image