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CAST & CREW

	SYLVESTER STALLONE ... BARNEY ROSS
	JASON STATHAM ... LEE CHRISTMAS
	JET LI ... YIN YANG
	DOLPH LUNDGREN ... GUNNER JENSEN
	STEVE AUSTIN ... PAINE
	TERRY CREWS ... HALE CAESAR
	RANDY COUTURE ... TOLL ROAD
	MICKEY ROURKE ... TOOL
	BRUCE WILLIS ... CHURCH
	Rest of cast:
	ERIC ROBERTS ... JAMES MUNROE
	DAVID ZAYAS ... GENERAL GARZA
	GISELLE ITIE ... SANDRA
	CHARISMA CARPENTER ... LACY
	ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER ... TRENCH
	Directed by: Sylvester Stallone Screenplay by: David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone Story by: David Callaham Based on Characters Created by: David Callaham

 

SYNOPSIS

Expendable: capable of being sacrificed in order to accomplish a military objective.

The Expendables is the hard-hitting action thriller about a group of mercenaries  hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins the men realize things aren’t as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With their mission thwarted and an innocent life in danger the men struggle with an even tougher challenge; the one that threatens to destroy this band of brothers.

Barney Ross (SYLVESTER STALLONE) is a man with nothing to lose. Fearless and void of emotion he is the leader, the sage and the strategist of this tight knit band of men who live on the fringe. His only attachment is to his pickup truck, his seaplane, and his team of loyal modern day warriors. He is a true cynic who describes what he does as “removing those hard to get at stains”. The team behind him is made up of Lee Christmas (JASON STATHAM), former SAS and a savant with anything that has a blade, Yin Yang (JET LI), a master at close quarter combat, Hale Caesar (TERRY CREWS), who has known Barney for 10 years and is a long barrel weapons specialist, Toll Road (RANDY COUTURE), a skilled demolitions expert and considered the intellect of the group and Gunnar Jensen (DOLPH LUNDGREN), a combat veteran and an expert in precision sniping who struggles with his own demons.

When the mysterious Church (BRUCE WILLIS) offers Barney a job no one else would take, Barney and his team of expendables embark on what appears to be a routine mission; over throw General Gaza (DAVID ZAYAS), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena and end the years of death and destruction inflicted on its people. On a reconnaissance mission to Vilena, Barney and Christmas meet their contact, Sandra (GISELLE ITIE), a local freedom fighter with a dark secret. They also come to learn who their true enemy is; rogue ex-CIA operative James Monroe (ERIC ROBERTS) and his henchman Paine (STEVE AUSTIN). When things go terribly wrong, Barney and Christmas are forced to leave Sandra behind, essentially giving her a death sentence.

Haunted by this failure Barney convinces the team to return to Vilena to rescue the hostage and finish the job he started. And to perhaps save a soul... his own.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

When Sylvester Stallone put pen to paper, (he writes long hand, no typewriter or computer) he envisioned The Expendables as a teeth grinding action film that was both relevant and poignant; a story with a theme the audience would respond to. “I wanted to revisit a certain kind of feeling, a certain kind of film making, a certain kind of mentality,” explains Stallone. “A story about men that were out of sync with the world but who lived their lives by a certain code. They don't have families, their personal lives are a train wreck - all they have is each other. I wanted to give the audience a glimpse into the hearts of these men." For inspiration, Stallone used old school action films like The Dirty Dozen and Dogs of War as his model. Movies where men were men, combat was mano a mano and the story was believable.

Action is secondary for Sly,” explains Kevin King, Stallone’s long time producer and confidant. “For him the script must have heart and story. Those are the two main things he has taught me. If you don’t have heart, you don’t have story which means you don’t have a movie. For Sly it’s not just blowing something up,” he adds. And while the action in a Stallone film can hit critical mass, in The Expendables the story trumped all.

Over the next several months, as Sly continued to flush out the story he kept coming back to theme of redemption and the need to reveal the emotional core of each character. He wanted to explore the pathos of living life on the precipice by exposing their fears and weaknesses. But Stallone also was keenly aware that as a writer and director he was entering uncharted territory with this script. He didn’t have a known entity like a Rambo or Rocky character to draw upon, therefore the mythology of The Expendables had to build from the ground up. He was also writing for an ensemble cast, the likes, which has rarely been captured on film. On top of it all, his role of Barney Ross, was both physically and emotionally challenging.

Producer Avi Lerner saw the making of The Expendables as yet another formidable challenge in a career defined by them. “Sly is a risk-taker and he always has been,” says Lerner. “The first Rocky was a risk for him. So was the first Rambo. And now, to create a new character, to get into the physical condition he’s in, to direct and handle this amazing cast and difficult locations; they're all risks. His career is full of taking risks and that's what makes him such an icon. He's not afraid.”

By the time Stallone had a shooting script he was happy with, he had written over 100 drafts, completely reworked the direction of the film and either cut or drastically reworked major characters. Throughout the writing process, Stallone had Jet Li and Jason Statham in mind for the roles of Yang and Christmas. He hadn’t worked with either one of them but was a fan of their work and knew what they were capable of. For Sly, having martial arts icon Jet Li in the film was a no brainer. Without ever meeting Stallone face to face, Li signed on to play Expendable Yin Yang, a Vietnamese- American trying to live a skewed version of the American Dream. A close quarter combatant who could fly through the air in attack mode, before his opponents knew what hit them, Li plays Yang with quiet intensity. “My character is very straight forward, very simple,” says Li. “He constantly thinks about making money so that he can have a real life with a real family. He has a dream.”

In Statham, an international action star in his own right, Stallone saw untapped potential. “It was a bit of a gamble to cast Jason,” admits Stallone, “because you never know if the chemistry is going to work. He comes from a totally different culture than me and he is certainly a lot younger. Privately, I saw a side to him that had not been tapped on film and I wanted to use that to expand his character. I wanted him to have a sense of optimism.” Even though Christmas is a knife wielding killing machine, he wears his heart on his sleeve and struggles as his relationship with girlfriend Lacey, played by Charisma Carpenter, goes up in flames. “I really liked the concept of these regular guys with all these insecurities and problems of their own”, Statham points out, “and at the same time when they’re put in these situations, they need to be focused and kick ass, as they say.”

From that point on casting became pretty free form as Stallone looked for interesting and unique individuals with unique talents. Oscar winning actors Forest Whitaker and Sir Ben Kingsley were tapped for key roles but as the story and characters continued to take on a life of their own, changes were made. At one point, rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was considered until Stallone became concerned he may be going too far in the wrong direction and once again changed course. In the end, Eric Roberts and Terry Crews won the roles.

Crews, best known for his comedic roles in film and television, clearly remembers the day he got the call that Sylvester Stallone wanted to meet with him for a role. “I was flabbergasted and excited,” gushes Crews. “For me, working with Stallone was the realization of a childhood fantasy. I was honored.”

For Dolph Lundgren, winning the role of Gunnar Jensen was a homecoming of sorts. 25 years after tearing up the screen as Russian fighter Ivan Drago, in Rocky IV, Lundgren found himself once again going toe to toe with Stallone. And while he has enjoyed a long and varied career including directing his own features, Lundgren saw the role of Gunnar as a way of reinventing himself. “Stallone created my career with the Ivan Drago character,” muses Lundgren. “Now here I am, a little bit older and once again Sly has created a multi-faceted character who is larger than life and kind of iconic.

A more complex character that will hopefully allow the audience a chance to see me in a different light.” Describing his character as “a crazy son of a bitch”, Gunnar is Barney’s best friend and fellow Expendable who can’t control his impulses. Too much combat stress and excessive behavior and a little bit of drugs all contribute to his downward spiral. For Lundgren, tapping into the emotional core wasn’t the hard part... it was hitting the humorous beats Stallone injects into every script that caused Lundgren to worry. “I don’t mind killing people or crying,” laughs Lundgren, “but at 4 in the morning when I’m burned out emotionally don’t ask me to be funny.”

Looking for an athlete with fighting skills and star presence was utmost in Stallone’s mind when casting the role of Toll Road, the thinker of the group who exudes sheer brute force. He found all of it and more in Mixed Martial Arts champion, Randy Couture. “Randy provided a face and a look that is a roadmap to confrontation, battle, discipline, pain,” says Stallone. “Masculine with a glimpse of sensitivity in the eyes.”

Couture who sports a ‘cauliflower ear’ caused by 20+ years of wrestling had to put that sensitivity to the test when Stallone wrote a monologue about the ear. “The monologue was in some ways easy for me,” relates Couture, “because I was telling the truth. Every wrestler I know will be laughing when they see the scene.”

Stallone then turned to his old friend, Mickey Rourke, to play the small but pivotal role of Tool, the weary former Expendable who now runs the business of brokering clandestine missions out of his storefront tattoo shop. The shop serves as the de facto headquarters for the guys, a place where souls are bared, truths are told and where a sense of camaraderie and belonging prevails. It is also where the team begins to unravel after Barney decides to take a job the rest of the team sees as suicide.

At first glance, Tool seems to have his life under control, but the reality is his life has been a segue way into disappointment. In a ‘moment of truth’ scene with Barney, it is Tool who ignites a spark of humanity Barney forgot he had. “I’m suffering the pangs of hell,” says Stallone, “I’ve basically lost my humanity.”

Mickey Rourke, who reintroduced himself to the world in 2008 with a tour de force turn in The Wrestler, and Stallone go back a long way. “I’m a little older than him, but we sort of grew up in the business together,” explains Stallone. “We’ve had our ups and downs, know the ins and outs of our lives. He’s a very sensitive and unique guy, and I thought if he could bring some of that uniqueness to the character of Tool, it would be off the charts.“

The Expendables was finally taking shape. As an actor, Stallone knew he had to allow the cast to bring their individuality to each role. As a director, he also understood the importance of tailoring ideas to maximize the skills and talents of each individual actor. “Each of them were stars in their own right,” explains Stallone, “and needed to be served equally.” “But,” he continues, “I have to say they all came to the table and put their egos aside. Everyone was on board to give 100% to the role. They made my job easy.”

Lundgren applauds Stallone for his willingness to collaborate. “When I got the script Gunnar was a totally different guy,” recalls Lundgren. “He didn’t figure as much into the story. After meeting with Sly a couple of times, we came up with other ideas.

Personally I’m a shy person, I stay in the background and let everybody else run around so Sly wrote that into the character.”

The last piece of the puzzle was filling the role of Sandra, the woman Barney and Christmas leave in jeopardy in Vilena when their reconnaissance mission turns bad. Sandra, who unknowingly becomes the catalyst for Barney’s change of heart had to be tough, intelligent, beautiful and able to hold her own in a film dominated by testosterone.

Brazilian actress, Giselle Itie (pronounced Eet she), who had studied boxing and jiu jitsu but had never done an action film, won the role after a worldwide casting call.

For the all-important supporting roles, Stallone called on the versatility of actor Eric Roberts for rogue ex-CIA agent Monroe, a man caught up in a trap of his own design. Roberts brings a steely coldness to the soulless Monroe. For the role of henchman and Monroe sidekick, Paine, Stallone brought in former pro wrestler Steve Austin. “When I watched Sly direct Eric Roberts”, remember Austin, “he knows exactly what he’s looking for, knows exactly what he wants his actors to do, how he wants them to do it, and he tells them. He’s very clear in his direction and vision.”

When shooting a film of this size and scope like The Expendables there were bound to be some problems; those problems can multiply when shooting in a foreign country, especially one that doesn't have the infrastructure in place to deal with the problems associated with a film of this scale. With The Expendables, the producers had to deal with logistically difficult locations, communication and language problems, assimilating with local crew members and adapting to local cultures and customs.

Acknowledging some growing pains while shooting in Brazil, producer Les Weldon emphasizes that Brazil provided a great backdrop and just the look the filmmakers needed to create the fictitious island of Vilena. “Filming in Brazil is without question a challenging experience on many levels,” says Weldon, “but the architecture, the landscape with the fishing villages and jungles and the uniqueness of the people provided us a look we couldn’t find anywhere else.” And often it is the unpredictability of mother nature that presents the biggest challenge to a production. In Brazil it wasn’t unusual for a monsoon like downpour to whip up without notice, causing delays in production. Heat and humidity were also factors with temperatures often topping 110 degrees, with humidity almost as high. Those conditions are tough on the cast, crew and even the equipment.

It all paid off the night Sly, Jet, Jason, Randy and Terry, dressed in SWAT gab and heavily armed walked onto the set to shoot their first scene together. “I felt like I’d been invited into the League of Super Heroes,” laughs Crews. “I think everyone in the cast was a little star struck, including myself,” says Lundgren. “When you see us on screen together, I think you will see a little extra electricity.”

Brazil also provided Production Designer Franco Carbone with a facade that matched Stallone’s vision of General Garza’s palace. Carbone scouted hundreds of locations looking for a majestic piece of architecture before he settled on the 1920s chateau style mansion that serves as the centerpiece for Parque Lage, a public park situated at the base of the Corcovado, the mountain where the statue of Christ stands.

This beautiful park, with its English-style gardens and little lakes provided the perfect backdrop for Garza, the villainous dictator played by character actor, David Zayas.

After a month of shooting in Brazil and a two week hiatus, the company moved to New Orleans where filming commenced at the Louisiana Film Studios in Harahan.

“New Orleans is an interesting location,” explains Producer Avi Lerner. “It has culture, history and excellent talent to draw from. It was the perfect fit for us.”

As in Brazil, a majority of filming in New Orleans required practical locations.

And here too, the weather was a factor. While shooting at Fort McComb, a series of catacombs built in the early 1800’s and used by the Confederate army early in the Civil War before being taken over by the Union army, a 3-day torrential downpour flooded the location resulting in the loss of shooting days. In the end, New Orleans delivered what it promised, character and color.

Once filming began, it became clear that anything less than total commitment would not be enough. Everyone was acutely aware they had to follow the director’s lead, keep up the pace and get the job done. And they had to be flexible. “Sly is a visionary,” offers Producer John Thompson, “he doesn’t use shot lists. He decides what he wants to do on the day, which makes it a very fluid process. I have never seen somebody with that level of detail.” While Sly knows every shot down to the smallest detail, he is known to keep a lot of it in his head until it is ready to hatch. The cast and the crew had to be ready for anything. “In a way,” continues Thompson, “it became kind of a circus, where we were constantly juggling to ensure everyone was ready. It was a huge challenge.” For Randy Couture, one of the most interesting aspects of playing Toll Road was how in the moment Sly was when directing. “It’s not do as I say,” states Couture, “it’s this is where you are, this is how you feel and this is everything you are about.” “The payoff”, he adds, “it makes you a better actor.”

Stallone, who often used as many as five cameras and a steady-cam to fully capture the scope of the action sequences, relied on Director of Photography, Jeffrey Kimball, when determining the overall style and structure of the frame.

To choreograph and implement the complicated and often dangerous stunts, Sly brought in Supervising Stunt Coordinator Chad Stahelski. They had worked together on Rambo 4 and Stahelski understood Sly’s style of working and the importance of letting the action bring out the esthetic of a scene rather than just the violence of it. With action sequences that were varied and specific, Stahelsi needed to recruit stunt specialists from all over the United States. Once the style of action was determined, their job was to give the director options. “Sly is very creative on the day and very collaborative,” explains Stahelski, “so we try to show him what is possible while still keeping safety in mind. Then he chooses the direction he wants go in.” But Stahelski’s hardest job was saying no to some of the baddest guys in the business. A case in point, while filming the huge battle in the palace courtyard with The Expendables storming the palace, Terry Crews must navigate an enormous explosion and a ball of fire. Even though Crews was game to run into a ball of fire, Stahelski saw it as putting an actor in jeopardy for no reason. “The shot was spectacular without the potential for injury,” says Stahelski, “and once we explained that to him he understood. We didn’t compromise the shot and we didn’t put the actor in peril,” he adds. “It’s a win win situation.”

When Sly met with his stunt department to work out details for the scene with Barney and Christmas fleeing for their lives in a 1950’s Albatross seaplane he wanted to explore the idea of creating an action hero cinematic moment. “I suggested instead of just a fuel drop that we put Jason in the nose of the plane,” says Stallone, “and the room fell silent.” Stallone believed they could make it happen if Jason was game. When Stallone approached him about the idea, Jason immediately loved it. “Sly does all of his stunts and he really bashes himself senseless and bashes everybody around in a realistic, believable way,” states Statham, “and unless it comes across that way he doesn’t want to put it in the film... and that’s music to my ears.” After consulting with famed aerial coordinator Fred North, who assessed the plane’s mechanical and logistical capabilities, and after safety issues were addressed, Stallone was about to get his cinematic moment.

With several cameras rolling, Jason was safe-tied into the nose of the seaplane that flew a hundred feet in the air through billowing smoke and flames. “He was sensational,” beams Stallone, “I know he will underplay what he did but it was dangerous and he was very, very game”.

The scene could have been shot using ‘movie magic’ but Sly insisted on going back to a simpler time and called upon his actors to do most of their own stunts so the film did not become dependent on technology. “I wanted to shoot it with brains and brawn, not modern technology,” explains Stallone, known for his attention to detail and his aversion to over enhancing a scene with CGI. He wanted The Expendables to be all about keeping things as real as possible when it came to stunts. “He hates CGI and he uses very little of it,” says King emphatically. “Most of what you see on screen is real and the CGI is used as it should be, to enhance.”

An admitted adrenaline junkie, Stallone managed to save a little bit of the action for himself. As Christmas gets the plane airborne, Barney, pursued by Garza’s army, has no choice but to dive off a floating dock onto the ascending aircraft. With the plane throwing gusts of 30-40mph, Stallone was literally blown into a horizontal position. “I didn’t plan on it being quite as intense.” admits Stallone. “It turned into a very dangerous stunt.”

Not one to sit back and let the guys do all the work, Giselle Itie insisted on doing the disturbingly realistic water-boarding scene. She’s a purist,” says Stallone. “She definitely has her heart in action.” On the day it was shot, Itie spent hours lying prone on a board with a sponge and a towel over her mouth while water was poured down her throat. “We created an actual torture chamber,” says Kevin King. “It was a very claustrophobic set.” To prepare emotionally for the scene Itie did her homework. “I researched how it feels for the person being tortured because I wanted to understand the sensation of suffocating and the choking. I wanted to understand the emotions in that situation. It was a very exciting challenge and I couldn't wait to shoot it,” she adds with a smile.

The Expendables were all experts with various types of combat weapons so having the biggest and the baddest was a major concern for the director. In the AA-12 shotgun, labeled the most powerful weapon in the world by enthusiasts, Stallone found what he was looking for.

Designed in 1972 by Maxwell Atchisson specifically for the military, the AA-12 is an auto assault 12 gauge shotgun capable of delivering 300 rounds per minute. It also has tremendous versatility in terms of ammunition; everything from FRAG-12 High- Explosive rounds to titanium alloy heavy shot. It would become the weapon of choice for Hale Caesar played by Terry Crews, described by Stallone as “an untapped wealth of talent, muscle and sensitivity.

Although he had handled weapons before, Crews admits to being a little intimidated when it came to handling the AA-12. “The biggest thing for me,” says Crews, was learning how to respect the weapon. You have to be very, very, very careful just loading the bullets. That sucker was total overkill!”

Stallone made the ‘Arkansas toothpick’, a balanced and weighted heavy dagger as the weapon of choice for Lee Christmas. Designed for throwing with a blade anywhere from 12-20” long is carried in a holster across the back.

Stallone summed it all up when he said “I set out to make one of those films that comes along once in a great while by taking an old formula and making it contemporary.

I feel we accomplished that; I'm very, very happy with the film."

 

CAST & FILMMAKERS BIOS

SYLVESTER STALLONE has established worldwide recognition as an actor, writer and director since he played the title role in his own screenplay of Rocky, which won the Academy Award in 1976 for Best Picture.

Since that seminal motion picture, Rocky grew to a franchise of five sequels and in 2006 Stallone concluded the series with Rocky Balboa, a critical and audience success which resolutely confirmed both Stallone and Rocky as iconic cultural symbols.

In addition, to commemorate a character which has become as real as any living person to film-going audiences around the world, a statue of Rocky Balboa was placed at the foot of the now-famous steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum at a dedication ceremony presided over by the Mayor.

Recently, Stallone wrote, directed and starred in Rambo, which continued the saga of Vietnam vet John Rambo twenty five years after the debut of Rambo: First Blood. For this latest installment, Stallone took the company on location to the inner jungles of Burma basing the compelling story in a country where crimes against humanity, civil war and genocide have existed for over 60 years – and no one is doing anything about it.

Currently, he is working on his most ambitious project to date, the action thriller The Expendables¸ which he has written, directs and stars in, and for which he has hired an all star cast including Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Eric Roberts, Dolph Lungren and Steve Austin. Sly took the company on location to the interior of Brazil and the city streets of New Orleans, filming over just a few short months.

Born in New York City, Stallone attended school in suburban Philadelphia where he first started acting, and also became a star football player. He then spent two years instructing at the American College of Switzerland in Geneva.

Returning to the United States, he enrolled as a drama major at the University of Miami and also began to write. Stallone left college to pursue an acting career in New York City, but the jobs did not come easily. By 1973, Stallone had auditioned for almost every casting agent in New York and had gone on thousands of acting calls, with little success.

During this period, he turned more and more to writing, churning out numerous screenplays while waiting for his acting break. The opportunity first came in 1974 when he was cast as one of the leads in The Lords of Flatbush.

He also received his first writing credit for “additional dialogue” on this film.

With the money earned from that film, Stallone left New York for Hollywood. He again began to make the rounds of studios and casting agents, managing to get a few small roles in television and movies. He also continued to pursue writing.

Prize fighter Rocky Balboa was born and given life in a script Stallone wrote in longhand. Several producers offered to buy the screenplay, wanting to cast a name star in the title role, which Stallone insisted on playing himself.

Although his bank balance was barely $100, Stallone held fast with his perseverance finally paying off in a big way.

In addition to Rocky Balboa and Rambo, Stallone’s credits as actor/writer/director are Rocky II and Paradise Alley. As actor and co-writer, Stallone filmed F.I.S.T., First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rhinestone and Rambo III. He co-wrote, directed and produced Staying Alive and starred in Nighthawks, Victory, Tango & Cash and Lock Up. Rocky V, starring and written by Stallone and directed by John Avildsen, opened in 1990.

He also starred in Demolition Man, which set box-office records for it’s Fall 1993 release and in the films The Specialist, Assassins and Daylight.

Stallone starred in the challenging and unique role of Freddy Heflin, in the Miramax feature film Copland, which has garnered him further international critical and audience acclaim.

He had the starring role in Get Carter for Warner Brothers co-starring Michael Caine, which opened in the Fall of 2000. Stallone wrote and starred in the number one box office race-car thriller Driven, co-starring Burt Reynolds and Christian de la Fuente.

In addition, he filmed Avenging Angelo, co-starring Madeline Stowe. Both films were for the Warner Bros. Studios Stallone also starred in the role of The Toymaker for director Robert Rodriguez in the hit film Spy Kids 3, the final installment of that successful film franchise.

In addition, he was associated with The Contender, a powerful and actionpacked unscripted series which aired for the first season on the NBC Television Network and which now airs on ESPN.

Stallone is one of the founding partners in Planet Hollywood, the internationally famous chain of entertainment complexes, which includes the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

In 2002 Stallone was honored by the Video Dealers Software Association when he was presented with the “Action Star of the Millennium Award” at the Organization’s 21st Annual Convention.

JASON STATHAM was plucked from obscurity by Guy Ritchie who was looking to cast an unknown in the film “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” Statham went on to work with Ritchie again in “Snatch,” starring opposite Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro and “Revolver” with Mark Strong. In 2002, Luc Besson cast Statham in the title role of Frank Martin in “The Transporter.” The film was an international success that continued to grow in popularity with the sequels “Transporter 2” and the 2009 “Transporter 3.” In 2003 Statham starred in the summer blockbuster “The Italian Job” opposite Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg.

Statham went on to solidify himself as an action star in the massive underground cult film “Crank” where he plays the adrenaline-compromised action hero. Statham gained critical acclaim in the 2008 Roger Donaldson film “The Bank Job,” a true story of the 1971 Baker Street bank robbery. Statham other film credits include “The One” “Cellular”, “WAR”, “London” the remake of “Death Race” directed by Paul WS Anderson and “Crank 2”. This summer Statham will be seen alongside some of the world’s biggest actions stars in Sylvester Stallone’s highly anticipated “The Expendables.” He is currently filming opposite Clive Owen the action thriller “The Killer Elite”, based on Sir Ranulph Feinnes' bestselling novel.

JET LI Born in Beijing, Li began practicing Wushu (Chinese martial arts) at age eight. Three years later, he won his first national championship as a member of the Beijing Wushu Team and remained the All-Around National Champion from 1974 to 1979. Jet made history with his 1974 two-man fight performance at the White House for President Nixon, shortly after American diplomatic relations reopened with China.

During this time he also represented China through martial arts demonstrations in over 45 nations. At the pinnacle of the sport at age seventeen, he decided to begin a film career and his first film, Shaolin Temple, remains one of the most beloved films in China and around the world. The success of the film propelled Jet to a full-fledged Chinese movie star and national hero. The box office popularity of his subsequent 25 films secured his stardom in Asia. In 1998 Li moved on to Hollywood with the blockbuster Lethal Weapon 4 opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, directed by Richard Donner.

2008 saw Jet Li as the villain in the Universal feature “The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,” the 3rd installment of the hugely successful “The Mummy” franchise with co-star Brenden Fraser. Rob Cohen directed the feature which was filmed on location in China and Montreal.

The family film “The Forbidden Kingdom”, in which Li plays an ancient Chinese martial arts warrior with fellow martial arts expert Jackie Chan, also proved a huge hit with audiences worldwide.

2007 saw the release of Lionsgate’s action-packed thriller “War,” alongside costar Jason Statham. The Expendables will mark their thrd time working together. 

In 2006 he starred in the Focus Features biopic, “Fearless” directed by Ronni Yu. Li played Chinese Martial Arts legend Huo Yuanjia, who became the most famous fighter in all of China at the turn of the 20th Century.

An international celebrity, Li is a box office phenomenon on both sides of the Pacific. Recent Chinese-language films include acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s Hero (also starring Zhang Ziyi, Maggie Cheung, and Tony Leung and grossing 175 million world-wide) and Peter Chan’s The Warlords, for which Li won for Best Actor at the 2008 Hong Kong Film Awards. This was the first time in the awards’ history that a martial arts actor had received the award.

In 2004, while on vacation with his family in Maldives, Jet survived the Southeast Asian Tsunami. His survival gave Jet the courage to take the first step towards philanthropy and charity. Today Jet comes before us as a philanthropist and an NGO leader. Since establishing the Jet Li One Foundation in 2007 and putting all movie projects on hold for 2008, he has devoted his time and thought to creating a 21st century philanthropic business model centered around professionalism, transparency, impact, and sustainability in order to raise awareness for philanthropy and to promote individual social responsibility around the world. His achievements have been widely recognized by government, NGOs, and the business community within China and in the international community.

The Jet Li One Foundation believes that 1 person + 1 dollar +1 month = 1 big family. Says Li, “If each person donates one dollar each month, our individual donations will be transformed into a much greater fund. When we combine our charitable strength, we can make much greater impact to help those in need.” To participate in this cause, please visit www.onefoundation.cn.

DOLPH LUNDGREN was born and raised in an academic middle-class family in Stockholm, Sweden. Despite an early interest in playing the drums and clowning around in high school comedies, Dolph decided to follow in his father’s and older brother’s cerebral footsteps and pursue an engineering degree. After having completed his military service in the Swedish Marine Corps, Dolph enrolled in the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, studying the same subject as his older brother: Chemical Engineering. He attended both Washington State University and Clemson University in South Carolina, studying Chemistry. He graduated from The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, completing his Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering on an exchange program with the University of Sydney in Australia. Graduating at the head of his class, Dolph was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, one of the world’s top engineering schools.

That same year a young PhD student Dolph met exotic singer Grace Jones, fell in love and decided to move to New York City to take up modeling to make some extra cash. ‘A bit too muscular for a model’s size 40’, Dolph was to begin at MIT a few months later. On a friend’s advice: ‘Hey man, you look like you should be in the movies...’. So this is where it all began.

His motion picture debut came in the James Bond feature A View To A Kill in 1985. However, it was Dolph’s memorable performance in Rocky IV later that year that definitely got him noticed worldwide. After a nine-month audition process among 5,000 hopefuls, Dolph was cast by writer-director Sylvester Stallone as his fearsome Russian opponent, Captain Ivan Drago. Dolph grit his teeth and managed to build quite a career as an international action-hero and has since starred in more than thirty feature films.

Throughout the years, Dolph has always stayed close to the martial arts: ‘Karate and physical fitness have kept me reasonably sane in a very tough and sometimes inhuman business’. In 1997 Dolph was awarded his third degree black belt by the World Karate Organization in Tokyo. Dolph’s other athletic accomplishments include being the captain of the Swedish National Karate Team and the individual champion of the Swedish, European and Australian Heavyweight Full Contact Divisions. In addition to his Karate expertise, Dolph was selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee to serve as the Team Leader of the U.S. Olympic Pentathlon Team during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

As well as being a seasoned actor, Dolph has directed five feature films. His production company Thor Pictures is currently developing several project’s in which he will produce, star and direct. His latest directing project is a feature he co-wrote and directed, Command Performance produced by Avi Lerner and NuImage Films. ‘Years of experience in front of the camera does give me a certain edge in my favorite part of directing: working with the actors’, Dolph says.

Dolph is also a founding member of ‘Group of Eight’ an off-Broadway theatre group started in 1994. ‘I’m currently speaking to a Swedish director about doing stage in Sweden. It would be a first on two fronts: a full-length stage play and also in Swedish.

All my acting so far has been in English and performing in my native ‘emotional language’ would be very exciting’.

In February 2009 Dolph co-starred with fellow action star Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier - Regeneration, a sequel to the film that paired the two European actors in the 90’s. Last summer, Dolph also wrapped The Expendables -- a modern day Dirty Dozen action extravaganza written and directed by Sylvester Stallone.

‘It’s been terrific to work with Sly again and he has created very colorful character for me’, says Lundgren. ‘A real acting challenge’. In this film, slated for release this year, Dolph co-stars with Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Lee, Mickey Rourke and Randy Couture.

Shortly after Rocky IV, Dolph released his workout video, Maximum Potential.

He is currently working on a fitness book for men. In addition to the book, Dolph is also developing a personalized organic brand of vitamins and supplements, as well as a men’s skin care product line.

Dolph Lundgren is married to Anette Qviberg-Lundgren, an interior decorator and fashion stylist. The couple, along with their two daughters, currently resides in London and Marbella, Spain.


RANDY COUTURE recently starred opposite Jet Li, Jason Statham and Mickey Rourke in the 60 million film The Expendables for actor-director Sylvester Stallone. He will next star opposite Karl Urban in director Damien Lichenstein’s (3000 Miles To Graceland) 15 mil film Relentless.

Randy also starred in David Mamet’s Red Belt for Sony Classics followed by starring role in Universal’s The Scorpion King: The Akkadian. Additionally, Spike TV has been developing a one-hour drama for Randy to star in.

Randy’s autobiography Becoming The Natural came out earlier last year and was many times on the NY TIMES Bestseller List. Finally, Randy played a recurring character on CBS’ The Unit, with an episode specifically written for Randy recently airing.

Randy fought last year in front of a sold-out audience to regain his title as UFC HEAVYWIEGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD. At 44, Randy came out of retirement to shock the world by re-capturing the Heavyweight belt and proved beyond a doubt this weekend that the oldest fighter on the circuit was able to defeat the bigger, stronger, younger and odds-on favorite (Gabriel Gonzaga.) If Randy was an icon and poster-boy for the sport before as a 5 time World Champion and Hall-of-Famer, he is now a legend in what everyone agrees is the fastest growing sport. The highly anticipated event was a huge financial success earning more than 50 million on pay-per-view. Randy recently defended his title against Brock Lesner in what may have been the biggest pay-per-view event in the history of the UFC.


TERRY CREWS Former NFL football player, Terry Crews traded in his helmet and cleats to pursue an acting career and become the ultimate family man. He is now more commonly known for his natural wit and comedic timing in his family’s new hit BET reality series The Family Crews. The show premiered on February 21, 2010 bringing in 1.4 million viewers, which is a 144% increase in the timeslot compared to the same period last year. BET had also ordered a second season of the reality show.

Additionally, Terry is set to star in the TBS series Are We There Yet? produced by Ice Cube. Terry will reprise the roll that Ice Cube played in the hit Revolution Studios film of the same name. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the new sitcom, slated to premiere in June 2010.

Terry will next be seen on the big screen in the August 13th Lionsgate release of The Expendables starring opposite Sylvester Stallone and then in the actioner Middle Men starring with Luke Wilson and Kelsey Grammer for Paramount.

After retiring from the NFL in 1997, Terry pursued an acting career. A stint as TMoney on Battle Dome (modeled on American Gladiators) followed. In 2000, Crews made his big screen debut in The 6th Day. Since then he has landed roles in Serving Sara (2002), Friday After Next (2002), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Malibu's Most Wanted (2003), Starsky & Hutch (2004), Soul Plane (2004), White Chicks (2004), and the Mike Judge film, Idiocracy (2006). In The Longest Yard, Terry starred with Chris Rock, but on Everybody Hates Chris, Crews stars as the father, Julius, of a young Chris Rock.

Terry frequently plays buffed-looking characters with a humorous softer side, but more recently, he has been able to alternate with more serious projects such as his recent appearances in “Harsh Times,” “Inland Empire” and “Street Kings.”

Terry Crews was born in Flint, Michigan and attended Flint Southwestern Academy. He earned an Art Excellence Scholarship to attend the Interlochen Center for the Arts and then Western Michigan University. While completing his studies as an Art major, Terry was a key member of the WMU football team, where he earned allconference honors as a defensive end. Crews was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He carved out a career that lasted six seasons, including stints with the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. While in the NFL, Crews used his art talent by painting a line of NFL licensed lithographs for Sierra Sun Editions.

Terry lives in Los Angeles with his wife of nearly twenty years, Rebecca, a former beauty queen and Christian recording artist, and their five children.


MICKEY ROURKE most recently starred in Darren Aronofsky’s THE WRESTLER, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and wins for Best Actor for the Golden Globes, BAFTA and Independent Spirit Awards. The film was awarded the Gold Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Rourke’s performance in the film garnered widespread acclaim, typified by Variety’s words that Rourke "creates a galvanizing, humorous, deeply moving portrait that instantly takes [its] place among the great, iconic screen performances."

Rourke’s career is one marked by his ability to create riveting performances and to leave indelible impressions on audiences. His impressive list of feature credits include John Madden’s Killshot, Tony Scott’s Domino, Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City, Tony Scott’s Man On Fire, Larry Charles’ Masked And Anonymous, Robert Rodriguez’s Once Upon A Time In Mexico, Steve Buscemi’s Animal Factory, and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rainmaker. More than a mere celebrity, Rourke earned a place for himself in Hollywood with his stellar ability to leave audiences with indelible impressions in earlier films, including Michael Cimino’s Desperate Hours, Alan Parker’s Angel Heart, Mike Hodges’ A Prayer For The Dying, Adrian Lyne’s Nine 1/2 Weeks, Michael Cimino’s Year Of The Dragon, Stuart Rosenberg’s The Pope Of Greenwich Village, Barry Levinson’s Diner, Lawrence Kasdan’s Body Heat, Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate and Stephen Spielberg’s 1941.

Rourke is currently starring in the highly anticipated blockbuster sequel, IRON MAN 2 directed by Jon Favreau, where he stars opposite Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwenyth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson. He can next be seen in Sylvester Stallone’s action thriller The Expendables, opposite Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Jet Li.

Rourke recently completed shooting Passion Play directed by Mitch Glazer where he stars opposite Megan Fox and is presently shooting the Greek mythology epic Immortals directed by Tarsem.


BRUCE WILLIS has demonstrated incredible versatility in a career that has included such diverse characterizations as the prizefighter in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994 Palme D’Or winner at Cannes), the philandering contractor in Robert Benton’s Nobody’s Fool, the heroic time traveler in Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys, the traumatized Vietnam veteran in Norman Jewison’s In Country, the compassionate child psychologist in M. Night Shyamalan’s Oscar-nominated The Sixth Sense (for which he won the People’s Choice Award) and his signature role, Detective John McClane, in the Die Hard quadrilogy.

Following studies at Montclair State College’s prestigious theater program, the New Jersey native honed his craft in several stage plays and countless television commercials, before landing the leading role in Sam Shepard’s 1984 stage drama “Fool for Love,” a run which lasted for 100 performances off-Broadway.

Willis next won international stardom and several acting awards, including Emmy and Golden Globe honors, for his starring role as private eye David Addison in the hit TV series Moonlighting, winning the role over 3,000 other contenders. At the same time, He made his motion picture debut opposite Kim Basinger in Blake Edwards’ romantic comedy Blind Date.

In 1988, he originated the role of John McClane in the blockbuster film, Die Hard, one of the highest-grossing releases of the year. He later reprised the character in three sequels-Die Hard: Die Harder (1990), Die Hard: With A Vengeance (1995’s global boxoffice champ) and Live Free, Die Hard (one of the box-office hits of summer 2007)

His wide array of film roles includes collaborations with such respected filmmakers as Michael Bay (Armageddon), M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable), Alan Rudolph (Mortal Thoughts, Breakfast of Champions), Walter Hill (Last Man Standing), Robert Benton (Billy Bathgate, Nobody’s Fool,), Rob Reiner (The Story of Us), Ed Zwick (The Siege), Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), Barry Levinson (Bandits, What Just Happened), Robert Zemeckis (Death Becomes Her) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Grind House) .

Other motion picture credits include The Jackal, Mercury Rising, Hart’s War, The Whole Nine Yards (and its sequel The Whole Ten Yards), The Kid, Tears of the Sun, Hostage, 16 Blocks, Alpha Dog, Lucky Number Slevin and Perfect Stranger. He also voiced the character of the wise-cracking infant, Mikey, in Look Who’s Talking and Look Who’s Talking Too as well as the lead character RJ & Spike in the animated hit features Over the Hedge and Rugrats Go Wild!

Willis was most recently seen on the big screen opposite Tracey Morgan in the Kevin Smith directed action/comedy feature Cop Out. He has completed production on the feature film RED opposite Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich, and will soon begin shooting the action feature Kane and Lynch with Jamie Foxx.

In addition to his work before the cameras, Willis produced Hostage and The Whole Nine Yards and executive produced Breakfast of Champions, adapted from Kurt Vonnegut’s best-selling novel. With brother David Willis and business partner Stephen Eads, he co-founded Willis Brothers Films, a film production company based in Los Angeles.

Willis also maintains a hand in the theater. In 1997, he co-founded A Company of Fools, a non-profit theater troupe committed to developing and sustaining stage work in the Wood River Valley of Idaho, and throughout the U.S. He starred in and directed a staging of Sam Shepard’s dark comedy True West at the Liberty Theater in Hailey, Idaho. The play, which depicts the troubled relationship between two brothers, was aired on Showtime and dedicated to Willis’ late brother Robert.

An accomplished musician as well, Willis recorded the 1986 Motown album The Return of Bruno, which went platinum and contained the No. 5 Billboard hit “Respect Yourself.” Three years later, he recorded a second album If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger. In 2002, he launched a U.S. club tour with his musical group, Bruce Willis and the Blues Band and he traveled to Iraq to play for U.S. service men.

 

GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER The world knows Arnold Schwarzenegger as a famous bodybuilder and a Hollywood action hero, but he is also a successful businessman, generous philanthropist and California's 38th Governor.

Governor Schwarzenegger's most notable accomplishments in his first six years in office include the nation-leading Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 - a bipartisan agreement to combat global warming by reducing California's greenhouse gas emissions - and overhauling the state's workers' compensation system - cutting costs by more than 35 percent. In addition, Governor Schwarzenegger is the first governor in decades to make major investments in improving California's aging infrastructure through his Strategic Growth Plan, helping to reduce congestion and clean the air. He established the Hydrogen Highway and Million Solar Roofs Plan, continuing his leadership in creating a greener environment. In November 2009, more than three years of leadership by Governor Schwarzenegger culminated with the passage of the Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010.

As Governor, he has been California's most effective marketing tool, traveling across the country and around the world promoting California-grown products, cuttingedge technologies and the state's diverse travel destinations. In addition, using his background as an internationally recognized athlete, Governor Schwarzenegger has made restoring health and fitness a top priority. He signed legislation making the state's school nutrition standards the most progressive in the nation and continues to promote healthy habits by taking harmful trans fats out of California restaurants and ensuring nutritional information is available to diners. To improve classrooms across the state and ensure that all California’s students have access to the world-class education they need to grow, thrive and succeed, Governor Schwarzenegger has led the reform to make California competitive for up to $700 million in federal Race to the Top funds.

Additionally, since he took office, Governor Schwarzenegger has worked to reform California's fiscal policies, create a better business environment, reduce burdens on employment, boost exports and stimulate job growth. Through the end of 2007, California's Gross State Product had grown by 29 percent since the governor took office in 2003.

This world-famous athlete and actor was born in Austria in 1947, and at 20 became the youngest person ever to win the Mr. Universe title. He came to America shortly after, winning an unprecedented 12 more world bodybuilding titles. Challenging both his body and mind, he earned a college degree from the University of Wisconsin and became a U.S. citizen in 1983. Three years later, he married broadcast journalist Maria Shriver.

Governor Schwarzenegger's most gratifying accomplishments are rooted in public service - committing his time, energy and personal finances to charitable organizations around the world. He and Maria have remained closely involved in Special Olympics, an organization founded by Maria's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

He was named Special Olympics International Weight Training Coach in 1979 and serves as a Global Ambassador.

Recognizing his passion for helping kids, in 1990 former President George Bush appointed Governor Schwarzenegger Chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, in which capacity he traveled all 50 states and recognized the overwhelming need for more after-school alternatives. He also served as Chair of the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under Governor Pete Wilson.

Governor Schwarzenegger has committed himself to promoting physical education and after-school programs. In 2002, his support for Proposition 49, the After- School Education & Safety Act, led it to overwhelming victory. As Governor, he has aggressively worked to increase after-school funding, making California the first state in the nation to significantly invest in a comprehensive after-school program.

His many accomplishments have earned him the praise of numerous organizations, including the Simon Wiesenthal Center's "National Leadership Award" for his support of the organization's Holocaust studies. Schwarzenegger was the only actor to be in both categories of the American Film Institute’s Hundred Years of Heroes and Villains. In 2002, Schwarzenegger was given the esteemed honor of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, presented to him by Ali, a longtime friend and sports mentor.

Governor Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver have four children - Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher.


KEVIN KING TEMPLETON’s (Producer) career has led him to work with such acclaimed acting heavyweights as Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Mickey Rourke, Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn; producing such films as Rambo IV, Rocky Balboa, Copland, Get Carter and executive producing Driven and Avenging Angelo.

Working the last 20 years making films at Rogue Marble Productions, Sylvester Stallone's production company, King-Templeton found his forte in the action genre. His films have taken him to all points of the globe including; the jungles, remote fishing villages and iconic vistas of Brazil; the jungles of Thailand under the watchful eye of the nearby dictatorial Burmese government; Canada’s Whistler’s Mountain in the dead of winter; the Death Valley; the streets of Philadelphia, New York and Miami; and under the glittering lights of Las Vegas.

As a producer King-Templeton has also overseen some of the most astounding action sequences in film history including; the high octane scenes in Renny Harlin’s Driven; James Mangold’s Copland, Stallone’s Rambo IV and Rocky Balboa; as well as his early work on Rob Cohen’s Daylight.

For television, King-Templeton developed and produced a pilot for Paramount Television and CBS called Father Lefty.

In February of 2008, King-Templeton received the LA-Italia Award for Best Producer for Rocky Balboa at the 3rd annual Los Angeles Italian Film, Fashion, and Art Festival.

The English born King-Templeton has also served as vice president of marketing for "Pop Star" Magazine.

With over 250 films to his credit, AVI LERNER (Producer), Co-chairman of Nu Image / Millennium Films, is one of the most experienced producers and distributors of independent films in the international motion picture industry.

Born and raised in Israel, Lerner’s career in the film business began as the manager of Israel’s first drive-in cinema. He acquired a chain of movie theaters while simultaneously producing several low-budget features. He anticipated the explosion of home video rental in l979 and pioneered the largest specialized video distribution company in Israel, becoming a partner in the largest theatrical distribution company in Israel.

In 1984, he was executive producer in Zimbabwe of the remake of King Solomon’s Mines and the sequel Alan Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold. He sold his Israeli company and relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he founded the Nu Metro Entertainment Group. He went on to own and operate theaters, a video distribution division representing top studios and independent companies, and a production arm that made over 60 features in Zimbabwe and South Africa which were distributed worldwide by major studios.

Lerner’s next professional moves were to sell Nu Metro and to join MGM United Artists while still producing movies. A year later, he moved to Los Angeles where he founded Nu Image with Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short and Danny Lerner. A string of successful films followed until Nu Image developed and maintained an enviable reputation as a producer and distributor of high quality, low budget action pictures for the international and domestic markets.

In 1996 Nu Image formed Millennium Films to address the market’s growing need for quality theatrical films and higher budget action features, while Nu Image continued to cater to the lucrative international home-video market. Between the two divisions, over 230 films have been produced since 1992,

Under the Millennium label, Lerner has produced numerous titles, including Lonely Hearts starring John Travolta, Black Dahlia with Hilary Swank, 16 Blocks starring Bruce Willis, 88 Minutes starring Al Pacino, The Contract with Morgan Freeman, Rambo IV directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone and Righteous Kill starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Upcoming releases include Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables.

Nu Image/Millennium Films currently develop, finance, produce and distribute approximately 15-18 pictures a year with budgets ranging from three to sixty million dollars, shooting in locations around the world.