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“He Hired Me 3 Different Times”: After Not Taking “Silly” Role in a Steven Seagal Movie, Michael Jai White Opens Up on Brutal Criticism and Apology From Hollywood Legend

Published 06/06/2023, 2:06 PM EDT

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Michael Jai White has been making headlines with his DJVlad interviews. Since their first interview, the duo has always set the stage for some startling revelations and intriguing insights. The actor recently also opened up about the weight bully problem in the MMA world – and it took many by surprise. With yet another interview coming out, this time White has shunned some bizarre remarks aimed at him by his former producer/director, Steven Seagal.

The ‘Never Back Down’ actor is revered for his contributions to the MMA community. Thus, it seems ironic that anyone – let alone his own director, takes any dig at him for his accolades. But it turns out that Seagal had tried to berate White in an interview. Why? Well, it seems that the duo have not been on healthy terms since their last meeting in Thailand. Touching on this, White had a lot to say in a recent DJVLAD interview.

White’s response to bad blood with Steven Seagal

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In a recent interview with DJVLAD, the interviewer brought up some old stories of bad blood between the actor and Steven Seagal, a Hollywood legend. Vlad mentioned an interview where Seagal had questioned White’s toughness and martial arts skills, saying, “Can I laugh in your face? Do I think Michael Jai White is a tough guy? No. Do I think he’s a martial artist? No.”

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White took the opportunity to respond to Steven’s harsh comments. Speaking to the interviewer, White mocked the berating remarks, saying that he felt Seagal had just aided in embarrassing himself in public.

White reasoned out that Seagal had hired him three times previously. He retorted back to the mean remarks, adding, “He – I felt like Steven embarrassed himself… because – I mean Steven hired me three different times himself.”

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They worked together on Nissan Supra ads for Japan, where White was a choreographer. Seagal personally offered him a role in the movie “Deadly Ground,” although White found it ‘silly’ and declined. They also acted together in “Exit Wounds.” Therefore it came as a surprise to White, when he heard about these bitter comments.

White even shared an interesting twist to the story. He revealed that Seagal apologized to him face-to-face in Thailand, during the shooting of “Triple Threat.” Although White didn’t recall the exact year, he asserted that it happened quite a few years ago.

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Seems like despite their past clashes, White and Seagal have managed to find some common ground and move forward from the disagreement. The MMA community will continue to admire White for his contributions, regardless of Seagal’s opinions.

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Written by:

Ashish Tiwari

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Ashish is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. With an unwavering love for the sport, he immerses himself in the thrilling world of MMA, capturing the essence of each high-octane fight and delving into the intricacies of a fighter's strategy. His in-depth knowledge and analytical approach enable him to provide unique insights into the sport.
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Edited by:

Sherjeel Malik