Köppel trifft Action-Legende Steven Seagal: Der Hollywood-Star über Putin, die USA und den Krieg

00:00:06: Mr.

00:00:07: Stephen Sigal, welcome to our program!

00:00:11: Welcome to Weltwoche!

00:00:12: Thank you so much.

00:00:14: How is your current state of mind in these crazy times?

00:00:21: Well let's see... You used the word a moment ago melancholy.

00:00:24: it's uh A little bit depressing for most people In this sense that Not only in Ukraine but in Gaza So many People are dying And in many ways they're needlessly dying.

00:00:41: This is something that's tremendously unfortunate and heartbreaking, whether we are talking about the Palestinians in Gaza or the way the State of Israel and Netanyahu just trying to annihilate an entire race... What's happening in Ukraine, which is much more complicated?

00:01:09: It it's all war and war.

00:01:11: Is a terrible thing?

00:01:13: And War is avoidable.

00:01:18: Sometimes it's unavoidable end.

00:01:21: So you know as a diplomat my main Desire-in life is to be able to set up the situation where I can at least bring people To the table to have fair dialogue as to their point of view, and I believe through diplomacy peace can be reached.

00:01:44: You're a man many lives.

00:01:46: you are an action movie legend one the greatest living Aikido teachers correct me if i say something wrong.

00:01:56: your blues guitar player or a diplomat.

00:02:01: What actually if someone asks you what is your profession?

00:02:05: What would you answer?

00:02:06: how will you describe yourself

00:02:09: simple country boy Simple country bomb.

00:02:13: Just, you know I mean i think that the most important Title for me as diplomat because we have The survival of a human race at stake

00:02:29: Will come

00:02:30: and thats really really very important.

00:02:33: I mean, we are on a very dangerous point at the moment.

00:02:38: We come to that but first you see the background pictures here in this studio.

00:02:46: It's now one day after the fourth of July twenty six The two hundred and fiftieth birthday.

00:02:53: You're an icon also of cinema Very patriotic movies That you did in the nineties And later.

00:03:03: What is your personal feeling or what's the personal feeling on the force of july?

00:03:08: The twenty two hundred fiftieth birthday after United States.

00:03:10: What is still great about the united states of america?

00:03:15: really, the people because People are people all over the world and The thing that makes the world great in nations great Are the people and things that can not always but can ruin a nation are the governments and the politicians.

00:03:36: And to me, politicians and diplomats are completely different because diplomats really human beings that are devoted to the possibility of people being able come together you know give their views in try-to work things out whereas politicians or in general whether they're taking money here not in there almost always our trying to set up a situation where their view in their way, no matter how they have to do it.

00:04:07: And if you look at the House, The Senate and Congress... ...the White House of America right now there's for the first time in a long time the obvious kind of infusion almost criminal influence on Israel.

00:04:35: And this for me is also tremendously unfortunate because This is not the view of the people of America.

00:04:46: The People Of America want to believe in the Constitution, they wanna believe their right To be able to represent Their government through their representatives Which Is Not Happening Right Now.

00:05:01: What Is Your personal inner feeling if you look at the Statue of Liberty today?

00:05:07: Well, I mean...you know.

00:05:08: You looked at it as a gift and that is something which became sort-of dreamlike vision for so many people talking about, you know welcoming the weary and poor.

00:05:30: And people who wanted to come into America To be able to free a part of freedom.

00:05:40: Certainly it is an image that has all those amazing beautiful dream like words.

00:05:51: However... It's right now not What it used to be and I mean We have a situation where we are in you know, in the Hindu world.

00:06:04: You would say Caliuga.

00:06:06: It's its the most degenerate of times.

00:06:09: And But in Buddhism we really believe in.

00:06:14: Well not just believing.

00:06:15: we are you know almost saying that the one thing that is certain Is impermanence?

00:06:21: Just because America is struggling right now having a lot of hard times in terms of government and representation, more than anything the great divide between people.

00:06:40: The people are really divided.

00:06:42: just because it's like that now doesn't mean we'll stay like that.

00:06:46: In essence real meaning impermanence has to do with fact.

00:06:52: nothing stays same

00:06:53: forever.

00:06:54: so

00:06:55: I believe things, I want to be optimistic and believe that yeah we may get into a situation where it's worse than ever.

00:07:05: We may even go in to World War III because right now we are you know of few seconds on the doomsday clock...we're closer than ever!

00:07:17: We will talk about this especially how to prevent probably the most patriotic American movies.

00:07:28: But also as a figure, an icon always critical about authority and non-conformist kind of actor but always very patriotic.

00:07:41: What happened since then?

00:07:44: today?

00:07:44: When?

00:07:45: what happened to your America?

00:07:47: What happened to The United States?

00:07:49: how did you somehow lose This?

00:07:53: come to you now living in Russia.

00:07:55: You're not leaving the United States anymore.

00:07:57: What happened there?

00:07:58: Well, I'm not gonna say that have lost America and if i want To be a diplomat And I wanna Be dealing with The president of the united states and President Putin and you know working With them diligently on how I can bring the two countries together.

00:08:15: I'm Not Gonna Say I've Lost America.

00:08:18: I just believe That right Now As I said earlier, we are in the most degenerate of times.

00:08:25: In America have been sort-of hijacked by Israel and Israel wants war.

00:08:31: there they They... And The Middle East is very important place for world peace.

00:08:38: so I just think everybody has to you know kind of take pause and try To understand altruism and understand that Everybody has a position and you always have to kind of look at life through other people's eyes, try take it from there.

00:08:58: To really see if they're the way that bring them together.

00:09:04: You are about release new documentary movie which deals with these issues With The War in Ukraine, The war on Middle East.

00:09:13: I mean its like Abyss Of Madness.

00:09:16: we seeing their.

00:09:17: and please allow me before we touch that subject, to talk a bit about your amazing life.

00:09:25: Because I think it's extremely important.

00:09:27: people who have achieved the lot have experienced a lot And you're also teacher.

00:09:32: You tell by example what you did and what you've experienced.

00:09:38: If you allow.

00:09:40: Let us just start at beginning.

00:09:42: You said you are country boy Michigan Lansing In a family, what was the most important lesson of your childhood?

00:09:52: What did your parents tell you about matters in life.

00:09:57: Well my father is quite a philosophical guy and he had all these.

00:10:03: You know...in Japanese we would say koto-waza meaning These phrases that were supposed to teach us a lot about our lives.

00:10:14: But I think it's very important.

00:10:16: My father tried to teach me was, always find that which is in front of you somewhere.

00:10:25: To be grateful for.

00:10:27: You know?

00:10:28: That nothing has ever all lost.

00:10:32: it's not like that and I mean a country boy would say something.

00:10:37: even an old blind rooster hits the corn once or while.

00:10:40: he probably didn't understand what i just said.

00:10:44: Well, even an old blind rooster hits a piece of corn once in awhile.

00:10:49: So it means you know We all have to understand that we can't always Have everything our way But we can always find something To be grateful for.

00:11:01: is he true?

00:11:01: That you were I rather frail boy that you had asthma and difficulties like that?

00:11:06: i did have Asma as a child And I was very thin up until my thirties.

00:11:13: And then this move to Japan with Seventeen from Lansing, Michigan.

00:11:19: You go to Japan.

00:11:21: ten years later you have your own Aikido school, Aikidodojo.

00:11:26: how do you pronounce it?

00:11:27: Dojo right.

00:11:28: How did that happen?

00:11:32: well there's a lot of rumors and One are the rumors which is kind of a hilarious rumor.

00:11:38: but if you want to talk about me I was always completely mystified and sometimes found it tremendously hilarious.

00:11:51: the amount of jealousy around me in that kind of jealousy would then generate stories.

00:11:59: I married a young Japanese girl, And... The rumor was That her father Was a great Aikido master!

00:12:09: He owned this dojo.

00:12:14: Well, I was teaching in Tokyo before i went to Osaka and My ex-wife or wife at the time Almost never met her father because he died.

00:12:27: I don't know if it's from alcoholism But they may have been but he died when she was four years old five years also.

00:12:35: this Was you know a complete line of crap.

00:12:42: What do mean?

00:12:42: At The same Time I started teaching Osaka.

00:12:50: And, you know...I was asked to teach because of a dispute-a land dispute where certain people had lost their land which also had dojo on it and able take back the land in this dispute.

00:13:10: And then I started teaching there.

00:13:16: You know, at that time did become the first...I don't if it's in the last years to say the first and last but The First Non-Japanese In History of Japan To Teach Martial Arts in Japan.

00:13:34: At That Time

00:13:35: How Did you open the doors?

00:13:37: Because Japan is supposed to be a society which probably not so open to foreigners.

00:13:43: It was a time when the second world war, American Japanese tensions were there in society?

00:13:51: You're smart guy!

00:13:53: Most people don't know that because they look at Japan the way it is now.

00:13:57: The Japanese are some of the most ethnocentric people back then and I don't want to use this term racist Because...I don't like the term but There were thousand times back then where I was treated very, very differently because that wasn't Japanese.

00:14:16: Even though I spoke Japanese better than I spoke English it didn't really matter.

00:14:21: and there were a thousand times when... ...I wasn't allowed into place or allowed with certain people.

00:14:28: you know?

00:14:28: It's a very unique time!

00:14:32: I can remember walking around the countryside back then in early days.. ..where people would look at me saying wow look There's a foreigner.

00:14:41: They'd never seen a non-Japanese before, so... So

00:14:44: what was your secret of success?

00:14:46: How did you make it?

00:14:49: Perseverance and determination

00:14:52: And then the fascination of martial arts.

00:14:54: I mean people.

00:14:55: if you say the name Steven Seagal they'll say oh this is action movie A guy from the cinema on the big screen.

00:15:01: but i think in your life Martial Arts not only as kind of physical exercise or physical art It's more, it is a spiritual thing.

00:15:13: And what have you learned?

00:15:14: What has he taught to about life... ...about power and self-restrainting in that Japanese part of your life?

00:15:23: Well

00:15:23: all the above I mean..I said this yesterday In my mind.

00:15:31: now unfortunately all my teachers are past except one Karate master who still alive.

00:15:36: but In my mind everything that I have learned, Everything That i own.

00:15:44: Everything that I Have Every Morsel of Knowledge or Wisdom Or Power Determination or Perseverance.

00:15:52: Everything That I have!

00:15:53: I believe...I gained in Japan from the Ardors Training and My Teachers.

00:16:00: And how did it change you personally?

00:16:04: How Did It Shape Your Character?

00:16:08: Well, you know Many of us and including yourself possibly many of us have been put in a situation where The influence around this has set up the situation to make our existence in certain Circumstance impossible.

00:16:30: And I think one of the most important lessons that I learned was you can't break me.

00:16:39: And with the little bit of perseverance that I have, The little bit determination and insanity in terms never giving up allowed to be able to break through this wall Of culture where... You know i finally started gain respect from a lot of people and I mean in the beginning by virtue to fact that no foreigners were teaching The Japanese.

00:17:15: there would be frequently many times People from all walks of life primarily, Japanese whether they were gangsters or want-to-be tough guys Or black belts from other dojos.

00:17:30: Would come to my dojo And they would try to do something called Dojo Yaburi, which means that it will come and try to request a fight with me in the Dojo in front of all students.

00:17:47: It could be a fight for death because this is an extreme emotional content historically involved among some people.

00:18:01: I had to fight a lot of people and uh, i Had a wife at the time in kids.

00:18:08: At The Time And so i felt every time i'm gonna live Or they're Gonna die or if They don't Die?

00:18:19: There are going To be unconscious and everybody's Going to know that.

00:18:23: i Know A little bit about what i'm doing

00:18:26: on the other side.

00:18:27: I think it was at that time when you got acquainted to Buddhism, which seems to me the exact opposite.

00:18:32: Buddhism is the absolute... You could say religion or state of mind, peace and harmony.

00:18:38: How does this go together?

00:18:40: This fighting existence with Buddhist inspiration.

00:18:45: If we look at Bodhidharma who many people said were the one Who brought Kung Fu into the Shaolin monks And the buddhist monk in China whether he did that completely or didn't, I can tell you there were many great Zen masters and Buddhist masters who felt the mind in their body are sacred.

00:19:13: And we as practitioners of arts have not only right but obligation to protect our sacred bodies and our sacred minds, the bodies & minds of our brothers & sisters.

00:19:32: Did you find your inner peace back then as a young man or were you a striving ambitious capable young guy who wanted to conquer the world?

00:19:47: Yeah it was more like that.

00:19:49: I never found inner peace at that time.

00:19:55: more of a wild man, you know those days trying to.

00:19:58: And then and then he got back to the United States.

00:20:02: somehow You ended up in Hollywood which is probably that the biggest shark pond on Earth?

00:20:09: True!

00:20:10: And you were teacher also an Aikido Teacher.

00:20:13: right at The West Coast.

00:20:15: there was one very famous pupil certain Michael Ovitz who Was One Of The Most Powerful People in Hollywood and he saw you.

00:20:26: He had the idea, this guy Steven Seagal nobody knows him!

00:20:31: He has potential to be a hero star on screen.

00:20:37: how did that happen?

00:20:38: How did this surreal reality enter your life?

00:20:43: let me tell the real story there because I don't really know whether i'm allowed to use profanity.

00:20:52: There are so many wannabe bitches in the world who love to make up stories.

00:20:59: And one of the stories that these wannabe bitches made was that Michael Ovid's got together with all his buddies and they decided, you know... They wanted something really interesting!

00:21:11: So Michael said I will take the biggest idiot jack-off asshole in the World.

00:21:19: and he did it.

00:21:21: Well, guess what?

00:21:22: It wasn't like that at all.

00:21:24: What it was really liked... ...was I was very happy teaching Bouquet the martial arts and they came to me and said... ..."What you're doing is

00:21:35: fascinating.".

00:21:35: There's nobody out there who can do what you can do!

00:21:40: And Michael was one of the folks who said that to me.

00:21:42: he said..."I want you to meet Terry

00:21:44: Semmel!".

00:21:44: I say,"Who's Terry

00:21:45: Semmell?".

00:21:47: He says, "'Terry Semmel' Is The Head Of Warner Brothers".

00:21:50: And I said, why would i want to meet him?

00:21:52: He says you know come and meet him.

00:21:55: In fact Why don't you do a demonstration for Warner Brothers?

00:21:59: because My technique was very violent.

00:22:03: It's wild and violent at the end of those.

00:22:06: No almost nobody.

00:22:07: there is one other person Almost Nobody doing like you liked that.

00:22:11: so...I went to Warner Brothers did a Demonstration.

00:22:15: it Was Wild and Harry.

00:22:18: and uh...Harry Summel said hey Can I talk to

00:22:23: you?".

00:22:24: And i said, sure and went to his office.

00:22:26: This might have been the next day.

00:22:27: he said here's six screenplays.

00:22:31: pick one of them.

00:22:32: read it picket let make some movies together.

00:22:36: well never really acted.

00:22:38: that is okay.

00:22:39: Bruce Lee was not a great actor either.

00:22:43: And the difference is, we'll give you money.

00:22:45: We will give your stories.

00:22:47: because in all of Bruce Lee's movies... ...we didn't really think there were so many stories and it would be great screenplays.

00:22:58: So I read them on and said to Terry Summers that they don't like any of these.

00:23:09: What was your recommendation?

00:23:10: Because he really wanted work with him.

00:23:13: And I said, I have a story about the Iran Contras in this whole deal where the CIA is funding certain things to fund wars and stuff like that.

00:23:25: So I'd like to write

00:23:27: that.".

00:23:29: They said are you a writer?

00:23:30: Said yeah i can right...and they said okay well there's writing strike writer strike coming up.

00:23:39: so I want And I said, who's that?

00:23:43: And they say Ronnie Shea said and Steven Pressfield.

00:23:48: They had just done a total recall or something like that.

00:23:51: That was great!

00:23:52: We met them got along with him together.

00:23:55: we wrote Above

00:23:55: the Law.

00:23:57: You have been catapulted to start in lightning speed... Or light-speed.

00:24:04: you were I think thirty six at this time.

00:24:07: You never did theater but came out of Nowhere, basically.

00:24:13: And you were on top immediately.

00:24:15: I think your first film was like above the law.

00:24:18: You made twenty million with a very modest budget.

00:24:24: How one has to imagine that?

00:24:26: how is it possible?

00:24:27: Your were just natural on screen Just felt comfortable in front of camera.

00:24:32: What's the mystery secret That could survive pressure chamber in this highly competitive environment.

00:24:44: Yeah, highly competitive is a good description and I mean with me.

00:24:49: you know it wasn't really that...I didn't understand the formula that i thought could create my success as much in Hollywood was really the jealousy.

00:25:05: And, you know we talked about this yesterday I almost have never known any actor that has a friend who's also an actor because they all want to eat each other or most of them.

00:25:18: but at least thats what it is back then.

00:25:19: and so with me once.

00:25:25: That's where I looked at it.

00:25:26: This is a mission and i'm gonna be very, very disciplined And figure out the formula of being able to execute this in such A way that gives them what they want.

00:25:40: What was your vision back then for the screen?

00:25:42: What kind of movie hero Did you wanna be after the eighties with Schwarzenegger With all these muscle guys?

00:25:50: You were rather slim.

00:25:55: Martial arts inspired what was like the iconic image you shaped your screen persona?

00:26:02: I wanted to make the martial arts real and look real.

00:26:07: And one of the ways that iIwas able To do, That Was... I told You my Doja were.

00:26:12: we Were wild people.

00:26:14: when they would test for black belt with me Everybody get a tooth knocked out an arm broken.

00:26:18: i mean We okay we were

00:26:20: rough

00:26:21: and so The way i made My stuff Look Real was not by using Hollywood stuntmen, it was by using my own black belts.

00:26:30: And people said back then wow this shit really looks real.

00:26:35: and I think that is what made me.

00:26:38: Also the combination just so under siege which your biggest hit.

00:26:43: And there you are this Stoic warrior.

00:26:46: You play a cook on the USS Missouri, The famous ship in Pearl Harbor and it gets hijacked by a group of lunatics.

00:26:55: You know, single-handedly get more or less you back the ship.

00:26:59: But it's also this stoicism... ...you have on screen in one hand and then on the other end.. ..you are exploding into these fights especially at the end.

00:27:09: so this stoic quality I think was something new back there on the screen.

00:27:14: Do you agree?

00:27:16: Yeah!

00:27:16: And i think that helped me.

00:27:20: having some folks from that movie Also very talented and working with great actors was a great joy for me, it really helped.

00:27:33: Working with Tommy Lee Jones on that movie not only fun but rewarding he brings to the table

00:27:43: When you are a movie star.

00:27:45: we have discussed this before.

00:27:47: I think This is also a drug.

00:27:49: fame can be terrible addiction.

00:27:54: How did you cope with what was happening to you?

00:27:58: There's this sudden rise, too extreme stardom.

00:28:01: This is tremendously embarrassing when I'm about say and as embarrassed as am the tell-the truth... there may have been a thousand reasons why i wasn't a drug addict in a drinker smoking marijuana all these other things but the biggest thing I wanted to be the best martial artist in the world.

00:28:27: And, I want it.

00:28:28: make my teachers proud of me and keep upping a bar getting my technique deeper and cracking more these spiritual riddles then... ...and getting my techniques better and better.. ..and wanting that good.

00:28:45: i knew would never ever have the chance to do that if I started, you know drinking and smoking.

00:28:52: And

00:28:56: what is interesting or good thing about fame?

00:28:59: What's the bad thing of fame?

00:29:03: Well i said this yesterday again... ...I think it's painful for me to say when first came into Hollywood never really saw Thesbians.

00:29:28: And you would think that's got to be the land of Thespians.

00:29:33: I mostly saw people who needed to be adored and I could see that just right away.

00:29:44: Wow, That person has this deep Seated need-to-be-adored a need to be admired detriment to those folks.

00:30:00: So for me, I wanted to set up a situation where... ...I could work with people who really want to say something.

00:30:12: that had to do with skill and building the skillset out of that answer.

00:30:18: And what have you learned about yourself in this whole Hollywood experience?

00:30:22: What was the essence?

00:30:24: I hate to see it, and i'm not going use the verbiage that I want because its extremely vulgar.

00:30:32: but uh...I don't care.

00:30:35: And I didn't care at this time.

00:30:36: I mean- I didn

00:30:37: t care if somebody loves me or accepts me Or thinks im great.. I figured I would do the best I could If wasn't good enough , I knew what was meant perform and practice,

00:30:50: I mean they're martial arts.

00:30:51: There are many people out there that have certain stardom in their eyes when Hollywood doesn't call anymore the ups-and-downs of a career and tragic sad figures who don't come over it... You had also your ups and downs with your moviemaking career.

00:31:09: how did you cope?

00:31:11: Everybody wants to know you.

00:31:13: everybody adores any kind of problem scoping with that?

00:31:20: The mistakes I made, they turned into problems were that...I never thought oh i'm getting bigger and bigger.

00:31:28: And im a big star.

00:31:31: look at what can do to the power I have..the biggest mistake is I tried too many people.

00:31:38: I tryed build orphanages , I tried help hospitals Donate huge sums of money to children with cancer and I did all this without anybody even knowing And that you know got rid of most of my money quickly.

00:31:56: So, when i would go down?

00:31:57: because everybody has ups and downs.

00:31:59: When?

00:31:59: Would go Down?

00:32:01: I was You Know in moments where I would just have To do crappy movies With crappy people Because I needed to pay the bill.

00:32:10: so but At this point, as you know I'm not really doing movies.

00:32:16: I may do some movies again but... Again i don't care about me.

00:32:24: doing a movie is much as if I did a movie and didn't want to be good one.

00:32:29: And If I Don't then I wanna continue to teach in performing practice the martial arts maybe music?

00:32:41: That's another thing not many people know.

00:32:44: You are an extremely accomplished blues guitar player, you have a collection of Blues guitars and you're really expert in this field as well.

00:32:57: I mean Another aspect your personality.

00:33:02: Yeah what is the essence there?

00:33:08: What it means to you?

00:33:10: Well, the meaning of blues is to be able to story-tell stories and tell stories about your life.

00:33:21: And I can remember sitting on a porch with many these old great blues legends in Detroit for example because most of them came from Detroit car factories.

00:33:42: and you know The old black eyes back in day wanted to get out of the cotton fields, you know And the coal mines and that stuff.

00:33:51: So I can remember sitting with those guys and Loving the sound of that blues and wanting to learn it.

00:33:58: then my mother bought me a Silver tone guitar and I started learning how to play that.

00:34:03: and It's just there something that gets into your blood when you really Understand the blues and love the blues.

00:34:12: And so One of the things I understood was Blues isn't about watch how fast i can play like it Was in rock-and-roll, and all that stuff with The hair into fancy clothes?

00:34:26: It wasn't none Of That.

00:34:29: Blues was About telling a story.

00:34:31: there's About Telling A Story of Pain In Hardship and Suffering and History that can never be whitewashed away.

00:34:44: I remember a thousand times sitting with BB King and him telling me stories where he'd have both of us crying because they were just so powerful.

00:34:53: I

00:34:55: mean, it's the sadness of blues but also the triumph of survival.

00:34:59: Right?

00:34:59: Of coping with it!

00:35:01: It is not just being sad or desperate... ...it´s the opposite.

00:35:06: That´s overcoming Yes.

00:35:10: And then we are entering now in this thrill ride of your life.

00:35:16: We're coming closer to the present.

00:35:21: It´s Russia.

00:35:22: Suddenly, Stephen Sikhal is seen with the Russian president Vladimir Putin.

00:35:31: Please tell us how did this come all about?

00:35:34: Well I don't know...I'm a little bit not a genius when it comes to numbers and times.

00:35:45: I dunno was fifteen years ago or what i really can remember twenty years ago.

00:35:50: But a long time ago, I was in Russia and I was at an event.

00:35:55: And somebody walked up to me.

00:35:56: he said you see that van behind us?

00:36:00: And i said yeah.

00:36:01: He said That van is gonna be going somewhere.

00:36:05: You might want to get into the van.

00:36:07: There's someone who wants to meet you.

00:36:11: Uh...he's a lover of martial arts..and knows how much you love the martial art And I knew what we were talking about.

00:36:18: I said sure great there are couple other people on this van And I went there and the first thing I noticed as soon as I entered The President's house was a life-size statue of Kanojiguro, the founder of Judo.

00:36:34: So I knew oh wow!

00:36:36: Then you know he put me next to him...I sat next to them when we talked.

00:36:40: That was at beginning with great friendship.

00:36:43: What is your first impression?

00:36:46: Kind polite humble thoughtful

00:36:52: discontinued your friends, you're

00:36:55: close.

00:36:55: Continued as friends for a long time.

00:36:59: You've become citizen of Russia?

00:37:01: Yes

00:37:02: He gave you personally a passport

00:37:04: Yeah I don't know if it's true but i think he may be the only one that ive ever seen with his own hand

00:37:13: and also the Serbian Passport.

00:37:17: Serbian was really about A group of friends that I had, who wanted to create a whole business model.

00:37:28: And so for the business... ...that i started doing.. ..I did it for awhile

00:37:36: and then you received also an order?

00:37:39: You're part of the diplomatic service as you told Russia.

00:37:43: Of course your critics in the west say well if you receive an order from russia That means somehow hijacked as a propagandist.

00:37:53: What is your honest answer to these suspicions and this rumors?

00:38:01: Real men, real women know in their heart when they feel something or believe it.

00:38:09: I believe in diplomacy... ...I believe that i can make the difference And I don't know the difference between truth & lie.

00:38:22: Diplomacy is the art of understanding, it's also the art communication.

00:38:28: What do Westerners or Americans get wrong about Putin and Russia?

00:38:37: Well I mean you know depends on what side you're in.

00:38:40: there are one side of Americans who... The truth wouldn't really matter.

00:38:49: You know like i heard one journalist once say You know, I know that this is a lie but i'm not going to let the lie spoil the story.

00:38:58: And so A lot of people who are on one side in America and Europe really have swallowed The bait hook line and sinker Of the concept that Russia Is the boogeyman In wars the greatest business.

00:39:19: We Have To continue to have a boogeyman in order to propagate this perpetual war.

00:39:29: Without Perpetual War, we won't have the kind of trillions dollars that were making all time.

00:39:35: and then there's other side folks who Have a propensity for finding out the truth And know that you know All these warmongering things are really therefore control and money in power, you know that's a different story.

00:39:59: You know as I say my movie we should not be controlled by banks or bankers.

00:40:07: We shouldn't have been controlled by families.

00:40:10: We should not being controlled by the military industrial complex.

00:40:14: Those are NOT the entities that should control with people.

00:40:18: How did President Putin explain to YOU personally?

00:40:22: In a private talk when you're sitting in front of fire or wherever, what did he say to you?

00:40:31: Stephen why this war is Ukraine.

00:40:34: Has he ever explained from his personal perspective What's going on?

00:40:42: I'm there as student To learn and understand how things have happened.

00:40:50: He's at such a level where he doesn't have to explain anything.

00:40:54: I mean, we are in the fifth year now of this escalation.

00:40:58: In twenty-twenty two you spoke about it.

00:41:01: You spoke also about the Crimea history back in two thousand and fourteen.

00:41:07: if We change the perspective If A mother an Ukrainian mother would sit in The studio just lost his son What Would you say To that Ukrainian Mother?

00:41:22: That we are people and We our People who love each other?

00:41:30: And care about each Other, and I would mourn for her son as i would For any child because to me all children or my Children

00:41:41: she will probably blame president putin Who say he is responsible your friend Is responsible for that war.

00:41:48: tell Your friends putting.

00:41:49: He should stop in a minute.

00:41:51: what Would you Say?

00:41:55: Well, I would start out by saying it's not that simple and That you know if you want to get into pointing fingers in Trying to shine a light on different areas.

00:42:07: They will give you an answer.

00:42:11: There is A trillion places to shine the light but keep in mind You Know we.

00:42:16: In two thousand fourteen the CIA created a clue in Kyiv and that's what really was the beginning of this snowball effect.

00:42:31: That turned war into greater war, I mean like i say you know when that happened.

00:42:39: every single day they were shelling and bombing Donbass and Lugans and they'd killed about fourteen thousand Russians because there are Russians that lived here.

00:42:54: Fourteen thousand Russians before President Putin said, you know what?

00:42:58: I've asked to stop this.

00:43:00: You're not going to stop it And i have an obligation To protect my people.

00:43:06: So That was one piece of the beginning Of how this happened.

00:43:12: We now very close at the dangerous.

00:43:15: we were in middle of a dangerous escalation But I shy a bit away from these terrible things.

00:43:26: If you look at the world leaders involved in this war, Trump could say as the distant American Zelensky president of Ukraine...

00:43:36: Is he President?

00:43:38: He's still constitutionally president but..

00:43:42: Oh!

00:43:42: I didn't know that he was still President.

00:43:44: Okay, then President Putin and you look at these three guys with the eye of the Aikido teacher.

00:43:52: You'll get their composure... ...you're looking to balance them how they

00:43:59: are

00:44:00: behaving in public sphere.

00:44:03: what is your assessment?

00:44:05: What do you say about each one?

00:44:07: Well I think that president Putin's greatest world leader we have.

00:44:13: That's my humble opinion, and I have the right to an opinion.

00:44:18: Uh...I think that Zelensky is not really any different than he was when he started out.

00:44:26: Mm-hmm?

00:44:27: That means...?

00:44:28: He's an actor!

00:44:31: And uh...President Trump you know..he has his own style....and his style keeps evolving.

00:44:44: Do You Think The Trump Is Still The man who could solve this whole problem in Ukraine.

00:44:53: I don't think there's any one man that can solve this problem, i think he could be an integral part of coming together with other elements That could end the war yeah?

00:45:05: I

00:45:07: mean we are... This war is as I said it's a very dangerous moment and also my concerns.

00:45:14: We're really especially in Europe.

00:45:16: people aren't aware how this all can escalate, there are a lot of mutual misunderstandings around.

00:45:25: you have made now.

00:45:26: You've just finished.

00:45:27: we saw together your movie.

00:45:30: the final countdown could say it's an apocalyptic movie And with a hopeful ending, what would you say is the core message of this documentary?

00:45:43: You did very keenly.

00:45:44: You talked to a lot of political commentators, political actors, analysts... ...you did a lot historical research.

00:45:53: and what's that core message?

00:45:55: and why do they do it in this movie?

00:45:57: The core messages?

00:46:00: This is a movie and story about the survival of mankind.

00:46:06: And I'm doing this because, I love mankind... ...I love God.. I love people!

00:46:11: ..and i want us to all understand that we are part of same family.

00:46:20: If you would describe the situation in your view Why is it so extremely dangerous at the moment?

00:46:28: And why should people wake up, especially in Europe and United States of America.

00:46:35: That's one question you're going to ask me or ask that I can't answer because it baffles beyond belief really... ...to try to figure out

00:46:49: how

00:46:51: am i sick and British intelligence How the people in Poland, how the people of Germany continue to feed weapons into Ukraine conflict and set up a situation where they're able send missiles or rockets deeper into Russia knowing full well that if they keep doing this will escalate.

00:47:21: into a full-scale world war.

00:47:26: On the other hand, when I talk to Germans and Europeans from different countries they tell me well what should we do?

00:47:35: We cannot just let

00:47:36: Russians... Do nothing!

00:47:38: That's what they should do.

00:47:40: Do nothing, and this probably could end fairly quickly.

00:47:43: We don't need Germany to start sending us... ...sending weapons you know?

00:47:48: To be used in the conflict.

00:47:50: we don't pull them into do that!

00:47:53: And if they would just do NOTHING.. ..we'd have a much better chance of ending it right away.

00:47:59: Have you ever told Putin to stop the war to say please

00:48:02: Vladimir?!

00:48:04: We HAVE TO CALL IT OFF because the others are so crazy.

00:48:08: If the Russian side continues, The whole world will blow up.

00:48:12: Did you ever have a conversation like this?

00:48:15: No because I look at him as someone who knows much more than i do when it comes to the circumstance... ...I mean of course work for him but.. Looked he is great guru and strategic master so I would never make any recommendation Like that Tim!

00:48:37: It's very hard to say what is happening behind the Kremlin walls, it's difficult for me as a foreigner flying into Russia building an impression.

00:48:48: How do you sense the atmosphere in this country right now?

00:48:51: I'm reading a lot.

00:48:52: there are also tiredness about war and people getting nervous that pressure on president escalates.

00:49:02: he still seems.

00:49:03: keep his cool.

00:49:05: Can you explain a little bit how you witnessed this situation, the atmosphere?

00:49:11: The mood in Russia.

00:49:14: I mean my humble opinion... ...the Russians are some of the most patriotic Stoic people on earth.

00:49:23: They feel that we're an existential threat right now from what's going and if they don't end In the right way, there will be no Russia.

00:49:37: And so in my opinion There would be No possibility that Russia Will capitulate or give up?

00:49:45: Or lose an anyway shape of form.

00:49:48: I just think they all understand That this is what's at stake and You know They're not going to Give Up until We can have a situation where there's no more NATO expansion, No more NATO surrounding Russia and trying to choke Russia to death.

00:50:12: Why did the Americans do this NATO expansion?

00:50:16: What was behind it... They wanted to push Russia down.

00:50:19: they want to destroy Russia.

00:50:20: what is the agenda?

00:50:23: or they wanted make money?

00:50:25: Well as I said war is greatest business.

00:50:36: How close are we to World War III at the moment?

00:50:39: Very close.

00:50:41: Do you think that Russians will answer the escalations of Zelensky into Moscow, into St Petersburg... ...that they'll attack with their rockets and missiles in European cities?

00:50:58: They're about to do it!

00:50:59: I think there's a verge for this happening.

00:51:04: Are you still in contact with American friends?

00:51:07: are You talking to Americans.

00:51:09: Yes, what are they telling you

00:51:11: that They don't want the war.

00:51:14: they Don't want anything.

00:51:14: just do it

00:51:15: and

00:51:16: press see as I forgive me for interrupting

00:51:18: so sorry.

00:51:19: As i mentioned earlier The industrial military complex is almost In control of all this in America And Wars the greatest business.

00:51:33: when you have A country that's run by the bankers, run by industrial military complex and run by these families.

00:51:43: Figure it out!

00:51:44: But we had one silver lining on the horizon.

00:51:47: I know i belong to very few Europeans who say they will probably cut off my head expressing this.

00:51:54: but for me...I thought Donald Trump This unconventional American, this non-conformist president who came out not of the establishment of politics.

00:52:07: I mean he's a rich guy but is not from the political establishment.

00:52:11: and He said The first thing i gonna do?

00:52:15: I will end This senseless war in Ukraine.

00:52:19: And that felt in Russia at the time when Trump was elected for the second Time.

00:52:23: there Was really A wave Of hope And you could see it even with President Putin congratulating him.

00:52:31: There was the perspective that Americans and Russians, they somehow solved a problem.

00:52:36: but along the way... ...it got derailed!

00:52:39: It somehow went out.... It didn't happen in peace.

00:52:44: What went wrong according to you?

00:52:46: This Trump not still one of the last best hopes we have in this terrible

00:52:53: situation.

00:52:53: I just gave you an answer.

00:52:55: I'll repeat myself.

00:52:56: The military industrial complex, the families and the banks they are taking control And...they're not going to let this stop unless they are

00:53:10: forced.

00:53:10: Well call me a hopeless Swiss optimist but i disagree.

00:53:15: I think the American president had power If he gave you phone calls if he said Steven come back to United States Help me to find the solution with Russia.

00:53:26: Let's make a movie together.

00:53:28: let's distribute your movie in The United States To show the craziness of all the things you just mentioned.

00:53:36: Would you take the call?

00:53:37: would he go back?

00:53:39: Happiest man on earth to work on that diplomatic mission.

00:53:42: Mm-hmm happy Really,

00:53:45: but at the moment are you desperate?

00:53:48: when you look at the situation do you think somehow God or a benign force will save humanity from itself?

00:53:58: Well, God is the greatest.

00:54:00: So if we were to be saved it would certainly by God's grace.

00:54:05: Your movie The Final Countdown Is very engaging.

00:54:09: It´s very passionate.

00:54:10: Its very provocative.

00:54:13: its also an accusation of the west Of military industrial complex.

00:54:21: One can say basically a bit the Russian version of interpretation, of things.

00:54:28: Is it also... ...the personal Steven Seagal version?

00:54:33: is that your heart speaking in that movie or is it also a service to your friend Vladimir Putin?

00:54:40: No!

00:54:41: It's me.

00:54:42: Yeah These are the things I believe.

00:54:48: And when will you come out and release it?

00:54:50: Probably

00:54:51: next four-five weeks

00:54:54: Has Russia, what can Russia do to prevent the world from blowing up?

00:55:03: That's another one of those questions I can't answer.

00:55:06: So that is two.

00:55:08: Well you have to find an answer because if we are surrounded by crazy guys or people in a war kind of escalation, it's the people of culture or you know so-called outsiders.

00:55:23: Let me try to give you some lip service.

00:55:26: then.

00:55:26: I think there are only a few bad actors in the world.

00:55:30: most of the other actors want peace because they realize that The alternative is death.

00:55:38: So what that really means?

00:55:40: Is that when you have a situation where If you're lucky, some of the powerful good actors can get together.

00:55:52: When I say good actors... I mean someone like Xi Jinping who doesn't really.

00:55:57: he's not a war monger.

00:55:58: He is not out there trying to attack and take over the world.

00:56:03: if The Good Actors Can Get Together Four or Five Six Seven Of Them And Strategically Outsmart The Bad Actors by doing things that change the balance of power, then we could stop this.

00:56:23: What's the role of culture?

00:56:25: what is the role sports in bringing back peace?

00:56:28: Well I mean anything can do it.

00:56:30: as i said to you yesterday To me music is a language for God and its only language.

00:56:38: all people in world can hear and understand, relate to.

00:56:44: And so whether it's music or sports or art they are all the children of God in their own methods that bring us together.

00:56:53: What keeps you personally from despairing?

00:56:59: You have made a film.

00:57:00: now this documentary.

00:57:03: It opens your view into the abyss of the apocalyptic scenarios.

00:57:09: How do you keep your optimism, your inner peace?

00:57:15: Well the alternative is not very appealing.

00:57:21: I do get unhappy and depressed about some of what's going on from time to time but... ...I try also have a positive attitude that this isn't the end for human race.

00:57:39: You have huge family Is that correct?

00:57:41: Seven kids, four wives.

00:57:45: What does family mean to you?

00:57:47: what is the importance of family in your life?

00:57:52: Family's everything.

00:57:55: families are most important

00:57:56: thing... What would Your children say about Steven Seagal?

00:58:04: but no interviewer has ever found out But You have your In contact with your Children Of course.

00:58:17: How do they see you?

00:58:19: Well, I think most of them are quite proud to me.

00:58:21: What do they admire in you?

00:58:23: what is the quality You have that they most cherish in you?

00:58:26: well i mean i think That's a very unfair question for you.

00:58:30: ask Me because i'm not willing To sit here and say anything great about myself but i would imagine if you were paying attention during The interview some Of the qualities that i've told you Are near and dear to me or things my children also see In me.

00:58:48: What would you say is the deepest conviction?

00:58:52: You have that hasn't changed throughout your whole life.

00:58:59: That good will triumph over evil and The only reason why Evil can exist as when Good men sit there, do nothing.

00:59:09: And I think that we...the people who really believe in God In higher form.

00:59:19: We have to keep on fighting because right now I look at this almost as a war of good against evil,

00:59:26: you know You believe in God.

00:59:29: Yes but your skeptical about religion Yeah, could explain that?

00:59:35: I think the most religions are kind of a Financial and political Institute You know whereas To me they're real.

00:59:49: The real essence of goodness under God are those people who have that belief and believe in doing good, helping others.

01:00:03: Living a good life is really the essence of a good religion rather than...

01:00:12: In his famous book War and Peace Leon Tolstoy in the third book.

01:00:18: What like this philosophical final chapter he reflects on the Napoleonic Wars and then this whole craziness in the in the nineteenth century.

01:00:29: And he comes up with a very interesting thought.

01:00:32: He says Well, actually not to.

01:00:36: leaders of these countries are in charge.

01:00:39: It's not Napoleon it's not Tsar Alexander.

01:00:43: These guys are riding The Tiger of their peoples.

01:00:48: And what they are doing is somehow the product of the accumulated sum, all individual wills.

01:00:58: and when human race or human beings want to wage war then suddenly You know, the wave abs and it's all gone.

01:01:11: Nobody remembers why did we have these wars?

01:01:15: If I look at the world today... ...I see China, I see so-called Global South,... ...the United States of America, Russia, Ukraine, Europe.... And people are desperate to cooperate!

01:01:34: They think that they're in a state of absurdity!

01:01:38: How can it be that on a world where we are doomed to cooperate, also to save the planet?

01:01:46: To watch our whole environment doesn't go to hell.

01:01:50: I mean how could this happen if there were wars and conflicts?

01:01:56: This is for me actually positive message.

01:02:00: The billions of people, nobody wants wars.

01:02:04: Is that the force of good?

01:02:05: That at end of day will prevail?

01:02:09: That's way I choose to look at it.

01:02:11: So final countdown might end like in Under Siege where you managed

01:02:18: To

01:02:19: call off Tomahawk missiles In last seconds.

01:02:23: is your scenario also a bit for real life?

01:02:32: trying to believe in, yeah.

01:02:34: You have three passports.

01:02:35: I mentioned it before American Russian and Serbian.

01:02:41: now apologies for this violent question but if you had to burn two which one would you keep?

01:02:49: Oh i'm not gonna answer that!

01:02:51: I am a diplomat And im going to remain a diplomate.

01:02:54: Okay...I try find out when the cameras are off.

01:03:02: What should our audience, what should our viewers know about you?

01:03:09: that I haven't asked and probably no other interviewer has ever asked?

01:03:14: Is there some aspect or hidden truth about Stephen Segal which is important to convey now when we have not touched upon.

01:03:27: That's a tough question answer!

01:03:31: The way i'll respond by saying I think we are all, you know at this kind of crucible where there's moment of truth in the world were never been closer to World War three.

01:03:45: We've never been close or two.

01:03:47: You Know The end-of-the-world because We had six mass extinctions mm-hmm

01:03:57: that

01:03:58: we're on just the crest of this seventh mass extinction.

01:04:07: We, each and every one us have a responsibility to start at most basic point with our neighbors ,with friends or enemies And really try very hard To set an example how we can overcome.

01:04:27: As I said you've had many lives.

01:04:30: You're now seventy four years old.

01:04:33: Well, you look younger but still... You can't beat age.

01:04:38: It marches on.

01:04:42: So there comes the question of the end-of-the line.

01:04:44: somehow it comes into picture.

01:04:49: What's your attitude towards death?

01:04:55: The final frontier?

01:04:59: I hope i can die having done much more than have been able to do so for I hope i can leave with having helped the world a lot more realize peace and oneness.

01:05:18: And help my family, and help my friends...I Hope when I leave then I can have left The World A Much Better Place Than It Is Now.

01:05:28: Do you Have Any Regrets or any Advice to Your Younger Self?

01:05:35: Well..i made alot of mistakes as a young man.

01:05:39: The only advice that I could give myself is think harder and be more careful before you step.

01:05:51: You know a lot of very powerful people, influential people who have played in iconic Hollywood movies with the best actors there are around.

01:06:05: but at end-of-the day if your all alone What counts is probably what your children remember you for.

01:06:17: How do you want to be remembered by?

01:06:20: Your children

01:06:23: as someone who made a difference?

01:06:28: Steven Seagal many thanks For this conversation.

01:06:32: It's a privilege and honor my honor.

01:06:37: God bless you, sir.

01:06:38: Thank You very much And let's work for peace.

01:06:43: Let's use everything we have to keep the world from exploding.

01:06:47: Thank you very much, sir!