Wirral martial artist Lee Charles makes his mark on the big screen

Feb 26 2013 by Tina Miles, Liverpool Echo

He said: “I trained at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and my martial arts instructor Benny Urquidez was one of Hollywood’s top fighters.

“I am a mad film fanatic. Benny opened doors for me and I owe a lot to Brian McKinney, who has trained me since I was six.

“To have chased a dream for so many years and have that realisation you are finally achieving that dream is overwhelming.

“I am a big fan of Scott Adkins so I felt very humble to be in a movie with him. He thanked me for working with him, which was weird.”

Lee, who now lives in Heswall, said: “I did a few movies years ago with John Cusack, but it was always as a stuntman. I also did fight choreography for films and music videos but my passion was to get into acting.

“I had a few years off to let people forget I was a stuntman, they came looking for me, I did Green Street and it snowballed from there.”

Green Street Hooligans, directed by James Nunn, was shot in London at the end of last year and will be released this autumn.

The film tells the story of a football hooligan-turned-martial arts fighter who returns to his old ways to avenge the death of his brother.

I Am Soldier follows a young man’s quest to join the ranks of the SAS, despite a parachute accident jeopardising his chances.