Steven Seagal became an adult very quickly, leaving his home country before his 18th birthday. Since then, the 6ft 4 actor, musician, and cop(!) has done it all, becoming a film star as well as a martial arts master. But though it might seem like Seagal’s life has only been one of happiness and prosperity, he has endured several rough periods as well. Today, he might look pretty unfamiliar to you. Here’s all you need to know about Steven Seagal – and why he’s gone from the spotlight.

Steven Seagal was born on April 10, 1952, in Lansing, Michigan. His mother, Patricia, worked as a medical technician and his father, Samuel, was a high school mathematics teacher. Steven Seagal – early life At a young age, Seagal was very interested in music. He oftentimes listened to the blues, which would influence him all his life. “I got my first guitar when I was 12,” he explained. “The blues got into my blood, you know. I started to imitate them and tried to learn from them.” Not only was Seagal interested in the art of music, but he was also very interested in martial arts, and it was actually a lie that first took him down the path of karate. At the age of 5, his family moved to Fullerton, California. Now, Steven Seagal had asthma and was very frail as a child. “He was a puny kid back then. But he really thrived after the move,” his mom told People of her son’s childhood. Seagal reportedly lied about his age to get a job as a dishwasher at a restaurant. The chef, who knew karate, thought Seagal was very swift on his feet and decided to teach him. Following studies at the local high school, Seagal decided to leave the US at the age of 17. He moved to Japan in 1968 to teach English and further practice martial arts.