Published: March 09, 2009 12:39 AM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
JC Sports Exclusive:
Matthew Mullins
Matthew Mullins
Matthew Mullins was inspired at an early age to become the successful martial artist that he is today. The five-time martial arts world champion and 4th degree Black Belt knows the sacrifice that it takes to get to where he is at now. He also knows that living one's dream is one of the important fulfillments that one person can achieve. Matthew is also an established actor with several successful projects under his resume including his current acting gig as Len/Kamen Rider Wing Knight in the CW4Kids's Saturday morning series Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. In this exclusive interview with our Webzine, we get up close and personal with Matthew. Enjoy this spotlight.
Isaac: Hi Matthew, I wanted to first thank you for taking the time from your extremely busy schedule to complete this interview. You were born and raised in Naperville, Illinois. Elaborate a little about your upbringing.
Matthew: Thanks for having me Isaac, I was actually born in Euclid Ohio, lived in Long Island New York for 6 years then moved to Naperville IL until I was 19 and then moved to LA.
Isaac: You are a five-time martial arts world champion. Have you always wanted to become a martial artist? Describe what key factor determined your current path?
Matthew: For reasons I will never understand, I always wanted to do martial arts. I think it might have had something to do with watching The Karate Kid and Ninja Turtles, but I always wanted to do it. Before I joined, I would always be making swords and nun-chucks out of whatever I could find. The only thing I ever was for Halloween was a ninja or a Jedi. My parents finally got the clue when I started buying martial art books at school book fairs and then I began training. I did not have any natural ability in martial arts, but I worked hard, I trained all of the time, and I excelled very quickly. I earned my black belt and my first world title in four years.
Isaac: I read in your online bio that you won your first WKA title in Dublin, Ireland in 1997 at the age of sixteen. After winning that title in Dublin, what were your thoughts running through your head? Did you feel that this win helped secure your desire to want to compete in this sport?
Matthew: I was already a hooked competitor before my first WKA title, but after winning my first title, I wanted to get better and take my skill further then anyone else. I began to try other divisions, fight more and really push myself in every area I could.
Isaac: You have a 4th degree Black belt in the style Shorei-Ryu. What type of discipline you had to endure to get to this level of achievement?
Matthew: The black belt test in my school was the most difficult test I have ever done. You train for that black belt test your whole martial art career, but the last six months before are really tough. On the day of the test, it was intimidating walking into a room with 30 black belts who were ready to put me through the ringer. Many times during the six hour test I did not think I was going to make it physically or mentally, but I kept going. I came out of the test stronger and I really felt that if I could make it through a test like that, nothing could stop me.
Isaac: You trained under martial arts instructor John Sharkey at Sharkey's Karate Studio in Naperville, Illinois. What were some of the valuable lessons that you learned while training under Sharkey?
Matthew: I am who I am because of Sensei Sharkey. I was so lucky to be in his school. Sensei Sharkey had seen the true evolution of American Martial Arts. He was around the dojo wars of Chicago and the commercialization of martial arts schools, and through it all and even today his lessons are simple and truthful. He lives what he teaches, and is the most humble bad ass you will ever meet.
Isaac: When you met Mike Chaturantabut, the two you created a new martial arts style. This style also prompted the Discovery Channel to produce a documentary calledXMA: Extreme Martial Arts. Could elaborate a little about this style of martial arts and the documentary?
Matthew: Mike and I both came up under Sensei Sharkey. Mike was 5 years my elder and he actually helped train me as I was coming up through the ranks. I always looked up to Mike. His work ethic and discipline was unmatched. In XMA:Extreme Martial arts, the program took a closer look at the bio mechanics of martial arts and followed a new trend which is mainly a performance style of martial arts.
Isaac: You are also gaining popularity as an actor. I read in your bio that you have appeared in national commercials for Motorola, America Online, Applebee's, Nike and Pepsi. You have also starred in such films as Kung Fu Love Triangle, Bloodfist 2050, and The Adventures of Johnny Tao. How has appearing in these featured films and national commercials helped your desire to become an actor?
Matthew: Ironically, I started acting before I started martial arts. I always loved performing, and I did a lot of different theatre productions when I was a kid. I was hooked. After working on so many different projects, I can't imagine doing anything else.
Isaac: What do you think is the most difficult part about being an actor in particular an action star?
Matthew: For me, the hardest part of being an actor is refining what I do. I still take class an
d study and coach to improve my skills. I want to be as amazing of an actor as I am as an action star.
Isaac: What is the most rewarding aspect about performing in front of the camera?
Matthew: It is so much fun to work on a set, I think the best days are when everything is moving fast and the collaborative vibe is flowing. The challenging days are when you never think you will make all the shots in the day, and everyone kicks it into high gear. It is like a football team trying to score the game winning touch down on one position. Some of my best and most creative works have come on the fly like that.
Isaac: Let's talk your new project Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. Could you elaborate a little about the show?
Matthew: Kamen Rider Dragon Knight follows the story of Kit Taylor who is searching for his missing father. In the process, he finds an Advent deck and this gives him the power to turns into a Kamen Rider. My character Len is the last of the original Kamen Riders, and he is trying to defeat a war lord from taking over earth. Kit and Len team up to take on Xaviax and the rest of the evil Kamen Riders to try to save the world.
Isaac: How did you come about the role of Len/Kamen Rider Wing Knight?
Matthew: I have been in LA for a few years auditioning and I heard about the casting for the show. I had never heard of Kamen Rider, and once I started researching the show, I became very excited about the lineage and history of the show. I worked really hard on the audition, and I was cast in the show. I have been so fortunate to have gotten the role. It has been the most rewarding experience so far in LA.
Isaac: What has been your favorite moment on the show so far?
Matthew: I think one of my favorite moments in the show so far comes a little later in the series. There is an action sequence with the Kamen Rider Ax and Spear. It was really a fun cross between action, acting and special FX. I have a few other favs, but unfortunately they will be show spoilers. Ask again in a few months!
Isaac: It is 10 years later. Where do you see Matthew Mullins at?
Matthew: 10 years from now I see myself working in huge budget action films, producing my own projects and still teaching the next generation of world champions.
Isaac: Final words from Matthew Mullins...
Matthew: I hope to be an inspiration to everyone that had to fight to make their way. I was not the most talented or the best looking or the smartest guy, but I had the most heart. I believe if you constantly work to improve and never give up, you will be successful in every area of your life. I also hope all of the fans enjoy Kamen Rider as much as we did working on it. We all busted our butts to make sure we paid homage to the amazing lineage that is Kamen Rider!
Kamen Rider Dragon Knight
CW4Kids
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