Steven F. Seagal (pron-ens?????l; born April 10, 1952) is an American (United States) action movie actor, producer (Film producer), writer, martial artist, guitarist, and deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan (Dan rank) black belt (Black belt (martial arts)) in aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an aikido instructor in Japan. He became the first foreigner to operate an aikido dojo in Japan. He later moved to the Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California), California, area where he made his film debut in 1988 in Above the Law (Above the Law (film)). Since then, Seagal has become a major action star, mainly due to his films of the 1990s, such as Under Siege (1992) and Under Siege 2 (1995), where he played Navy SEALs counter-terrorist expert Casey Ryback. In total, his movies have earned in excess of $923 million worldwide.

Seagal is also a recording artist and guitarist and the founder of Steven Seagal Enterprises. In addition to his professional achievements, he is also known as an environmentalist (environmentalism), an animal rights activist and a supporter of the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, and the Tibetan independence movement.