Paulo Tocha: From Hong Kong to Hollywood (2013)

Ce champion de Muay-thaï a été le héros de quelques-uns des plus beaux nanars de ninja. Mais pour lui, ces films ratés sont une bénédiction : sans eux, il n'aurait jamais incarné Paco, l'ennemi juré de Jean-Claude Van Damme dans Bloodsport. Un rôle qui lui a permis d'approcher la crème des réalisateurs et de vivre son rêve. Mais survivre à Hollywood sera sans doute le plus difficile de ses combats. In May 2013, we went to L.A. to meet this Muay-thaï champion, who took his chance in Hollywood after having played in cheesy ninja flicks in Hong Kong in the early eighties. He later played Paco in Bloodsport, where he fought against Jean-Claude Van Damme. He since worked with several famous directors such as Michael Mann (in a commercial) or Kathryn Bigelow (he's one of the 4 guys in the notorious long opening shot, in Strange Days). Paulo told us how he made it from HK to Hollywood, and how these infamous ninja movies happened to be a blessing for him. He also explains what Muay-thaï is for him, and how tough it is to make it in Hollywood.