Giving up a diving career was probably the best decision action star, Jason Statham, ever made. It couldn’t have been an easy one either. At one point, he was the 12th best diver in the world and was on his way to represent UK at the Olympics. However, achieving that goal meant dedicating the next four years of his life solely to training.

Statham’s big break came the day he decided to put diving behind him and resorted to another way to pay the bills. His dad was an amateur lounge singer whose main income came from selling black market goods on the street. Without his diving career, Statham found himself on those same streets hawking counterfeit jewelry and perfume. One day he talked fledging director, Guy Ritchie, into buying some of his questionable goods. It was a sale that changed his life. "I'd be selling crappy jewelry or perfume, back on the streets... In a way, I won the lottery meeting Guy Ritchie." Every cloud has a silver lining. Later did he realize, that there is always hope, even in the worst of any circumstance.

On that day, Ritchie was on the lookout for someone to play the part of a fast-talking, street-smart con artist for his upcoming film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Statham couldn’t have asked for a better audition. After talking Ritchie into buying some fake jewelry, Statham also scored the part of Bacon in the director’s feature film debut. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was an international success, launching Statham’s hard man acting career. He was soon working with Ritchie again and in 2000, starred in Snatch alongside Brad Pitt.

Soon Hollywood started calling. With experience in diving and martial arts, Statham was the perfect action star. He’s known for doing his own stunts and taking on the part of the mouthy antihero. Selling counterfeit jewelry on the streets certainly helped his witty, fast delivery.

With over the top action blockbusters as Statham’s forte, he became famous thanks to films like Crank, The Expendables trilogy and Fast & Furious 7. He’s extending his range too, recently starring alongside Melissa McCarthy in the acclaimed comedy, Spy - all this, just because he was able to talk Guy Ritchie into buying counterfeit jewelry.

Yesterday, Jason Statham was selling dodgy jewelry on a London street corner. Today, he’s an acclaimed action star, famous across the globe for death defying stunts.

There are days and moments that change everything that happens next. If you're about to have one of those days, talk to us.

 

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