While actor Ray Park is thrilled with the fact that he helped create a classic screen villain with Darth Maul in the first "Star Wars" prequel, he knew his portrayal of the iconic Sith Lord would never be enough to sustain him throughout his career. So when word got out that director Stephen Sommers was looking to fill the gigantic shoes of famed G.I. Joe ninja Snake Eyes, Park knew the time had come again to start sharpening his sabers.
"When I heard that they needed somebody to play the character, I made as many calls as I could to just throw the idea out there and make a big waves to see if anyone would listen, and it all came back to me," Park said in a recent @ The Movies interview. "I was a big fan of Snake Eyes as a kid, and now, I'm playing the ninja commando. It's a perfect role for me."
Opening in theaters Friday, "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" follows the adventures of G.I. Joe -- an elite, high-tech military team trying to thwart the deadly plans of the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the terrorist organization dubbed Cobra. Snake Eyes is a vital member of the Joe unit, which also includes Duke (Channing Tatum), Scarlett (Rachel Nichols) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans).
Without question, the biggest difference between roles like Darth Maul and Snake Eyes is that with the latter, Park's elaborate makeup as the horned Sith was replaced with a form-fitting suit that covered the actor head-to-toe. To cope with the challenges of his new costume, Park said that he essentially adopted the disciplines of a real-life ninja.
"To be honest, I was really concerned at first about my wardrobe for Snake Eyes when I didn't know what I was going to wearing," Park said. "Once the suit was on me, I discovered it was tight, but flexible enough to allow me to turn and spin. When I put the mask and visor on, I really became a ninja and had to rely on my senses. I couldn't hear a lot, breathing was a bit hard and my sight was very minimal."
"So every day I was in my suit, I just concentrated on my breathing and treated it as part of my character," Park added. "It was a challenge at first, because the visor was so dark and tinted, but it was fun. I really did feel like Snake Eyes."
While the role of Snake Eyes comes more than 10 years of after Park played Darth Maul in "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," Park has since been able to put to use his sword-fighting and martial arts skills to good use in such films as Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow," as the ground-fighting version of the Headless Horseman, and Bryan Singer's "X-Men," as the menacing mutant Toad.
Despite the skills Park has acquired both an actor and stunt performer, Park said that he had to eventually reboot his martial arts sensibilities.
"I went back to my teachers years ago because where I was heading was not where I wanted to be," said Park, who was born and bred in Scotland. "I wanted to do things for myself rather than practice things for movies. I spent about two months with them practicing traditional martial arts. When I came back I had a great feeling and felt re-charged. It brought a new energy to my work."
As it pertained to "G.I. Joe," Park said that his new sensibilities provided him the wherewithal to perform in a way he's never performed before. In a sense, he attained a discipline that sounds somewhat familiar to The Power of the Force.
"I've always felt that everything I've done, I've not been able to let go and just trust myself and trust everybody I'm working with -- to just be completely absorbed in what I'm doing," Park observed. "With Snake Eyes, I got to show more of my sword work in fun, stylized of way. The character is more acrobatic and energetic, so I got to show a samurai, ninja style."
But while he got to spotlight some highly impressive moves in "Star Wars," Park admits the requirements of the character would only allow him to go so far.
"The style was there, but the moves had to be more in the 'Star Wars' realm. I couldn't let loose completely," Park said. "I'm hoping as I go on, with more 'G.I. Joes,' maybe, and other movies, I want to show more of what I know in martial arts so I can bring it to that character and make it true for that character. That way I can tap into different things that I can do."
One thing that Park said won't stop him is his aging. Approaching his 35th birthday later this month, the performer said becoming older will only make him wiser in his approach to martial arts.
"It's true that my skills have changed. But as my teachers have said, as you get older things will change, but your experience will count for everything," Park said. "Your recovery time is probably not the same, when you jump up at five in the morning after eight hours of work the day before. Your body feels does feel it. But you have to listen to your body and take care of yourself as you get older."
In addition, Park said being a devoted family man helps keep him in shape -- albeit in a different type of exercise regimen.
"As my kids get older, it helps me since I can play with them and do silly things like walk on my hands and do hand-stands," Park chirped. "Plus, it makes them laugh."
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