OLIVIER GRUNER French kickboxing star Olivier Gruner has crafted an action-film career through such popular films as Nemesis, Velocity Trap and the hit Interceptor Force — which became one of the top 10 highest-rated shows in SCI FI's history when it first aired on the Channel. Gruner — nicknamed "The Feet from France" — was born Aug. 2, 1960, in Paris, and joined the French Navy at 18. He learned karate during his four years in the service, and later expanded into kickboxing. After becoming one of his nation's top competitors — reportedly becoming the French kickboxing champion for two years and the world champion in his division in 1987 — Gruner went on to do modeling and TV commercials. He broke into movies after being noticed by a producer at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 1990 starred in the theatrical release Angel Town. Playing a French graduate student in Los Angeles who tames a gang-infested Mexican-American neighborhood, Gruner quickly became an action favorite. Gruner's films include Savate a.k.a. The Fighter, Mercenary and Mercenary II, T.N.T., Guaranteed on Delivery, Crackerjack 3, Extreme Honor, Power Elite, The Circuit and The Circuit 2, the SF movies Automatic, Savage and Mars, and even a children's movie, The White Pony. His upcoming films include Kumite, Omega Force and SWAT: Warhead One. close window