Michel Qissi

{{Infobox person

| name = Michel Qissi
ميشيل قيسي

| image =

| caption = Michel Qissi

| birthname = Mohammed Qissi

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1962|09|12}}

| birth_place = Oujda, Morocco

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actor, filmmaker, martial artist, fight choreographer, producer, director

| yearsactive = 1982–present

| spouse = Jeanette Qissi (divorced)

| relatives = Abdel Qissi (brother)

}}

Michel Qissi ({{langx|ar|ميشيل قيسي}}; born Mohammed Qissi on 12 September 1962) is a Moroccan-Belgian actor, filmmaker, and martial artist best known for his action films.{{cite web | url=https://culturedumaroc.com/articles4563.html | title=حوار مع السينمائي المغربي و النجم الهوليوودي "محمد قيسي" | date=6 April 2017 }}https://www.martialartsentertainment.com/michel-qissi/ Born in Oujda but raised in Brussels, in 1982 Qissi emigrated to Hollywood together with childhood friend Jean-Claude Van Damme in search of becoming an action star.

Bloodsport (1988) was their first major film.{{cite web | url=http://www.vandamme.ru/articles/1998/00-03-1998.htm | title=Jean-Claude van Damme | No retreat, no surrender,Black eagle,Blood sport,Kickboxer,Cyborg,Lion Heart (A.W.O.L),Death warrant,Double impact,Universal soldier,Nowhere to run,Hard target, Timecop,Street fighter,Sudden death,The quest,Maximum risk,Double team,Knock off,Legionnaire,Universal soldier: The return,Inferno (Coyote moon),Replicant,The order,Derailed,In hell,Wake of death,Cover play,Monk,Kumite,jeanclaudevandamme,vandamme,van damme,jean claude van damme }} The two previously collaborated on Breakin' (1984), and went on to appear in Kickboxer (1989), in which Qissi portrayed the Thai villain Tong Po, Lionheart (1990), and Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016). Qissi also had the role of a fight trainer for Van Damme in the action cyberpunk film Cyborg (1989) and served as choreographer on Kickboxer.https://www.bulletproofaction.com/2014/09/12/happy-birthday-tong-po-the-qissi-brothers-experience/{{cite web | url=https://www.thepostil.com/passion-patience-perseverance-a-conservation-with-michel-qissi/ | title=Passion, Patience, Perseverance: A Conservation with Michel Qissi | date=October 2021 }}

In 1991, Qissi reprised his role as Tong Po in Kickboxer 2 and starred in Bloodmatch. In 1993, he starred in his directorial debut film Terminator Woman, opposite Karen Sheperd and Jerry Trimble.{{cite web | url=https://culturedumaroc.com/articles4563.html | title=حوار مع السينمائي المغربي و النجم الهوليوودي "محمد قيسي" | date=6 April 2017 }} In 2001, he directed, co-wrote, and starred in Extreme Force, which became a vehicle for Argentinian martial arts star Héctor Echavarría.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtsDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Qissi+made+Extreme+Force&pg=PT133 | title=Black Belt | date=August 2002 }} Aside from his American films, Qissi has also worked in Moroccan films and television series.{{cite web | url=https://culturedumaroc.com/articles4563.html | title=حوار مع السينمائي المغربي و النجم الهوليوودي "محمد قيسي" | date=6 April 2017 }} In 2014, he directed and starred in the well-received action adventure film Bara, which was shot in Morocco.{{cite web | url=https://www.truespiritentertainment.com/single-post/2014-5-13-true-spirit-entertainment-shot-epic-film-bara-2015 | title=True Spirit Entertainment shot epic film "BARA" | date=12 January 2016 }}{{cite web | url=https://m.peliplat.com/pt/library/celeb/pc10578829/Salar-Zarza | title=Salar Zarza }}

Qissi is the co-founder of The World Cinema Combat Federation (WCCF), an organization he formed with Grand Master Beom Jhoo Lee which teaches fight choreography in filmmaking.{{cite web | url=http://www.vandamme.ru/articles/1998/00-03-1998.htm | title=Jean-Claude van Damme | No retreat, no surrender,Black eagle,Blood sport,Kickboxer,Cyborg,Lion Heart (A.W.O.L),Death warrant,Double impact,Universal soldier,Nowhere to run,Hard target, Timecop,Street fighter,Sudden death,The quest,Maximum risk,Double team,Knock off,Legionnaire,Universal soldier: The return,Inferno (Coyote moon),Replicant,The order,Derailed,In hell,Wake of death,Cover play,Monk,Kumite,jeanclaudevandamme,vandamme,van damme,jean claude van damme }}{{cite web | url=https://www.ammagazine.pt/reportagens-cronicas/665-reportagens-artes-marciais/63690-mohammed-qissi-em-chaves-para-o-vi-estagio-samurai-inter-estilos | title=Mohammed Qissi em Chaves para o "VI Estágio Samurai Inter-Estilos" | date=17 May 2022 }} Prior to working in the film industry, Qissi competed as an amateur boxer. He is also trained in the styles of Shotokan, Muay Thai, and kickboxing.

Early life

Qissi was born in Oujda, Morocco, and moved to Brussels, Belgium, at the age of 2. He commenced training in boxing at seven years old, and became an amateur champion in his weight class at 17. He also went on to study Shotokan Karate, Muay Thai and Kickboxing. He befriended Jean-Claude Van Damme at an early age and they grew up together with the same love for action films and training in martial arts.{{cite web | url=http://www.vandamme.ru/articles/1998/00-03-1998.htm | title=Jean-Claude van Damme | No retreat, no surrender,Black eagle,Blood sport,Kickboxer,Cyborg,Lion Heart (A.W.O.L),Death warrant,Double impact,Universal soldier,Nowhere to run,Hard target, Timecop,Street fighter,Sudden death,The quest,Maximum risk,Double team,Knock off,Legionnaire,Universal soldier: The return,Inferno (Coyote moon),Replicant,The order,Derailed,In hell,Wake of death,Cover play,Monk,Kumite,jeanclaudevandamme,vandamme,van damme,jean claude van damme }} Growing up, he was inspired by Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali.{{cite web | url=https://culturedumaroc.com/articles4563.html | title=حوار مع السينمائي المغربي و النجم الهوليوودي "محمد قيسي" | date=6 April 2017 }}

Film career

In 1982, Qissi and Van Damme moved to the United States in the hope of becoming action stars. In 1984 they both were cast as extras in the film Breakin', before landing their big break in 1986. After obtaining an interview with Menahem Golan of Cannon Films, they secured a three-picture deal, the first of which was the highly successful Bloodsport, in which Van Damme starred and Qissi had a small role as a tournament fighter named Suan Paredes. In 1989, Qissi and Van Damme teamed up again for the film Kickboxer, in which Van Damme was the protagonist once more and Qissi the film's main villain, Tong Po. Qissi was also a choreographer on the film.{{cite web | url=https://www.thepostil.com/passion-patience-perseverance-a-conservation-with-michel-qissi/ | title=Passion, Patience, Perseverance: A Conservation with Michel Qissi | date=October 2021 }} His role as Tong Po provided visual inspiration for the Mortal Kombat character Goro.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78OuEAAAQBAJ&dq=(Michel+Qissi)+in+Van+Damme%27s+Kickboxer+provided+visual+inspiration+for+MKI%27s+four-armed+monster+Goro.&pg=PA61 | title=Mortal Kombat: Games of Death | isbn=978-0-472-90262-0 | last1=Church | first1=David | date=17 February 2022 | publisher=University of Michigan Press }}

Qissi had the role of a fight trainer for Van Damme in the sci-fi film Cyborg (1989).https://www.bulletproofaction.com/2014/09/12/happy-birthday-tong-po-the-qissi-brothers-experience/

1990 saw Qissi and Van Damme make the film Lionheart, in which Qissi's brother, Abdel, played the villain. This was to be the last film Van Damme and Qissi made together for 26 years. They briefly appeared together in Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016).

In 1991, Qissi reprised his role as Tong Po in Kickboxer 2 (1991). He also appeared in Bloodmatch, alongside Thom Mathews, Hope Marie Carlton, Marianne Taylor, Vincent Klyn, and Benny Urquidez. In 1993, he starred in his directorial debut film Terminator Woman, opposite Karen Sheperd and Jerry Trimble.{{cite web | url=https://culturedumaroc.com/articles4563.html | title=حوار مع السينمائي المغربي و النجم الهوليوودي "محمد قيسي" | date=6 April 2017 }} He directed, co-wrote, and starred in Extreme Force (2001), which became a vehicle for Argentinian martial arts star Héctor Echavarría.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qtsDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Qissi+made+Extreme+Force&pg=PT133 | title=Black Belt | date=August 2002 }}

Aside from his American films, Qissi has also worked in Moroccan films and television series. He has said regarding Moroccan cinema, "Moroccan cinema remains a school where management is done with very modest and simple resources." He has praised Moroccan filmmakers such as Ibrahim Shukri, Yassin Fannan, Mohamed Nasrat, and Said Naciri.{{cite web | url=https://culturedumaroc.com/articles4563.html | title=حوار مع السينمائي المغربي و النجم الهوليوودي "محمد قيسي" | date=6 April 2017 }}

In 2014, Qissi directed and starred in the action adventure movie Bara with Salar Zarza. The film, which was shot in the Sahara, in Tata, Morocco, was shown in theaters in major Moroccan cities and was extremely well received by audiences.{{cite web | url=https://www.truespiritentertainment.com/single-post/2014-5-13-true-spirit-entertainment-shot-epic-film-bara-2015 | title=True Spirit Entertainment shot epic film "BARA" | date=12 January 2016 }}{{cite web | url=https://m.peliplat.com/pt/library/celeb/pc10578829/Salar-Zarza | title=Salar Zarza }}

Influence

Qissi's role as Tong Po in Kickboxer (1989) provided visual inspiration for the Mortal Kombat character Goro.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78OuEAAAQBAJ&dq=(Michel+Qissi)+in+Van+Damme%27s+Kickboxer+provided+visual+inspiration+for+MKI%27s+four-armed+monster+Goro.&pg=PA61 | title=Mortal Kombat: Games of Death | isbn=978-0-472-90262-0 | last1=Church | first1=David | date=17 February 2022 | publisher=University of Michigan Press }}

Personal life

Qissi's brother Abdel is also an actor.{{cite news|title= Muscles from Brussels|work=People|url= http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20113243,00.html|access-date=February 24, 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bulletproofaction.com/2014/09/12/happy-birthday-tong-po-the-qissi-brothers-experience/ |title=Happy Birthday Tong Po! The Qissi Brothers Experience |publisher=BPA Bulletproof Action |author=Chad Cruise |date=September 12, 2014 |access-date=12 March 2018 |archive-date=31 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531052419/http://www.bulletproofaction.com/2014/09/12/happy-birthday-tong-po-the-qissi-brothers-experience/ |url-status=dead }}

After a long career in Hollywood, Qissi returned to Belgium, where he participated in social projects for disadvantaged youths. In 2002, he returned to Morocco, where he works in Moroccan cinema.https://www.laverite.ma/festival-marrakech-pour-lechange-des-cultures-vibrant-hommage-a-la-star-marocaine-de-hollywood-mohamed-qissi/

Filmography

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
Year	Film	Role	Notes
1984 \|Breakin' \|Passerby in First Dance Sequence \|Uncredited
1988 \|Bloodsport \|Suan Paredes \|
1989 \|Kickboxer \|Tong Po \|Credited as Tong Po
1990 \|Lionheart \|Moustafa \|
rowspan="2" \| 1991 \|Kickboxer 2 \|Tong Po \|
Bloodmatch \|Davey O'Brien \|
rowspan="2" \| 1993 \|To the Death \|Denard \|
Terminator Woman \|Alex Gatelee \|Also director
2001 \|Extreme Force \|Kong Li \|Also director
2001 \|The Falkland Man \|DeFuego \|
2014 \|Bara \|Bara / Hamza \|Also director
2015 \|Heart of a Lion \| \|Also director
2016 \|Kickboxer: Vengeance \|Man in Cell \|Uncredited
2019 \|Garra Mortal \|Tong Po \|
2022 \|Out for Vengeance \|Tarek El-Yuzdi \|
2024 \|The Last Kumite \|Wolf \|

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"

Year

Film

Role

Notes

1984

|Breakin'

|Passerby in First Dance Sequence

|Uncredited

1988

|Bloodsport

|Suan Paredes