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The biggest regret of Jason Statham’s career arrived in 2016: “It’s a bit of a sore point”
Jason Statham, now one of Hollywood's most durable action stars, has revealed his greatest career regret dates back to before he ever appeared on screen: failing to qualify for the Olympics as a diver. Before turning to modelling and acting, Statham competed for England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, but he never made it to the Games he calls the pinnacle of his sport, a gap he still describes as "a bit of a sore point."
Statham made the comments at the 2016 premiere of "Mechanic: Resurrection", reflecting that qualifying for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics wasn't feasible, and that chasing the 1996 Atlanta Games instead would likely have meant delaying or abandoning his move into acting. He noted that while film awards exist, they are subjective and require campaigning he has never had time for, particularly since he works almost exclusively in action films rarely recognised at the Oscars or Baftas, his sole Oscar-linked credit being a cameo in "Collateral". His diving background has nonetheless fed into his film work, including the aquatic setting of "Mechanic: Resurrection" and monster films like "The Meg".
In short
- Statham's biggest regret is never reaching the Olympics as a diver
- He represented England in diving at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
- Comments made at 2016 premiere of "Mechanic: Resurrection"
Explained simply
Before acting, Jason Statham was a competitive diver who represented England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. The Olympics are the sport’s biggest international event, but he did not qualify for them.
Statham has said that aiming for the 1996 Olympics would probably have meant putting off his move into acting. He later became known for action films, a genre that is less often recognised by major film awards such as the Oscars and Baftas.