Jason Statham is an English actor and producer best known as one of the most durable action stars of his generation, headlining The Transporter, Crank, The Meg and The Beekeeper franchises and playing Deckard Shaw in the Fast & Furious series. Born on 26 July 1967 in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, he reached acting through an unusual route: twelve years on Britain’s national diving squad, work as a street trader, and a modelling career that put him in front of director Guy Ritchie.
Quick facts
- Full name: Jason Statham
- Born: 26 July 1967, Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England
- Nationality: English
- Occupation: Actor, producer
- Known for: The Transporter, Crank, Fast & Furious, The Meg, The Beekeeper
- Partner: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (engaged since January 2016)
- Children: Two (son born 2017, daughter born 2022)
Early life and background
Statham was born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, and grew up in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. His mother, Eileen, was a dancer, and his father, Barry, worked variously as a street seller, house painter, coal miner and singer. He grew up alongside future footballer Vinnie Jones, who would later become a fellow Ritchie collaborator. The household was working-class and practical, and Statham’s first ambitions had nothing to do with acting.
Diving, market stalls and modelling
Statham spent twelve years as a member of Britain’s national swimming and diving squad. He represented England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, finishing tenth in the 10-metre event, eleventh in the 3-metre and eighth in the 1-metre. He was never an Olympian, a distinction worth making because online biographies sometimes inflate the record. Alongside diving, he practised martial arts recreationally, including kung fu, kickboxing and karate.
To make ends meet, Statham sold fake perfume and jewellery from street stalls, a background that later lent authenticity to his screen persona. He was spotted by the agency Sports Promotions while training at Crystal Palace, and signed modelling work for Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s and French Connection. Small music-video appearances followed in the mid-1990s. It was while modelling for French Connection that he was introduced to Guy Ritchie, who was casting his first feature.
Breakthrough: Lock, Stock and Snatch
Ritchie cast Statham as Bacon in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), his acting debut, reportedly for a fee of £5,000. He returned as Turkish in Snatch (2000), reportedly for £15,000, in a film that grossed more than $80 million worldwide. The two London-underworld crime comedies established his screen identity: dry, deadpan delivery wrapped around a physically convincing presence. Ritchie has remained a defining collaborator throughout his career; read more in our Guy Ritchie biography.
Action-star career
The Transporter (2002) made Statham a solo leading man as courier Frank Martin, a role he carried through two sequels in 2005 and 2008. He built a run of durable action vehicles around it: The Italian Job (2003) as Handsome Rob, Crank (2006) and its sequel as hitman Chev Chelios, The Bank Job (2008) and The Mechanic (2011) as Arthur Bishop. From 2010 he played Lee Christmas, the knife specialist, across The Expendables series.
His biggest commercial stage came with Fast & Furious. After an uncredited cameo as Deckard Shaw in Fast & Furious 6 (2013), he was the main antagonist of Furious 7 (2015), returned for The Fate of the Furious (2017), and co-led the spin-off Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), which he also co-produced. He added a second franchise anchor as deep-sea rescuer Jonas Taylor in The Meg (2018) and Meg 2: The Trench (2023), and showed a comic side as Rick Ford in the spy comedy Spy (2015), which earned him a Critics’ Choice nomination for best actor in a comedy.
Recent work and upcoming films
Statham’s recent run has been built around his own production company, Punch Palace Productions, which gives him a producer stake in his films. The Beekeeper (January 2024), in which he played retired operative Adam Clay, grossed around $162.6 million worldwide on a reported budget of about $40 million. He followed it with A Working Man (March 2025) as Levon Cade, Shelter (January 2026) as Mason, and Mutiny (August 2026) as Cole Reed, producing all four.
The news cycle caught up with him again in November 2026. Netflix announced on 3 November 2026 that Statham will star in Dogfight, a revenge thriller set in London’s criminal underworld, written and directed by Guy Ritchie, with production set for early 2027 in the United Kingdom. It will be the pair’s seventh collaboration, counting the upcoming Viva La Madness, Ritchie’s adaptation of J. J. Connolly’s novel, which was filmed in London in early 2026 and has no confirmed release date yet. The Beekeeper 2 is scheduled for January 2027.
Personal life
Statham has been in a relationship with English model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley since 2010. The couple announced their engagement in January 2016 and, as of 2026 reporting, remain engaged rather than married. They have two children: son Jack Oscar, born in June 2017, and daughter Isabella James, born in February 2022. Statham keeps his family life largely private, and this article records only publicly reported facts.
Net worth snapshot
Statham’s fortune reflects nearly three decades at the top of the action market, plus producer income from his own company since the late 2010s. His estimated net worth is put at Jason Statham’s net worth of $100 million to $150 million as of 2026, a range that reflects a recent upward revision by the leading aggregator rather than an audited valuation.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Jason Statham?
Jason Statham was born on 26 July 1967 in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England, so he turned 59 in July 2026.
Was Jason Statham an Olympic diver?
No. Jason Statham was a member of Britain’s national diving squad for twelve years and competed for England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, but he never competed at the Olympic Games.
Is Jason Statham married to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley?
No. Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have been together since 2010 and engaged since January 2016, but as of 2026 reporting they are not married. They have two children together.
What is Jason Statham’s new film with Guy Ritchie?
Jason Statham will star in Dogfight, a revenge thriller set in London’s criminal underworld, written and directed by Guy Ritchie. Netflix announced the film on 3 November 2026, with production set for early 2027 in the United Kingdom.
What was Jason Statham’s first film?
Jason Statham’s acting debut was as Bacon in Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels in 1998. He followed it with Snatch in 2000, playing Turkish.
Sources
Cinema Express: Jason Statham to star in Guy Ritchie’s Dogfight; CBR: Netflix’s Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie Dogfight; Radio Times: Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie reunite for Netflix film; Wikipedia: Jason Statham; IMDb: Jason Statham; Celebrity Net Worth: Jason Statham; Parade: Jason Statham net worth.