Steven Seagal and the art of the grift
From dancing with dictators to becoming Putin's pet, the d-list actor has spent the last few decades making friends with some of the world's most notorious authoritarians.
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There’s no grifter quite like Steven Seagal.
A quick Google search of the d-list actor reveals a photo of the aging star—toupee, goatee, and tinted glasses in tow—alongside the title "Special Representative for Russia-US Cultural Links, Cultural and Historical Heritage." This title was gifted to him by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, just two years after Seagal became a Russian citizen, personally handed a passport by Putin in 2016.
Though it’s unclear if Seagal has achieved anything in this diplomatic role, his ongoing presence in Russian affairs highlights his remarkable talent for ingratiating himself with some of the world’s most notorious authoritarian figures.
In May 2024, Seagal attended Vladimir Putin's inauguration after his controversial landslide reelection, securing the Russian presidency until at least 2030. Just days later, the 72-year-old actor received an award for his alleged achievements as the Kremlin’s special envoy to the U.S.
The accompanying speech was little more than a repetition of standard Kremlin talking points, including a list of dubious claims about Ukraine’s supposed history of “human trafficking, organ trafficking, narco trafficking, child sex trafficking,” as well as “bio-chemical warfare labs, fascism, and nazism.”
“This war that we are currently embroiled in was started and financed by the West, and has come to involve the entire world in the fight against good and evil,” Seagal said during his speech.
Earlier this week, Seagal appeared on Russia’s state-sponsored news channel RT to discuss the US “disinformation machine,” which he lamented is being utilized against American citizens “because they’re very afraid of the truth and they are highly cognizant of the fact that they are engaging in skullduggery that is going to be exposed.”
To fully understand how Seagal transitioned from a 90s action star to a willing mouthpiece for authoritarian regimes, it's important to delve into the origins of his unlikely friendships with powerful figures like Putin—a friendship rooted in martial arts, and strongman politics.
A Bromance with Putin
Putin and Seagal first met in 2003, when the actor was a guest at the Moscow Film Festival. During the multi-day event, Seagal seemingly expressed his deep respect and admiration for the president, which helped spark nearly 15 years of friendship. Naturally, the two men—both blackbelts in Japanese martial arts—bonded particularly well through a shared interest in combat sports.