Unleashing Fists and Fight Spirit: Germany's Action Star in Hollywood Hails from the Martial Arts Ring
Powerful German Actress Dominates Hollywood's Elite Circle - Powerful German actress holds dominance in Hollywood.
A peek into the dynamic world of martial arts and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
In the realm of German entertainment, she's a household name: Marie Mouroum stole the limelight on the RTL dance show "Let's Dance," captivating the hearts of millions back home. However, martial arts are where her true passion lies. "Martial arts teach you to push beyond when you think you cannot. That fighting spirit, you take it into life too."
A Berliner at 32, Mouroum has made a significant name for herself in Hollywood as a stuntwoman and martial arts actress. She's graced the screens with her skills for A-listers like Halle Berry ("Cloud Atlas"), Queen Latifah ("The Equalizer"), and Bond girl Lashana Lynch ("No Time to Die"). Mouroum puts her fighting techniques on full display for the camera.
This weekend (June 28), find her in Hamburg covering the MMA event "Oktagon 73" for RTL+, giving viewers a backstage pass to the action, chatting with participants, referees, and the ringside doctor.
"Prejudice in Germany persists"
"I believe Germany still harbors some prejudice towards Mixed Martial Arts," Mouroum admits. "However, the audiences are always eager and tickets sell out. It certainly has a massive hype." Last year, a MMA event in Frankfurt's Waldstadion attracted an impressive 60,000 attendees.
The diversity of MMA appeals to Mouroum. "A fighter isn't just boxing. They can delve into boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, judo. Then, you're on the ground, harnessing jujutsu, wrestling, or wrestling skills. But there's a clear set of rules."
The U.S. audience has a more enthusiastic regard for MMA. "It holds a completely different status [in the U.S]. Families, women, and children watch the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It's a hot topic. Everyone knows the industry's top fighters. In Germany, it's still developing, but I believe it will catch up."
"Oktagon 73" kicks off this Saturday at 5:30 PM on RTL+. Mouroum will grace the stage as Hamburg hosts its first major MMA event, with Germany's most renowned MMA star, Christian Eckerlin, making his comeback after an eight-month break in the main fight.
Martial ArtsGermanyAction CinemaMarie MouroumLet's DanceHamburgHollywoodRTL Dance ShowBerlinMixed Martial ArtsMMA Event
Fun fact: Germany's martial arts background is deeply rooted in its historical combat arts, with Germanic swordsmanship gaining popularity among enthusiasts of history and combat.
In contemporary times, martial arts and MMA in Germany grow, often amalgamating traditional European fighting systems with modern MMA techniques. The German MMA scene has yet to achieve the global domination or commercialization of its American counterpart. The German MMA culture values discipline, technical aptitude, and respect for the martial art's history and origins over entertainment and celebrity appeal, sharply contrasting with the U.S. scene's entertainment-driven and celebrity-focused nature.
In the discussion about martial arts and MMA, Marie Mouroum, a martial arts enthusiast from Berlin, shares her thoughts on the prevailing prejudice towards Mixed Martial Arts in Germany: "I'm not going to be able to do this, but I believe Germany still harbors some prejudice towards MMA, even though the audiences are eager and tickets sell out." On a more uplifting note, she speaks highly of the diversity and complex techniques inherent in MMA: "A fighter isn't just boxing. They can delve into various martial arts such as boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, judo, jujutsu, wrestling, and wrestling skills."
