Trivia

Samuels was offered the lead role of Al Simmons in the film Spawn, but turned it down, as he felt the film was limiting for an actor as expressive as himself being required to be masked and augmented by CGI.

African American actor and martial artist who lived briefly with Sammo Hung, leading him into working with the prolific Hong Kong star on numerous occasions. He often played villains or gang members.

Lawrence Fishbourne observed Samuels persona on set of The Matrix, and modeled his performance as Morpheous on Samuel's character and spirituality.

Samuels was the first African American Member of the prestigious Hong Kong Stuntman's Association (HKSA) and sits on its board of director to this day.

According to interviews with Samuels himself, he was up for the role of Jackson in American Ninja but lost out to Steve James, and as second choice for Wesley Snipes role in Passenger 57.

During his time in Hong Kong, Robert Samuels was not only Sammo Hung's protege, but also worked with him as assistant choreographer on several films and as his Bodyguard, defending Hung's life from the Triads on several occasions.

Samuels was offered the chance to star as Curtis Jackson, the character originated by the late Steve James in the American Ninja series, in a new American Ninja movie to be produced by Sam Firstenberg, but having missed out to Steve James on the role when originally cast, Samuels declined feeling there was no need to walk that path again.

Samuels also formed the only professional Western martial arts and stunt team working in Hong Kong G7 known as Gwailo Seven. Members of the team worked on Don't Give a Damn, The Quest, and The Red Wolf.

Robert Samuels studied Hung Gar Kung Fu for over 20 years under Chi-Ling Chiu.