{{Short description|Canadian actor (born 1964)}} {{Use American English|date=May 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Bryan Genesse | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|03|20|mf=y}} | birth_place = Hamilton, Ontario, Canada<ref name="ufs"/> | education = | occupation = Actor | spouse = Brooke Theiss<ref name="sp"/> | partner = | years_active = 1983–present | children = 2<ref name="sp"/> }}
'''Bryan Genesse''' is a Canadian actor and martial artist, perhaps best known for his action roles on the television series ''Street Justice'', and in early productions of the Nu Image film company.
==Career== ===Early years=== Genesse was born in Hamilton, Ontario, but grew up in Welland, in the same province.<ref>{{cite news |last=Peterson |first=Bettelou |date=June 14, 1992 |title=Tell me about Bryan Genesse of 'Street Justice' |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-06-14-9202220989-story.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |agency =Knight Ridder}}</ref> At age 13, he got into martial arts in order to stand up to bullies.<ref name="skrobo">{{cite web | url =https://www.skrobocop.de/interviews-1/actors/bryan-genesse/ | title =Interview mit Bryan Genesse | last1 =Skrobo | first1 =Kristijan | date = | website =skrobocop.de | language=de, en | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref> He discovered his interest for acting when he took part in a high school play, and subsequently attended drama school at George Brown College in Toronto. However, he left after a year to fast track his professional career. Genesse quickly garnered minor roles in Canadian-filmed series,<ref name="ufs">{{cite news |last=Reichardt |first=Nancy M. |date=May 1, 1988 |title=Bryan Genesse has won 'B&B' viewers' hearts as streetwise Rocco Carner |newspaper=The State |location=Columbia |agency=United Feature Syndicate}}</ref> and moved to New York City when he was 19 to further improve his professional network. He remained there for three and a half years, while still pursuing gigs in his native Canada.<ref name="bb-pod">{{cite podcast| url=https://theboldandbeautifulpodcast.com/bonus-interview-with-bryan-genesse-aka-rocco-carner/ | title=Bonus Interview with Bryan Genesse a.k.a. Rocco Carner | website=The Bold and Beautiful Podcast | host=Russ, Amanda | date=March 13, 2022 | access-date=April 2, 2023}}</ref> The actor first gained notice playing womanizing types in raunchy comedies, making his feature debut as the lead in 1985's ''Screwballs II'', followed by two antagonistic turns, as a British rock star in Blake Edwards' ''Skin Deep'' and a lecherous, conniving nightclub owner in ''California Casanova'' (wrapped in 1989 but belatedly released in 1991).<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.tvguide.com/movies/california-casanova/review/2030344483/ | title =California Casanova Reviews |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | website =tvguide.com | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref>
Genesse was also asked to read for the character of Storm Logan in the new soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. Mistakenly believing that the character's nickname reflected his lifestyle, when he was in fact a regular lawyer, Genesse went to the audition in streetwear and sporting a spiky hairdo. The shows' producers were taken aback at first, but found the irreverent style to be a welcome departure from daytime drama conventions, and wrote a brand new character to accommodate him, called Rocco Carner.<ref name="bb-pod"/> While most press profiles at the time emphasized the sensitive image befitting of a soap star, his slightly edgier persona allowed for sporadic allusions to his martial arts background, and he did pose for a few glamour shots with traditional Asian weapons. Genesse also hosted a semi-fictional children's instructional video made by former Cannon executives to bank on the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' phenomenon, entitled ''How to Become a Teenage Ninja''.<ref>{{cite AV media |date=1990 | people=Arbeeny, Karen Lee; Cummings, Janet; Gendece, Brian (producers); Cummings, Drew (director); Genesse, Bryan (host) |title=How to Become a Teenage Ninja |medium=VHS |publisher=Stony Point Productions; Cummings Entertainment |id={{UPC|}}}}</ref>
===Transition to action roles=== While making ''B&B''-related personal appearances in Italy, Genesse was called back to Los Angeles to audition for Stephen Cannell's next series to be shot in Canada, ''Street Justice'', in a role that would take advantage of his interest for martial arts. In addition to starring on the show, he served as fight choreographer.<ref name="ar">{{cite web | url =https://www.actionreloaded.com/interview-with-action-hero-martial-artist-bryan-genesse/ | title =*Interview* With Action Hero & Martial Artist Bryan Genesse | date =January 16, 2020 | website =actionreloaded.com | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref> ''Street Justice'' led to an image change for Genesse, who was featured on the cover of several martial arts magazines, such as CFW's ''Inside Kung Fu'' and ''Kung Fu Masters''.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Corcoran |first1=John |date=April 1993 |title=Bryan Genesse: New-Style TV Hero |magazine=Inside Kung Fu Presents: Kung Fu – The Martial Arts Masterpiece |location=Burbank |publisher=CFW Enterprises |page=74}}</ref><ref name="ikf-mar-92">{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 1992 |title='Street Justice': Bryan Genesse Brings Authentic Hung Gar to TV |magazine=Inside Kung-Fu | location=Burbank |publisher=CFW Enterprises}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=July 1993 |title=Real 'Street Justice': Bryan Genesse Fights for Rainforest Rights |magazine=Kung-Fu Masters |location=Burbank |publisher=CFW Enterprises}}</ref>
Following the series' two-season run, Genesse was approached to star in action films made by Nu Image, a fledgling company then primarily based in South Africa. He debuted for them in ''Night Siege: Project Shadowchaser II'' opposite Frank Zagarino. The two would become friends and co-star in several more movies. A few months later, Genesse received top billing in ''Human Timebomb'', which Nu Image's U.S. distributor, New Line, chose to rebrand as a sequel to their 1992 film ''Live Wire'' in the territory. It was also successful in Japan, and earned the actor a multi-picture contract from Nu Image, with whom he has remained closely associated for most of his career.<ref name="skrobo"/>
Genesse, who had contemplated writing since his early days as a performer,<ref name="ufs"/> scripted and co-produced 2000's ''The Alternate'', in which he also acted alongside his wife Brooke Theiss, Eric Roberts, Ice-T and Michael Madsen. After Madsen expressed interest in teaming up again, Genesse put together ''Bad Guys'', which marked his second writing credit and his directorial debut.<ref name="skrobo"/> However, the film was affected by turmoil at production company Giants Entertainment and only saw release in a handful of markets.<ref>{{cite AV media | title =Bad Guys – Μαθηματα Βιας | medium =DVD | date= | publisher =ArtFree | location =Greece | id={{UPC|0450022000319}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 8, 2005 |url=https://sbc.org.pl/Content/306389/10A.pdf |title=Sobota 12 Marca |newspaper=Nowiny Raciborskie |location=Poland |page=23 |issn=1232-4035}}</ref>
In 2003, Genesse had a serious accident while filming a combat stunt on ''Fire'', part of Nu Image's ''Nature Unleashed'' series of disaster films. He suffered knee, hamstring and back injuries, which left him with walking difficulties. The actor went through a lengthy rehabilitation process in his native Canada, which took between five and six years—partly due to insurance issues—and virtually ended his acting career.<ref name="bb-pod"/><ref name="skrobo"/><ref name="ar"/> He did appear in a minor role in ''Edison'', a 2005 crime drama from Nu Image's premium production arm, Millennium Films.
===Return to television=== Following a lengthy hiatus from the screen, Genesse returned to his soap opera roots on ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. He reprised his early role of Rocco Carner, with the first episode of his story arc airing on March 12, 2009.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/3356/bryan-genesse-returns-to-the-bold-and-the-beautiful/ | title =Bryan Genesse Returns to The Bold and the Beautiful! |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | website =soaps.com | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref>
==Martial arts== Genesse's first martial art was taekwondo.<ref name="skrobo"/> He later added other styles to his repertoire, such as hung gar kung fu<ref name="ikf-mar-92"/> and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, in which he claims a black belt, awarded in 2014 by Jean-Jacques Machado.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=bryangenesse |number=1262119977642942464 |title=2014 at Jean Jacques Machado HQ after being presented my BJJ black belt by JJM.}}</ref> He is also a self defense and martial arts professor. After teaching under senior instructors, he opened his own school, named Venom BJJ and located in Valencia, California, as of 2024.<ref name="ar"/><ref name="venom-off">{{cite web | url =https://venombjj.com/ | title =About Us | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | website =venombjj.com | access-date =February 13, 2024}}</ref>
==Personal life== Genesse has been married to actress Brooke Theiss since 1994. They have two children, born in 1995 and 2008.<ref name="sp">{{cite web | url =https://www.soap-passion.com/acteur/1176-bryan-genesse.html | title =Bryan Genesse |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | website =soap-passion.com | language=fr |access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref> He also works as a real estate agent in Southern California.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.zillow.com/profile/bryan-genesse/ | title =Bryan Genesse |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | website =zillow.com | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1983 |''The Dead Zone''<ref name="ufs"/> |Unknown | rowspan="2" |Only mentioned in early biographies. Possible extra or walk-on appearances. |- |1984 |''Police Academy''<ref name="ufs"/> |Unknown |- |1985 |''Loose Screws'' |Brad Lovett |Released in the U.S. as ''Screwballs II'' |- | 1989 |''Skin Deep'' |Rick | |- |1991 |''California Casanova'' |Leech | |- |1994 |''Night Siege: Project Shadowchaser II'' |Frank Meade |Also martial arts coordinator |- |1995 |''Human Timebomb'' |Parker |Also martial arts choreographer Released in the U.S. as ''Live Wire: Human Timebomb'' |- |1995 |''Cyborg Cop III'' |Max |Released in the U.S. as ''Terminal Impact'' |- |1995 |''Terminal Virus'' |Joe Knight | |- |1998 |''Spoiler'' |Bounty n°1 | |- |1998 |''The Company Man'' |Lewis |Released in the U.S. as ''Deadly Reckoning'' |- |1998 |''Operation Delta Force 3: Clear Target'' |Hutch | |- |1999 |''Cold Harvest'' |Little Ray | |- |1999 |''Traitor's Heart'' |Nick Brody | |- |2000 |''The Guardian'' |Steve Layton | |- |2000 |''The Alternate'' |The Leader |Also co-producer, writer and fight choreographer<br />Released in the U.S. as ''Agent of Death'' |- |2000 |''Bad Guys'' |Jack Ford |Also writer and director<br />Also known as ''Bad Guys in Hell'' |- |2002 |''The Circuit'' |Vixton Hack | |- |2003 |''Death Train'' |Ryan | |- |2003 |''Sometimes A Hero'' |Remo |Released in the U.S. as ''Cold Vengeance'' |- |2004 |''Nature Unleashed: Fire'' |Jake | |- |2005 |''Edison'' |Campos |Released in the U.S. as ''Edison Force'' |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |Unknown |''Bizarre''<ref name="ufs"/> |Unknown | |- |Unknown |''Sons and Daughters''<ref name="ufs"/> |Unknown |Also known as ''An Ounce of Cure'' |- |1985 |''The Littlest Hobo'' |Hamish Welsh |Episode: "Torque" |- |1986 |''Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star'' |Dak Foster | |- |1987–89 2009 |''The Bold and the Beautiful'' |Rocco Carner |180 episodes |- |1989 |''Just the Ten of Us'' |Blitz |Episode: "Betrayal" |- |1990 |''Growing Pains'' |Shiv |Episode: "Future Shock" Analogous character to the one played on ''Just the Ten of Us'' |- |1991–93 |''Street Justice'' |Grady Jameson |44 episodes |- |1994 |''Lifestories: Families in Crisis'' |Bryce |Episode: "A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story" |- |2001–02 |''Cold Squad'' |Dan |8 episodes |- |2002 |''Mary Higgins Clark's We'll Meet Again'' |Tim | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0312768}} *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=4uQE8w1lY9c ''Meet the Bad Guys'' – behind-the-scenes footage from Genesse's directorial debut] *[https://www.venombjj.com Venom Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy – Official website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genesse, Bryan}} Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian male film actors Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Male actors from Toronto Category:Canadian male taekwondo practitioners Category:Canadian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen