If you’re watching a Tarantino film, you usually see this guy who sported a tattoo on his chest illustrating a cute señorita wearing a sombrero and up on his facial qualities, he’s donning a wide moustache and the look that can make you pee in your pants. That’s Danny Trejo, also known as the “Knife Guy”, who couldn’t forget his performance at Desperado. From there Trejo’s acting soared high and was recognized his bad-ass potential in defining a villain should be in an action film. Of course, his life before the camera is in truth just like that, a thug. Young Danny in his teenage days roam the streets of Echo Park, L.A., where he grabbed all the vices the world has to offer. Drug addiction, armed robbery, riots and other criminal acts led Danny in and out of the prison, but sooner or later, led him incarcerated, for good.
By the moment Danny was doing his time in prison, he found himself a leisure he picked up during his days in the streets and that is boxing. Initially, all he ever wanted in his life is to be a professional boxer, but needless to say, his dreams came crashing down along with his life as a deadbeat. But didn’t stop Danny changing his life, so he started practicing boxing again, until he join some of the friendly bouts in prison that led him to tournaments across California. By the time he grabbed the title in welterweight and featherweight division, he also joined the 12-step program, a special seminar for people like Danny who tries to change path in life and quit on drug addiction. Fortunately, the program affected Danny’s life and started live the life he never used to experience before.
As fate would have it, he was hired as an extra in movie called “Runaway Train”, a fellow ex-inmate Edward Bunker was also in the set until he remembered Danny’s boxing talent. Bunker offered him to train Eric Roberts for a fight scene for a whopping $350 an hour. So, Danny accepted the juicy offer after a few spar here and there, the Director of the film, Andrei Konchalovsky was pleased on Danny’s performance and gave him a spot in the film, and from that Danny’s Hollywood days are shining brilliantly. When you look at Danny Trejo’s life as a young hoodlum plaguing the streets, you thought that his life in prison is going to be end of it, but with perseverance and confidence in himself, he found a new goal in life. He wasn’t good at acting but the fact that boxing was the ticket he needed to be known today, he still continues to perform well. Performing like the hoodlum that he was back then, but in truth, he really likes his role, he said that this encourage the youth that being a deadbeat and a thug might get yourself killed. Truly, Danny Trejo’s life has the most interesting Cinderella-story I’ve ever heard.
