Sapp To Make Big-Screen Debut

K-1 megastar Bob “The Beast” Sapp will make his long awaited motion picture acting debut alongside actress Jennifer Garner in Elektra, a spin-off of last year’s Hollywood adaptation of popular Marvel Comics title, Daredevil.

For the last month, the 6 foot 4 inch, 360-pound former NFL lineman turned K-1 martial arts fighter has been residing in Vancouver, Canada, working on the set of the latest superhero adaptation slated for release in February 2005. Sapp, who had repeatedly mentioned the strong possibility of beginning a new career in acting, spent a considerable amount of time on the set of the film prior to his May 22nd bout with Japanese star, Kazuyuki Fujita, during the K-1 “Romanex” event in Saitama, Japan.

Elektra casts the 29-year-old Sapp as “Stone,” an evil assassin whose physique is made of stone. Garner returns to the silver screen as Elektra Natchios, the beautiful and deadly costumed assassin. The forthcoming flick expands on a Daredevil storyline, whereby the lead woman recovers from a near death experience to battle a clan of mystical ninjas collectively known as “The Hand.” Sapp’s character is a member of the group.

Aside from her starring role in Daredevil, the 32-year-old Garner received acclaim for her performances in Hollywood blockbusters Pearl Harbor and Catch Me If You Can. Her latest project, 13 Going On 30, is playing in theatres nationwide and has grossed nearly $55 million to date at the box office.

Sapp’s latest venture comes less than two years after the big man made his splash debut in Japanese martial arts fighting competition. His freakish size and strength quickly propelled him to larger than life status in Japan where the native of Colorado Springs, Colorado has appeared in over 200 television commercials and as a guest on every major talk show. Sapp graced the cover of TIME magazine’s Asia edition and has been hired as a spokesman for a slew of Japanese consumer products ranging from ice cream to bento boxes.

Sapp’s wild popularity caught the attention of the American media last year prior to his United States fighting debut. After landing on the cover of leading daily business periodical, The Wall Street Journal, his story was covered in ESPN magazine, Muscle and Fitness, and leading hip-hop publication, The Source. Both NBC’s “The Tonight Show” and FOX Sports Network’s “The Best Damn Sports Show, Period” welcomed Sapp as a guest last August.