Kevin Grevioux on AllMovie

With an inspiring fan-boy-makes-good backstory that proves a testament to the old adage about hard work and dedication paying off in the long run, Underworld writer/star Kevin Grevioux went from comic book-collecting bouncer to Hollywood hot property by bringing the vampire versus werewolf action-horror hybrid Underworld to the big screen in 2003. Though movie lovers may not yet recognize his name, chances are you've seen his face in such efforts as The Mask and Men in Black II. Born in Chicago, Grevioux's somewhat nomadic childhood found him and his family frequently moving from city to city. It was around the age of 11 that Grevioux developed an enduring addiction to comic books, and though the self-professed "Marvel zombie" could often be found escaping into lovingly framed flights of fancy by such legends as Stan Lee, his Harvard-educated parents influenced him to relegate his favorite pastime to a hobby and pursue a more sensible career in microbiology at Howard University. It was while studying genetic engineering in grad school (and working nights as a bouncer to support himself) that Grevioux found his mind constantly wandering into comic book fantasies, and when his writing began to interfere with his scientific studies, he abandoned grad school to chase his dreams to Hollywood.

Initially writing by night and educating himself in the business of movies by day, work as an extra on the film Stargate found Grevioux making the acquaintance of aspiring director Len Wiseman -- then working as a prop boy. The two genre fans hit it off immediately, and it wasn't long before they were collaborating on what initially was going to be a simple werewolf film. As Grevioux hit the books to research the history of lycanthropes, his comic book and science backgrounds collided, and the story eventually became a racial allegory with vampires and werewolves locked in a never-ending struggle for power. In the end, Grevioux not only served as a writer for the film, but one of the main werewolves as well; his background in bouncing and stunts providing the required physical groundwork. Though Grevioux had been appearing in such capacity -- as well as minor supporting roles -- since his feature debut in 1994's Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, Underworld proved to be the Hollywood breakthrough he had been looking for. The film was such a success that both a prequel and a sequel were immediately green-lighted for production. That same year, Grevioux lived out a childhood dream by providing stunt work for the long-awaited feature The Hulk.