Biography
Who is Iko Uwais?
Early life and real name
Iko Uwais was born Uwais Qorny in Jakarta, Indonesia. He was named after the seventh-century Islamic figure Owais al-Qarani. His grandfather, H. Achmad Bunawar, was a master of silat, a form of martial arts, and founded a school to teach the discipline.
Before pursuing his career in film, Iko worked as an operational driver for Esia, an Indonesian telecommunications company. His life changed in 2007 when he met director Gareth Evans, who was filming a documentary about silat at his training facility.
Rise to action movie fame
Director Gareth Evans noticed the natural screen presence of Iko and cast him in the lead role for Merantau, which was released in 2009. To prepare for this role, Iko studied the Minang style of silat harimau under Master Edwel Datuk Rajo Gampo Alam. This collaboration marked the beginning of his transition from a professional driver to a full-time performer.
Following Merantau, Iko starred in the globally acclaimed action film The Raid in 2011, which later became known as The Raid: Redemption in the United States. He reunited with Evans for the 2014 sequel, The Raid 2. These projects established Iko as a prominent figure in international martial arts cinema.
Hollywood and international career
Iko has appeared in numerous international productions, including a brief role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. He also played the character Hard Master in the 2021 film Snake Eyes, which was part of the G.I. Joe franchise. In 2019, he appeared in the action-comedy Stuber alongside Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani.
His television work includes the lead role of Kai Jin in the Netflix series Wu Assassins, which premiered in 2019. He later reprised his role for the sequel film Fistful of Vengeance, released in 2022. Iko has continued to work in large-scale productions, joining the cast of Expend4bles in 2021 and starring in the sci-fi thriller Ash, announced in 2023.
Directing and personal life
In January 2025, Iko announced the creation of his own film production company, Uwais Pictures. The company's initial slate includes his directorial debut, Timur, which is a dramatization of the Mapenduma hostage crisis. Iko also stars in this production.
Iko married the singer Audy Item on June 25, 2012, at the Hotel Gran Mahakam in Jakarta. The couple has two daughters together named Atreya Syahla Putri Uwais and Aneska Layla Putri Uwais.
Birthday and age
Iko Uwais was born on February 12, 1983, which makes Iko 43 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Iko shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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