Mark Smith (born 30 September 1969) is a British

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

and

body builder Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic ...

who starred as Rhino on the ITV show ''

Gladiators A gladiator ( , ) was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their ...

'' until its cancellation in 1999. Shortly after, Smith started acting, his credits include ''

Renford Rejects ''Renford Rejects'' is a teen sitcom produced and broadcast by Nickelodeon UK between 1998 and 2001. The show aired in the United States on Nick GaS. The show concerned a five-a-side school football team, made up of aspiring players who had bee ...

'' (1999-2000), ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

'' (2005), ''

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio sitcom broadcast over two series on BBC Radio 4 between 1978 and 1980, it was soon adapted to other formats, includ ...

'' (2005), ''

Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with David S. Goyer. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne (Dark Knight trilogy), Bruce Wayne / B ...

'' (2005), ''

Rollin' with the Nines ''Rollin' with the Nines'' is a 2006 British film set mainly in South London, about a rap group turned drug dealers. The film stars Vas Blackwood, Robbie Gee, Mark Smith, Simon Webbe and Billy Murray. Small appearances are made by Jason Fl ...

'' (2006), ''

Sinchronicity ''Sinchronicity'' is a six-part comedy-drama series broadcast on BBC Three in the United Kingdom in summer 2006. Set in Manchester, the programme is narrated by Nathan ( Paul Chequer) and focuses on the love triangle of him, Fi (Jemima Rooper) ...

'' (2006), ''

Trial & Retribution ''Trial & Retribution'' is a feature-length ITV police procedural television drama series that first aired on 19 October 1997. Written and devised by Lynda La Plante as a follow-on from her successful television series ''Prime Suspect'', each e ...

'' (2007), ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...

'' (2007), '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' (2011), ''

Argo In Greek mythology, the ''Argo'' ( ; ) was the ship of Jason and the Argonauts. The ship was built with divine aid, and some ancient sources describe her as the first ship to sail the seas. The ''Argo'' carried the Argonauts on their quest fo ...

'' (2012), '' The Last Ship'' (2015), ''

Yardie Yardie (or Yaadi/Yawdie) is a term often used, particularly within the Caribbean expatriate and Jamaican diaspora, to refer to people of Jamaican origin; however, its exact meaning changes depending on context. The term is derived from the Jama ...

'' (2018), ''

The Harder They Fall The Harder They Fall may refer to: * ''The Harder They Fall'' (1956 film), an American boxing film noir directed by Mark Robson * ''The Harder They Fall'' (2021 film), an American Western film directed by Jeymes Samuel * "The Harder They Fall", a ...

'' (2021), and '' The Enforcer'' (2022).

Early life

Smith was born in

Acton, London Acton () is a town in West London, England, within the London Borough of Ealing. It is west of Charing Cross. At the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census, its four Wards of the United Kingdom, wards, East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton ...

on 30 September 1969. He lives in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

as of 2016.

Acting career

''Gladiators''

He starred as Rhino on the ITV show ''

'', from 1995 to 1999. In 1996, he guest-starred in a single episode of '' American Gladiators'' (1996). After ''Gladiators'' ended in 1999, due to poor viewing figures, he became an actor and producer in Los Angeles. On 4 June 2005, at London's infamous

York Hall The York Hall, officially known as York Hall Leisure Centre, is a multi-purpose indoor arena and leisure centre in Bethnal Green, London. The building opened in 1929 and it is most famous as an international boxing venue with the first nights o ...

, Smith went head to head with lottery winner Michael Carroll in a boxing match. The fight drew much publicity with the press conference ending in a brawl after Carroll lunged for Smith. On the day, the fight had to be stopped three times due to Carroll's inability to continue. The former binman later stated "I will definitely get back in the ring with him. I will train harder next time." The charity re-match took place at the Manchester Evening News Arena in September 2005. This time Carroll was knocked out in the 2nd round. In 2022, the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

were considering bringing back the series for a reboot after 23 years, with Rhino expressing an interest.

Other projects

Smith starred as 'Leo' in the

Nickelodeon (UK & Ireland) Nickelodeon (commonly shortened to Nick) is a British pay television network. It launched on 1 September 1993, as a localised version of the American channel of the same name in the United Kingdom and launched in Ireland in 2004. In the United ...

show ''

'' (1999-2000) and also guest starred as 'Johnson' in the hit

soap ''

'' (2005). He has also appeared as a bouncer in both ''

'' (2006), and ''

'' (2007). He starred as Karim in ''

'' (2007). Smith moved with his family to LA and has built his resume with projects including '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' (2011, ), ''

'' (2005), ''

'' and an appearance as 'Shadow Warrior' in the film ''

'' (2005). He starred in ''

'' in 2012, and was a regular in the series '' The Last Ship'' (2015). In 2018, he played Raggz in the film ''

''. In 2021, he starred in the western film ''

''. In 2022, he appeared in '' The Enforcer''.

Other ventures

Boxing match

On 31 October 2023, it was announced that Rhino would face English politician Adam Brooks on the preliminary card of MF & DAZN: X Series 011 at

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common la ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England on 17 November 2023. On the night of the fight, Rhino was defeated by Brooks via 2nd round KO.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Professional boxing record

References

External links

Official website
(archive) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Mark Living people 1969 births Black British sportsmen British male bodybuilders English emigrants to the United States British expatriate male actors in the United States English male film actors English male television actors English male voice actors Black British male actors 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors English people of Jamaican descent English people of Ghanaian descent English people of Native American descent English people of Chinese descent Actors from the London Borough of Ealing Male actors from London People from Acton, London Gladiators (1992 British TV series)