If you though Gerard Depardieu being friends with Vladimir Putin was strange, wait until you hear about this one.
Actor Steven Seagal - who, like Depardieu, became a Russian citizen last year - appeared on Good Morning Britain this morning to discuss his friendship with the Russian president, as well as his thoughts on the current controversy regarding the NFL in America.
Speaking via video link from Moscow, the 65-year-old star - who also holds Serbian citizenship - said 'My father was Russian and I have lots of relatives in Russia and I love Russia. I love the country, I love the people", adding that there were "millions and millions" of people in the US who have dual citizenship. "This is not an uncommon thing," he insisted.
He went on to call Putin "one of the great world leaders, he’s brilliant, he’s articulate, he’s a great tactician. Him and I started out becoming friends over the martial arts. We don’t have a political relationship. We really talk about the martial arts and philosophy and people and dilemmas in life, that kind of thing.”
With regards to NFL stars kneeling for the national anthem, he called it an 'outrage'. "I believe in free speech… but I don’t agree that they should hold the United States of America or the world hostage by taking a venue where people are tuning in to watch a football game and imposing their political views,” he said. “I think it’s outrageous, I think it’s a joke, it’s disgusting.”
The full interview can be watched here.
