Veteran Villain Actor Deported
Berkoff Appeared In 'Beverly Hills Cop,' 'Rambo'
Posted: 9:28 a.m. EDT June 28, 2002
Veteran character actor Steven Berkoff is facing a real-life drama: He's been deported.
According the Ann Arbor News online, the British actor, known predominantly for playing movie villains, was sent home Tuesday after he was detained by Immigration and Naturalization Service agents at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The allegations were that he violated conditions of a 1997 work visa.
Berkoff has appeared in many notable films, including "Beverly Hills Cop" (as Eddie Muphy's main nemesis), "Rambo: First Blood, Part II," "Octopussy," and "A Clockwork Orange."
He was set to take stage Wednesday in Ann Arbor's Summer Festival production of "Shakespeare's Villains," a one-man show.
Berkoff had just arrived on a flight from New York when he was apprehended for visa violation, according to the Ann Arbor News.
According to his American agent, Joe Ajlouny, Berkoff was told that he stayed one day past the expiration date of his work visa in 1997. However, Ajlouny added that Berkoff has been back to the United States over 20 times since 1997.
According to Ajlouny, Berkoff kept telling INS agents, "I'm not a terrorist, I'm an actor!"'
Ajlouny told the paper that the action was "outrageous." A representative from the INS could not go into details about the deportation, but only confirm that the action took place.
According the Ann Arbor News online, the British actor, known predominantly for playing movie villains, was sent home Tuesday after he was detained by Immigration and Naturalization Service agents at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The allegations were that he violated conditions of a 1997 work visa.
Berkoff has appeared in many notable films, including "Beverly Hills Cop" (as Eddie Muphy's main nemesis), "Rambo: First Blood, Part II," "Octopussy," and "A Clockwork Orange."
He was set to take stage Wednesday in Ann Arbor's Summer Festival production of "Shakespeare's Villains," a one-man show.
Berkoff had just arrived on a flight from New York when he was apprehended for visa violation, according to the Ann Arbor News.
According to his American agent, Joe Ajlouny, Berkoff was told that he stayed one day past the expiration date of his work visa in 1997. However, Ajlouny added that Berkoff has been back to the United States over 20 times since 1997.
According to Ajlouny, Berkoff kept telling INS agents, "I'm not a terrorist, I'm an actor!"'
Ajlouny told the paper that the action was "outrageous." A representative from the INS could not go into details about the deportation, but only confirm that the action took place.Copyright 2002 by Channel3000.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
