Which ‘Austin Powers’ Star is Now in Jail for Manslaughter?
What To Know
- Joe Son gained brief fame for his role as Random Task in the 1997 film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
- His cinema career was overshadowed by his 2011 conviction.
- Son is currently serving a life sentence.
Warning: The following post contains discussions of sexual assault and violence against women.
In 1997, mainstream moviegoing audiences were first introduced to Joe Son in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. A Korean actor, kickboxer, and former wrestler, Son was also the self-proclaimed inventor of a martial art called “Joe Son Do.” Austin Powers was positioned as his big break after years of appearing in low-budget martial arts titles that reached only niche audiences.
Sadly, it wasn’t the Mike Myers comedy that would bring him lasting recognition, but rather the shocking criminal allegations and convictions that emerged years later, forever overshadowing his brief Hollywood moment.
How did Joe Son begin his career?
Born Joseph Hyungmin Son in Gwangju, Korea, he moved to the U.S. as a young child and began wrestling for his high school. In the early ’90s, he began fighting for UFC, entering tournaments billed as a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo and the founder of a new style of martial arts called “Jo Son Do.”
His fighting career had far more losses than wins, but Son displayed a level of showmanship to each of his fights that caught people’s attention.
However, it wasn’t his fighting career that would make him famous; instead, he began appearing in several low-budget action films, including 1993’s Joshua Tree, starring Dolph Lundgren, and 1994’s Bad Blood, starring Lorenzo Lamas. Eventually, he earned a starring role as the main antagonist in 1996’s Shootfighter II.
What is Joe Son best known for?
In 1997, Son starred as Random Task in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Within the film, the character was described by Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) as a “Korean ex-wrestler/evil henchman extraordinaire” who employed footwear as a lethal weapon. Random Task was conceived as a parody of the James Bond villain Oddjob, who was famously portrayed by Harold Sakata in Goldfinger.
New Line/courtesy Everett Collection
Random Task was based on a silent and deadly bodyguard archetype, but replaced his trademark deadly derby hat with an Oxford loafer. In the film, Random Task spoofs Oddjob’s signature hat-throwing technique by hurling a shoe at Austin, prompting the bewildered British spy to be annoyed. Son’s inclusion fit the tone of the parody perfectly and ended the film on a funny note.
Why is Joe Son notorious?
In 2008, Son was arrested for felony vandalism for kicking a car, and was sentenced to 60 days in Orange County Jail and placed on probation. As a condition of his original plea, Son was required to provide a DNA sample. The sample linked him back to a sexual assault cold case of a Jane Doe on Christmas 1990.
According to the victim’s statement, Son pretended to be lost when he approached the woman as she walked her dog, where he and an accomplice, Santiago Gaitan, dragged the woman into his car and proceeded to assault and torture her.
According to the Orange County Register, the statute of limitations on sexual assault and kidnapping had passed, Son was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and torture, crimes with no statute of limitations. In 2011, Son was found guilty of one felony count of torture and given a life sentence.
In October 2011, the Orange County Register reported that Son was accused of killing his cellmate. In 2013, he was charged with murder, and in 2017, Son was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and received an additional 27-year sentence.
Where is Joe Son today?
Joseph Son is currently serving a life sentence at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network‘s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.