Danny Trejo was born in Los Angeles, California in 1944. Both of his parents were Mexican American, and his father was a construction worker. During the 1960s, Trejo was always in and out of prison. His final prison sentence was approximately 5 years, and he even spent time in a juvenile detention centre. All in all, he was incarcerated at around six different Californian prisons until around 1972.

In San Quentin state prison, Trejo picked up boxing and was highly successful across lightweight and welterweight divisions. He also worked with a 12-step program to overcome his drug addiction. In 2011, he revealed that he had been sober from drugs for over 40 years.

Breaking into movies

While working as a youth drug counsellor, a patient of Trejo’s invited him onto the set of Runaway Train. Trejo was subsequently offered a role as an extra – ironically, in a prison scene. The screenwriter of the film, Edward Bunker, recognised Trejo since both had been incarcerated at San Quentin. Bunker was aware of Trejo’s boxing skills and subsequently asked Trejo to help train Eric Roberts for a boxing scene in the film.

After his work on the film “Runaway Train”, Trejo was offered supporting character roles in a range of other movies. His distinctive, thug-like appearance made him a desirable asset on films featuring criminals and nefarious characters. He has also collaborated with acclaimed American director, Robert Rodriguez, responsible for films like “Spy Kids”, the “Sin City” series and the “Machete” movies, in which Trejo plays the lead role. Ironically, Trejo and Rodriguez are second cousins; however, this was something that neither men knew about until later in their professional relationship.

Trejo currently resides in the San Fernando Valley and has two children with his former spouse, whom he divorced in 2009.

Just because a book series or novel is fantastic doesn’t mean a film adaptation is the way to go. Sure, The Hunger Games movie series and the Harry Potter saga buck this trend. However, it’s an unfortunate fact that most book adaptations pale in comparison to the success of the original material. Let’s check out a few.

Eragon (2006)

Christopher Paolini wrote “Eragon” when he was barely a teenager. The book was a huge international success, spawning three sequels that finished the “Inheritance Cycle”. However, the 2006 film based on the first book is simply awful. While a sequel film was planned, the studio cancelled pre-production plans after seeing how bad the first film did.

The Dark Tower (2017)

Based on Stephen King’s novel, “The Dark Tower” had all the right pieces to make a great film. It had great actors – Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba in the leading roles, and a sizeable budget of over $60 million. However, the film bombed with critics and didn’t make a whole lot of money either, with both audiences and critics labelling the movie as rushed and unfaithful to the source material.

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief (2010)

The Percy Jackson series was written by Rick Riordan between 2005 and 2009. The books were wildly popular with young adults; however, the films were the exact opposite. The first film was released in 2010 to average reviews; however, it grossed over $226 million at the box office. This encouraged Fox Studios to produce a second film in 2013. However, reviews for the film continued to deteriorate, and its box office returns were less than favourable. Consequently, all future films were cancelled.

Inferno (2016)

Dan Brown’s most recent Robert Langdon novel, “Origin”, was released in the latter half of 2017. However, in 2016, Brown’s fourth novel in the series, “Inferno” was adapted for a film. Like the rest of the film series, “Inferno” was very bad, but they keep making money. Expect more mediocre adaptations in the future.

With a plethora of streaming services available (Netflix, Stan, Binge, Amazon Prime and Disney+), it’s easy to see why bingeing has become the new norm in how we watch television. Whether it be drama, comedy, thriller, romance or horror, there are heaps of excellent tv shows out there. If you’re looking for a new show, check out some of the most “bingeable” options below:

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Breaking Bad premiered on AMC in 2008. Its first season was well-received; however, it certainly didn’t set the world on fire. It wasn’t until season 3 that the show took hold and became a critical phenomenon. Adored by fans and critics alike, Breaking Bad finished its run in 2013 as one of the greatest shows of all time.

Stranger Things (2016-)

As of 2020, Stranger Things has become one of Netflix’s flagship programs. It has a huge cult following, and a broad fanbase, which has helped launch the careers of both its child and adult stars/ The creators of the show have forecasted that it will end after its fifth season, likely in 2021 or 2022.

The Office (2005-2013)

Known for launching Steve Carrell’s career, “The Office” is the US version of the acclaimed British series, created and starring Ricky Gervais. There’s nine seasons worth of content and some awesome moments and storylines, making it one of the easiest mockumentaries or sitcom-style comedies going around.

House (2004-2012)

In the mid to late 2000s, House was one of the most-watched shows in the world. It was well-received by audiences and critics, primarily because of its exciting premise and Hugh Laurie’s lead performance. If you’re looking for something different and unique, with interesting characters and storylines, House should undoubtedly be at the top of your list.