Arnold Vosloo
A South African actor whose commanding presence and deep voice made him the perfect embodiment of the ancient, vengeful mummy Imhotep.
Born 1962 (age 64)·South African actor·Birthday: June 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Arnold Vosloo's journey to Hollywood villainy began on the stages of his native South Africa. After studying drama in Pretoria, he built a reputation in domestic film and theater, notably in the popular comedy 'Boetie Gaan Border Toe.' Seeking broader horizons, he moved to the United States in the late 1980s, where his tall frame, distinctive accent, and intense gaze quickly typed him for antagonist roles. His breakthrough was monumental: playing the resurrected Egyptian high priest Imhotep in Stephen Sommers' 1999 blockbuster 'The Mummy' and its sequel. Vosloo brought a surprising pathos to the decaying creature, mixing ancient menace with a tragic longing for his lost love. While that role defined him for a global audience, his career is a catalog of nuanced bad guys and tough professionals, from a mercenary in 'Blood Diamond' to a corrupt official in '24.' He has also lent his sonorous voice to numerous video games and animated series. Vosloo's skill lies in making the monstrous compelling, grounding fantastical evil in a recognizable, human desperation.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Arnold was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arnold Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Arnold's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the iconic monster Imhotep in the blockbuster films 'The Mummy' (1999) and 'The Mummy Returns' (2001).
- Played the recurring role of the villainous Habib Marwan in the fourth and fifth seasons of the counter-terrorism series '24.'
- Starred as the lead in the South African film 'Boetie Gaan Border Toe,' a major box office hit in his home country.
- Appeared as a mercenary colonel in the critically acclaimed drama 'Blood Diamond' alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
- Provided the voice for the character Zartan in the live-action film 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.'
Did You Know?
He served his mandatory time in the South African Army before pursuing acting.
He is of Dutch descent, and his surname is Flemish.
He played a superhero, Darkman, in the direct-to-video sequel 'Darkman II: The Return of Durant.'
He is a naturalized citizen of the United States.
He originally auditioned for the role of Rick O'Connell in 'The Mummy,' which ultimately went to Brendan Fraser.
“I am the bringer of death, the destroyer of worlds.”
