FILM · 1992 · USA
Under Siege
25 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
25 Interesting Facts About Under Siege
Interesting Facts (16)
- #001
One of the biggest problems the production team faced was that the U.S.S. Alabama (the U.S.S. Missouri in the film) was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean when the Alabama was moored in Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama. To achieve this, the production team built a 100-foot-long barge with a 60-foot-high frame on top, onto which they hung a giant black cloth. The "blackout" barge was moved around the Alabama as needed to block out the city buildings and lights.
- #002
- #003
Captain Garza states that Ryback led a SEAL team to the airport in Panama and was the only survivor of the team. In one of the biggest mistakes of the invasion of Panama, SEAL Team 4 was sent to seize the airport. Four SEALs were killed and eight wounded in that mission. Army Rangers usually seize airports, but because the Navy was unhappy with the extent of its involvement in the invasion, the mission was given to the SEALs.
- #004
Andrew Davis designed the "war room" to resemble the one in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964).
- #005
- #006
Steven Seagal's eldest daughter, Ayako Fujitani, was on set the day the helicopter explosion on the deck was filmed, but she was not allowed to witness it because it was said to be too dangerous. Years later, Fujitani and Seagal were still joking about how much that upset her at the time.
- #007
- #008
- #009
The Army colonel in the war room scene is Jim Kerr, a Korean War veteran, paratrooper and retired U.S. Border Patrol officer. He responded to a casting call for extras to film a scene at a local high school gym in Fairhope, Alabama, which sits across Mobile Bay from where the shooting plans for the USS Alabama were made.
- #010
- #011
When Ryback secretly goes to a hiding place from the kitchen so he can undo his handcuffs as Cates and Ziggs begin searching for him, he does it using an Aikido technique called "shikko," which Steven Seagal included in this brief moment of the scene. Shikko is a form of walking on the knees from a kneeling position designed to improve balance and hip stability, and it forms the basis of Aikido training.
- #012
- #013
- #014
- #015
- #016
Behind the Scenes (3)
- #017
Stuntman/actor John Rottger was actively serving in the U.S. Navy when this film was made and was brought in as a technical adviser. He was given a small part as Commander Green, and he is the first person killed by Strannix. It was his first job in the film industry, and he went on to work as a successful stuntman on many major films. He also became good friends with Tommy Lee Jones and worked with him on other films.
- #018
- #019
Characters & Cast (1)
- #020
Harrison Ford watched this film while deciding whether to take the lead role in The Fugitive (1993), which Andrew Davis was preparing to direct. Ford was so impressed by Davis's work here that he accepted the role immediately. Tommy Lee Jones also appeared in the film.
Easter Eggs & References (3)
- #021
The line Ryback says to Strannix, "I know you," and Strannix's reply, "Been a long time," seem a little odd in the final cut, but they refer to a scene written for the very beginning of the film (though apparently never shot). The scene was meant to refer to an incident five or six years earlier in which Ryback briefed his SEAL Team before a mission that failed because of faulty or outdated intelligence provided by Strannix (then a CIA agent), a possible hint at Strannix's untrustworthy nature and the questionable loyalties that lead to the failed assassination attempt mentioned in the film. It is assumed this scene was never shot due to time or budget constraints, but the reference remained in the script.
- #022
- #023
Deeper Meaning (1)
- #024
Steven Seagal's notorious bullying tactics were on full display during this film. In a scene before the final confrontation in which Seagal addresses his colleagues, Seagal improvised and berated actor Troy Evans, a tough war veteran who later took up acting. Evans cut Seagal off, asked director Andrew Davis to stop filming, and put Seagal in his place in front of the cast and crew, saying he would not tolerate verbal abuse even for a film and that if Seagal tried it again he would have him beaten within an inch of his life. Seagal nearly began to cry and tried to explain that if he had known Evans was a real veteran he would have given him a bigger role. Evans told him to push off, and for the rest of the film Seagal was careful when acting with Evans.
Life & Family (1)
- #025
From the U.S. Navy's perspective, Ryback's Rate title was Chief Petty Officer and his Rating (area of expertise) was Mess Management Specialist, so Ryback was a Mess Management Specialist Chief, or MSC. Because Ryback is allowed to wear the SEAL (Special Warfare) insignia on his Blue Service Dress uniform at the end of the film, this meant Ryback was redesignated as a Navy SEAL. That would make him MSC(SEAL) Casey Ryback. This was correct at the time it was written. The rating was changed to CS (Culinary Specialist) in 2007, and SEALs became SO3, 2, 1, C, CS or CM depending on pay grade, so in this case a Chief SEAL is an SOC.
Related pages
- Avatar — Under Siege comes up in the facts on that page
- Spider-Man 2 — Under Siege comes up in the facts on that page
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work