Biography
Michael Jeffrey Bruggink was born May 1st, 1981 in the small community of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the youngest of two children. His parents were Jeffrey and Karole Bruggink.
At the age of 16 he chose to move to Cocoa Beach, Florida where he finished school and started his first business. As the sole proprietor of a tree service, he attended high school and ran an operation with four employees.
Upon graduating high school, Michael sold his business and went to work with some of the most influential musicians of our time. At eighteen years old he worked alongside legends such as Tina Turner, Jimmy Buffet, Aerosmith as a stage technician.
In early 2001 Michael was hired on as a production assistant on the award winning independent feature "Things Behind The Sun" starring Oscar nominated actor Don Cheadle. The film was directed by Allison Anders and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
While Michael was in Hawaii for work he visited the Pearl Harbor memorial. Returning home, he watched along with the rest of the world as the events of September 11, 2001 unfolded. Less than a month later, Michael raised his right hand and entered active duty as a member of the US Army.
Michael spent three years on active duty, achieving the rank of Sergeant on his 23rd birthday. In those three years he saw action on the border separating the two Korean nations during the nuclear crisis. He was also deployed to Iraq with the army's Stryker brigade on their first ever war time mission. In the early stages of the war, Michael observed the chaos that ensued first hand.
Upon returning from the war zone and being granted his honorable discharge from service, he immediately enrolled in college. While in central Florida he studied theatre, communication, and psychology.
In 2005 several opportunities were presented to Michael in Europe so he added to the stamps in his passport with a move to the mother of cities, Prague. Several filmmakers approached him with the possibility of producing feature films that were set to be filmed in the country.
While in negotiations with the producers, Michael was offered a position as a member of a paramilitary organization in the small, oil rich nation of Kuwait. By the end of 2005 Michael was once again manning machine guns in the desert, surrounded by shady characters.
Living as a civilian in Kuwait, there were reports of terrorist cells living in the same apartment complex as Michael's. Kuwaiti special forces stormed their building, resulting in a six hour shootout. The terrorist cell was exactly two floors beneath Michaels apartment. Intel reports confirmed that his team of security contractors were the targets of their failed operation.
Having had one too many brushes with death, he resigned and headed out to southeast Asia. Now in Thailand, Michael met and studied under the current world champion of Muay Thai kickboxing.
Drawing upon his experience as a former competitor in Tae Kwon Do and as a bodybuilder, Michael soon was an in demand personal trainer. While in Thailand he was hired to train professional athletes, celebrities and prominent businessmen.
Michael expanded his business interests by investing in a nightclub that was located in the idyllic resort island of Phuket. As the owner of the club, Michael was in the ideal position to study different styles of communication.
Always drawn towards performing, Michael became the lead singer of a classic rock band, performing at his venue regularly. Various live acts were brought in, featuring musicians from throughout the entire world.
By mid 2007 Michael had sold his business interests and was becoming an in demand personal trainer, and an up and coming producer, and martial artist. When the opportunity to produce more film and television productions came up, Michael made the journey to the queen city of the south, Cebu, Philippines.
In a short period of time Michael starred on two television series to be broadcast internationally, as well as commercials, and short films.
Recognizing that any actor needs a mainstream film credit under his belt for future work on the big screen, Michael was cast in the feature "Disarmed". This action thriller was shot entirely in the Philippines and also featured veteran Filipino actor Rez Cortez, Steven Bauer of "Scarface" fame and AJ Draven in a starring role.
Playing the role of Sarge, a former soldier turned mercenary, Michael drew upon his considerable life experience as a former sergeant in the US Army to bring realism to the film.
By the end of 2008 he had participated in many international campaigns for print and runway, as well as commercials reaching viewers around the globe.
As of August 2009, he has had roles in several feature films that are set to be released theatrically and on DVD, worldwide. Look for Disarmed, Victim of Circumstance, and My Lai Four in 2009