Actor | Le pacte des loups Mark Dacascos is an actor, director, martial artist, and television personality. You see, Jaa comes from a Muay Thai/Muay Boran background, which is a stark contrast from the kung fu/karate/Tae Kwon Do backgrounds you'll see from most action stars.. Celebrities Who Have Trained in Martial Arts and How It Has Helped Them In the last 60 years, martial arts has exploded in popularity and availability. Following in the footsteps of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan before him, Jet Li achieved fame in his homeland before taking Hollywood by storm. As children, he and Chan were both part of the Seven Little Fortunes performance group. The sequel, 2014's The Raid 2, is equally celebrated. Van Damme is a Shotokan karate black belt with amazing flexibility. So keep reading to discover ten Hollywood celebrities who are actually deadliest martial artists. Her early career was dominated by appearances in a number of martial arts films produced by the legendary Shaw Brothers Studios, among them Invincible Shaolin, Mad Monkey Kung Fu, Return to the 36th Chamber and Clan of the White Lotus. Who are some of your favorites? The original martial arts celebrity, Bruce Lee was a martial arts instructor and philosopher before he found fame as an actor and director. The icons of martial arts cinema are well known, from Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan to Jet Li and Tony Jaa. Apologies for being predictable, but this is The Dragon we're talking about. Norris began his martial arts training in Tang Soo Do, a Korean style, and eventually became a karate champion. There's lots to love in his later Hollywood productions too, like Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon and The Forbidden Kingdom. His martial arts films including Fists of Fury, The Chinese Connection, and Way of the Dragon are also very popular beyond his death. These days, his biggest Hollywood role is that of Yin Yang in the Expendables franchise. Well known for playing heroic roles, he expanded his fan base by going in a new direction as a Triad member in John Woo's 1986 film A Better Tomorrow. He also appeared in Kevin Tancharoen's cinematic re-imaginings of the Mortal Kombat franchise, Rebirth and Legacy, as Jax. Yep, martial arts movie actors are a different breed. Then again, he doesn't have to. Hollywood Martial Artist Actors and fighters never beat New Jersey and New York Fighters ! In his demonstrations, he has shown that he favors the stick as his weapon but is also an expert in. As a child, Jaa was inspired to study the martial arts thanks to his love for the films of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Many high-level fighters and martial arts actors have credited Lee as an inspiration. Bruce Lee will forever be the greatest icon of martial arts cinema. She was nominated for a number of acting awards for the role of Yu Shu Lien in 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and returned to the role sixteen years later for the sequel, Sword of Destiny. Like most of the performers on this list, Cynthia Rothrock was an accomplished martial artist long before she ever stepped in front of a camera. However, Chan's starring role alongside Chris Tucker in Rush Hour truly brought an already amazing film career in the east to new heights in the west. But "the art of eight limbs" was considerably less well known when Tony Jaa burst onto the scene in 2003 with Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior. 10 Guy Ritchie Guy Ritchie is an award-winning writer and director is best known for the Sherlock Holmes franchise starring Robert Downey Jr. and his most recent release, the live-action Aladdin movie. Kung fu, Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Jiu-jitsu: name any style you can think of, and there's bound to be a practitioner of it who has showcased his skills on the silver screen. Yen grew up surrounded by the martial arts, as his mother is a grandmaster that taught him both wushu and tai chi. As the first black actor to become a martial arts film star, Kelly helped pave the way for modern performers like Michael Jai White and Wesley Snipes. They may not match up to the likes of Hero, but films like Romeo Must Die, The One and War are still worth checking out. In China, he has worked as an actor, director, stuntman, and action choreographer in hundreds of films, from his first appearance as a child actor in 1961's Education of Love to directing the action for this year's Paradox. While he may not be as incredible as those facts suggest, make no mistake: Chuck Norris is the real deal. His knowledge of the martial arts has also served him well as a stuntman and action choreographer. Across the pond, he broadened his appeal with supporting roles (and behind the scenes work) in a handful of Hollywood films, including Highlander: Endgame, Blade 2 and Shanghai Knights. His worldwide fame reached new heights last year, thanks to his performance as Chirrut Imwe in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Actors, singers, and all sorts of performers will find that the extra confidence, agility, and physicality that comes with being a martial artist will help them improve every aspect of their craft. Though most of his training can be attributed to his hunk roles in … They evoke a sense of realism into their fight scenes that make the movie more realistic and credible in terms of martial arts. Her career is still going strong, as she is set to star in the new series Star Trek: Discovery and had a surprise cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. His first big role was as a villain in his friend Bruce Lee's film Way of the Dragon, in which the two stars staged an iconic battle in Rome's Colosseum. Who didn't love watching Chuck Norris defeat entire armies of Vietnamese soldiers back in the day? Seagal was born in Lansing, Michigan.A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan, becoming the first foreigner to operate an aikido dojo in the country.He later moved to Los Angeles, California, where he had the same profession.In 1988, Seagal made his acting debut in Above the Law.By 1991, he had starred in four successful films. It was the first of three such awards for her: she also won for 2010's At The End of Daybreak and 2017's Happiness. Hardly the typical "Bond Girl", Wai Lin was every bit as skilled as Agent 007 himself. More memorable roles in films like Double Impact, Hard Target, Street Fighter and Universal Soldier followed. This has been the case with martial arts over the last few years. It's also why everyone loves a good martial arts movie. I learned under Ronald Duncan, and under the system of Moses Powell, albeit briefly for both. To Western audiences he is probably best known for his short-lived series Martial Law, which ran for two seasons on CBS from 1998 to 2000. What used to be either a way of life to devote one’s self to or a closely guarded military secret has become popular recreation for millions of people worldwide. While other action stars are known for their scowls and simmering rage, Jackie Chan's best characters always seem to be having fun, and that fun is contagious. He's probably one of the deadliest actors working in Hollywood today: luckily, he seems to be a pretty nice guy! She has earned her black belt in seven different martial arts (eighth degree in Tang Soo Doo) and won five world championships for her forms. You'll definitely recognize some of the names on this list, while others may be less familiar. Like his long-time friend Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung was trained in the martial arts at a Peking Opera School before beginning his career in the Chinese film industry. Robert Rousseau is a martial arts expert and a former senior writer for MMA Fighting. February 27, 2015 at 2:38 pm Reply. Regardless, his breakthrough role came in Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior in 2003. She would also go on to appear in a number of low-budget American action films like Irresistible Force, Outside The Law and Mercenaries. Iko Uwais is the youngest entry on this list, which is great news for action fans. Jim Kelly was a real martial artist and a multiple time world champion in the early 70's. To modern audiences, Chuck Norris is probably best known for the "Facts" meme that sprang up about a decade ago. He made his acting debut in the 1988 film Above the Law and appeared in several box office hits from there on. Aside from that, he's one of the most genuinely likeable actors around. It was only a matter of time before he made a splash in the Western movie scene, which he did with his role as the villain in 1997's Lethal Weapon 4. That's one of the reasons why the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) has become so popular in recent years. He also had a short but memorable cameo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Okay, so Jean-Claude Van Damme is never going to win any awards for his acting ability. During her career in competitive martial arts, she was discovered by the famed production company Golden Harvest, and she made her screen debut alongside Michelle Yeoh in Yes, Madam. Starring alongside the iconic Bruce Lee in his last completed film (and arguably his best) was a huge boon for Kelly's burgeoning acting career. An iconic actor and martial artist, Bruce Lee, in his short life, gained international fame and developed his own form of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do. Seagal is somewhat unique as a martial arts movie actor in that his martial arts style, aikido, does not stress strikes as much as throws and joint locks. We don’t see him much on television anymore, but if you do want to catch a glimpse of this actor, you should check the gym. An icon of Chinese cinema and one of the biggest female action stars of all time, Kara Hui has an extensive resume of film credits spanning five decades. A student of Wing Chun, he enrolled in the studio's acting course and quickly found work thanks to both his burgeoning skills as a performer and his youthful good looks. Jaa stepped away from the business in 2010 to become a Buddhist monk, but returned to acting in 2013. Michael Jai White has studied martial arts since childhood, and holds black belts in Shotokan Karate, Goju Ryu, Kyokushin, Taekwondo, Kobudo, Wushu and Tang Soo Doo. Jeffrey Wincott (born May 8, 1956) is a Canadian actor, producer and martial artist best known for his Gemini Award-nominated lead role in the television series Night Heat. Another cult classic soon followed in 1989's Kickboxer, in which he played a skilled martial artist seeking vengeance for his brother's murder at the hands of a brutal fighter. Her most iconic role came in 1982's My Young Auntie, an action comedy for which she won Best Actress at the inaugural Hong Kong Film Awards. Who cares? Ernie Reyes Jr. (born January 15, 1972) is an American actor and martial artist, known for his acting work in films such as The Last Dragon, Red Sonja (1985), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Donatello Fight Stuntman) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), Surf Ninjas (1993) and The Rundown (2003). However, it was his starring role in the Missing in Action series of movies that compelled his popularity to new heights. Seriously, who doesn't love Jackie Chan? He was the martial arts choreographer for the original films and played the Referee. : 10 Best Battles In The Anime Series, Ranked, Malcolm In The Middle: The 10 Worst Episodes, Ranked According To IMDb, 10 Anime To Stream On Netflix If You're A Fan Of My Hero Academia. After Enter the Dragon, Kelly continued to showcase his martial arts prowess while becoming one of the biggest stars of the blaxploitation genre thanks to movies like Black Belt Jones, Three The Hard Way, Black Samurai and Hot Potato. Since then he's become one of the best known action stars in the world thanks to films like The Delta Force, Missing In Action and Firewalker, and his long-running television series Walker, Texas Ranger. Regardless, his breakthrough role came in Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior in 2003. We start with an actor who is proficient in a number of different martial arts styles, and has showcased those skills in a number of films. Though his life was cut tragically short at the age of 32, Bruce Lee had already accomplished more in that time than most people do in a century. Background: Sungmin has been practicing Kung Fu and Wushu since he was young. Especially when they do it stylishly! His martial arts films - The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon and Game of Death - are still held up as the standard by which all others are measured, almost 50 years after his death. 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His leading roles in films like Iron Monkey, Ip Man and Hero have cemented his status as one of China's most bankable stars. John Abraham is one of the actors who has perfect abs. Everyone loves a good action film, especially one with top quality actors and exciting fight choreography. He has also studied Taekwondo and Muay Thai. Let's be honest: there's a primal thrill in watching people beat each other up. By using LiveAbout, you accept our, Biography of Chuck Norris, Actor and Martial Artist. A second degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, he competed in a number of karate and kickboxing tournaments before launching his acting career. Derrick 3X. It is even more interesting when the actors portraying these heroic roles turn out to be actual martial artists that have shared their talents on the big screen. Martial art of choice: Kickboxing, Taekwondo Scott Adkins is a British actor seemingly unable to avoid being typecast as a Russian thug with the … In films, he debuted as a child actor and became a huge Hollywood star after the release of his last film Enter the Dragon. Martial Arts Discipline: Kung Fu. Wing Chun; Collin Chou. Jaa is different than most of the martial arts movie actors on this list because of his base art. In his short life, he mastered Kung Fu, developed his own martial art styles (first Jun Fan Gung Fu, then Jeet Kune Do), wrote several books, starred in The Green Hornet series as Kato, defied convention by training Westerners in the Chinese martial arts, and became one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Lee founded the Jeet Kune Do martial arts … 15 Ed O'Neil. A one-stop shop for all things video games. Like Kara Hui, Ti Lung achieved iconic status in China by virtue of his starring roles in a number of films from Shaw Brothers Studios. Van Damme broke out with the 1988 cult classic Bloodsport, which told the true (ish) story of martial artist Frank Dux and his battles in the underground fighting tournament known as the Kumite. Not to mention those Jean Claude Van Damme spinning 360-degree maneuvers, ridiculous high kicks, etc. An avid martial artist, he’s been practicing most of his life. Collin Chou has been training in martial arts since the age of 5! She rose to fame with starring roles in films like Magnificent Warriors, Executioners and Tai Chi Master before achieving international fame as Chinese agent Wai Lin in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. It wasn't long before he was choreographing the action, directing films and starring in them himself. One of the most celebrated actresses in Chinese cinema, Michelle Yeoh is also an international star thanks to her work in a few well chosen Hollywood productions. He made his American film debut in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), where his amazing speed and fluent martial arts moves thrilled fans everywhere. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. The former stuntman continues to amaze fans with his ability to pull off things on camera that most only dream of. On the Hollywood Movies, it can be difficult to differentiate between meticulous choreography and actual talent. While most famous for his roles in Married with Children and Modern Family, where he plays the quintessential “dad” role, Ed O’Neill is actually a highly-skilled martial artist. https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-famous-martial-artists/reference He has starred in a number of projects that have made good use of his martial arts skill, including Universal Soldier: The Return, Exit Wounds, Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing and Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown. Lee was simply one of the most influential martial arts movie actors ever. Beyond his martial arts movie acting credits, Yen is also an accomplished choreographer and director. He became a 6th Dan rank in Gosoku-ryū karate before he moved on to teaching it to the Culver City Police Department! In recent years he has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence thanks to a surprising performance in 2008's JCVD, in which he played a fictionalized version of himself having a very bad day. Van Damme's spinning kicks and splits serve as his defining moves on the screen. His own films eventually caught the attention of Chan, who wanted to cast him in Rush Hour 3, but scheduling conflicts prevented it. Now 57, she remains a celebrated actress in China, but has recently stated her intention to retire from the business. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Like her Police Story 3 co-star Jackie Chan, she became renowned for doing her own stunts in many films.