Favourite Martial Arts Actresses and Actors

Kelly is a fourth-generation American with Chinese-Filipino-Hawaiian and English ancestry. Her father, Herbert, was a salesman and her mother, Juanita, worked many odd jobs to help support the family. She has one older brother, Glenn. She is a former Miss Teen USA, and modeled in Japan and Italy for several months before deciding to relocate to L.A. and try her hand at show business. She got her break on TV's "Growing Pains" (1985) in 1987 and never looked back.

Born as Yang Zi Chong in the mining town of Ipoh in West Malaysia in the lunar year of the Tiger, she spoke English and Malay before Chinese. A ballet dancer since age 4, she moved to London, England to study at the Royal Academy as a teenager. After a brief dance career, she won the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant title in her native country and the Miss Moomba beauty pageant title in Melbourne, Australia in the early 1980s. Her first on camera work was a 1984 commercial with martial arts star Jackie Chan. In 1985, she began making action movies with D&B Films of Hong Kong. She was first billed as Michelle Khan, then later, Michelle Yeoh. Never a trained martial artist, she relied on her dance discipline and her on-set trainers to prepare for her martial arts action scenes.

Was ranked 2nd of the 100 Sexiest Women by FHM Taiwan (2001).

Was named one of the 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 by Teen People Magazine (2001).

Was named one of the 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 by Teen People Magazine (2002).

Voted in at #100 in FHM's Sexiest 100 Girls of 2002, UK edition. [June 2002]

Her first appearance in an American movie was in Rush Hour 2 (2001), but as she didn't speak English, Jackie Chan had to translate everything the director said to her. In that movie, her character's name, "Hu Li" translated from Mandarin Chinese is "Fox".

Even though she has been in many kung-fu movies, she is not actually a trained martial artist, so in fact she uses many dance moves in her fight sequences.

Graduated in acting from Central Drama Academy, the top acting college in China.

Former spokesmodel for Tag Heuer watches.

Spokesmodel of Maybelline (cosmetics).

Former Spokesmodel of 2% (Korean mineral water).

Former spokesmodel of Pantene shampoo.

Former spokesperson for Coca-Cola (Asia).

Former spokesperson for Lenovo Computers.

Family includes: Li Zhousheng (mom), Zhang Yuanxiao (dad) & Zhang Zinan (older brother)

Forbes magazine's "China edition" recently ranked her the second most popular celebrity after NBA player Ming Yao [August 2004].

[September 2004] Taking lessons to improve her English.

Her father is an economist and her mother is a kindergarten teacher.

Ranked #91 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" (2002)

Joined the Beijing Dance Academy at 11 and the Central Drama College at 17.

Is one of 112 invitees to join AMPAS in 2005.

Named by Entertainment Weekly in their 'The Must List' 2005. Listed 38th out of the 122 people and things the magazine "loves" this year, Ziyi was the only Chinese to be included.

Selected by "Southern People Weekly" magazine as 'Chinese Top Ten Leaders Of The Younger Generation' in 2005.

Listed in People Magazine's '50 Most Beautiful People' List in 2005.

Was listed in "Time Magazines" World's 100 Most Influential People. They called her "China's Gift to Hollywood".

Was ranked one of the '100 Most Beautiful Women in the World' in the July 2005 issue of Harpers & Queen magazine. It was her first time on the list. She was ranked number 15.

Graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy

Was included in People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in the World the second year in a row in 2006. This is now her third appearance on the list.

Was voted in at #86 in FHM's sexiest women in the world in 2006. She had not appeared in the list since 2002.

Was a member of the jury at the 2006 Cannes Festival.

Is Global Ambassador for Special Olympics movement. She joins a select group of celebrities who are dedicated to spreading the Special Olympics message including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; boxing legend Muhammad Ali and Olympian Nadia Comaneci.

On November 21, 2006, the Wall Street Journal voted her one of its "Top 10 Remarkable Women In Asian Business Circles". The newspaper commented that although Zhang Ziyi is not a typical business leader, she has great influence on the entertainment industry.

Name is pronounced Jang (rhymes with 'young') DziYee.

Engaged to Israeli venture capitalist Vivi Nevo. [August 2008]

Maggie Denise Quigley was born to a Polish-Irish American father (originally based in New York) and a Vietnamese mother. Her father met her mother during the Vietnam War. Maggie has two older half-siblings from her mother's previous marriage, and two older sisters. The family moved to Hawaii and settled in Mililani.

Maggie dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but modeled and found herself bursting onto the Hong Kong movie scene - eventually becoming a full-fledged superstar in Asia. She changed her name to the easily pronounceable "Maggie Q" (for the Chinese audience). She had a cameo in the Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker smash hit Rush Hour 2 (2001) and is part of the supporting cast in Mission: Impossible III (2006), starring Tom Cruise.

Bruce Lee remains the greatest icon of martial arts cinema, and a key figure of modern popular culture. Had it not been for the amazing Bruce Lee and his incredible movies in the early 1970s, it's arguable whether or not the martial arts film genre would have ever penetrated and influenced mainstream western cinema & audiences the way it has over the past four decades.

The influence of Asian martial arts cinema can be seen today in so many other film genres including comedies, action, drama, science fiction, horror and animation.....and they all have their roots in the phenomenon that was Bruce Lee.

Chuck Norris is an Executive Producer of "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993) as well as the star. Norris is familiar to fans worldwide as the star of action films such as The Hitman (1991), The Delta Force (1986) and Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection (1990). He also starred in Missing in Action (1984) and its sequels, Firewalker (1986) and Sidekicks (1992). Norris was born Carlos Ray in Ryan, OK. The eldest of three children, he helped his mother raise his two younger brothers in Torrance, CA, where his family moved when he was 12. Norris joined the Air Force after graduating from high school. During a stint in Korea, he began to study the Asian martial art of Tang Soo Do. After returning home, he worked for Northrop Aviation and moonlighted as a karate instructor. Two years later he was teaching full-time and running a number of martial-arts schools. His students included Steve McQueen, Priscilla Presley and the Osmonds. In 1968, he became the Professional World Middleweight Karate Champion, holding the title undefeated until he retired in 1974. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwan Do, both Korean fighting arts, and knows all forms of the martial arts. In 1969, he earned the Triple Crown for the highest number of tournament wins, and was named Fighter of the Year by "Black Belt" magazine. By the time he was 34, Norris had established 32 karate schools and had been a champion for six years. In 1996, he became the first Westerner to be awarded an eighth-degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do. Norris, who was urged to get into acting by his friend Steve McQueen, skillfully incorporates his martial-arts knowledge into his series and feature film projects, stressing action and technique over violence. He is the author of the books "The Secret of Inner Strength" and "The Secret Power Within - Zen Solutions to Real Problems". He works for many charities, including the Funds for Kids, Veterans Administration National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans, the United Way, Make-a-Wish Foundation and KickStart, a nonprofit organization he created to help battle drugs and violence in schools. He also starred in the television movie Bound by Honor (1993), broadcast on CBS. He lives on a ranch when not filming. His birthday is March 10.

Martial artist and Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen was born in Canton, China, on July 27, 1963 to newspaper editor Klyster Yen and martial arts master Bow Sim Mark. At the age of four, Donnie started taking up martial arts from his mother who taught him tai chi and wushu until he was eleven when he moved to Boston, MA, with his family. From there, Donnie continued with tai chi and wushu but soon also began experimenting with various others martial art styles, such as taekwondo, kickboxing and boxing, after developing a huge interest in martial arts. When he was sixteen, his parents sent him to Beijing Wushu Academy so he could train Chinese MA under Master Wu Bin, well known as the coach of Jet Li. He underwent intensive training for three years.

Jet Li was Wushu (a martial art) national champion in China several times. He got his first part as a shaolin disciple in the film Shaolin Temple. His first attempt at directing, Zhong hua ying xiong (1986) (Born to defend), met with failure. It was good film regardless, because it was the first time Li directed and had more realistic fight scenes

Apprenticed to the China Drama Academy (or "opera school") by his parents at the age of 6, Jackie Chan was rigorously trained in music, dance, and traditional martial arts. A visiting filmmaker offered Chan his first (tiny) role as a stunt player. Chan took the part, and soon left the Opera to pursue the world of film. Fellow Opera students Biao Yuen and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo would also have careers in film, and the three would star in several films together in the following years. Chan's talent and enthusiasm soon saw him taking larger and more important roles, graduating first to stunt coordinator, and then to director

Has 8 brothers and 4 Sisters.

Speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

Former member of the Hung Ga Ban (Sammo Hung Kam-Bo Stuntman Association).

Was chosen to take over as Seraph in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003) after Jet Li has chosen not to work on the sequels.

After July 1997, Collin Chou decided to use his real name instead of his stage name of Ngai Sing.

Is also a model.

Raymond Park was born August 23, 1974, in Southern General hospital in Glasgow, Scotland. He has a sister and a brother. Park always wanted to be in the movies, but he was most inspired by martial arts. He began to nurture a love for martial arts from the age of seven, when his father's love of Bruce Lee films sparked a fire in the youngster's mind that would never extinguish. Specializing in the traditional Chinese Northern Shaolin Kung-fu (in the Chin Woo style Park moved on to master various other styles, most notably Wushu. Soon becoming a regular fixture at martial arts exhibitions and tournaments, the now defined athlete topped Great Britain's martial arts championships before later travelling to Malaysia to refine his skills.

Chris Casamassa is the son of Karate guru Louis D. Casamassa. He is a world class Red Dragon Karate expert with a 7th degree black belt and over 20 years of experience. Casamassa owns 25 Red Dragon Karate Schools and teaches regularly in Covina, California. He also holds the following titles: Forms Champion Weapons Champion Instructor of the Year He reigned the tournament circuit between 1988 and 1992. He retired in 1992

Born in Hong Kong, Sammo Hung's acting career began while he was training in acrobatics, martial arts and dance as a child at the China Drama Academy, and he received acclaim for his performance with a troupe called "The Seven Little Fortunes." He made his feature film debut as an actor at the age of 12, and has worked in numerous martial arts films as an actor, director, producer and/or choreographer, collaborating with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, two superstars of the genre.

He is now internationally renowned as a pioneer and trend-setter in Hong Kong action films. Hung's big break as a film actor came with a role as a villain in the Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon (1973). He established his reputation as a skilled physical comedian in several kung-fu comedies, beginning with "Enter the Fat Dragon" (Fei Lung gwoh gong (1978)). He also produced and starred in numerous successful films throughout the 1970s and 1980s for Hong Kong's leading film studio, Golden Harvest.

Hung collaborated in the 1980s with long-time friend Jackie Chan in a highly successful series of action comedies that cemented Hung's reputation as a consummate actor/director and launched Chan's career as an international star. For a while, Hung also starred in an American TV series, "Martial Law" (1998).

He directed "Once Upon a Time in China and America" (Wong Fei Hung: Chi sai wik hung see (1997)), his first film shot in the US. He and his wife, Mina, now divide their time between homes in Hong Kong and Los Angeles.

Darren Shahlavi started his training at the age of 7. He traveled to Hong Kong where he began his movie career, mostly as an actor, stunt double and later as a villain in the early 1990s.

Later he made the step from Hong Kong to Western cinema. His resume is growing and now he has had the opportunity to be a good guy. Besides being an actor, he was also a bodyguard for some of Hollywood's greatest stars, such as Patrick Stewart and Bruce Willis.

Steven Seagal is a striking and somewhat boyishly handsome looking (often with ponytail) and usually impeccably dressed action star who burst onto the martial arts film scene in 1988 in the fast-paced Warner Bros. film Above the Law (1988). The enigmatic Seagal commenced his martial arts training at the age of seven under the tutelage of well-known karate instructor and author Fumio Demura, and in the 1960s commenced his aikido training in Orange County, CA, under the instruction of Harry Ishisaka. Seagal received his first dan accreditation in 1974, after he had moved to Japan to further his martial arts training. After spending many years there honing his skills, he achieved the ranking of a 7th dan in the Japanese martial art "aikido" and was instructing wealthy clients in Los Angeles when he came to the attention of Hollywood power broker Michael Ovitz.

Wesley Snipes grew up on the streets of the South Bronx in New York City, where he very early decided that the theater was to be his career. He attended the High School for the Performing Arts (popularized in Fame (1980)). But dreams of the musical theater (and maybe a few commercials) faded when his mother moved to Orlando, Florida before he could graduate from high school. But after graduation from a Florida high school he appeared in local dinner theaters and regional productions. An agent saw him in a competition and got him his first movie role with Goldie Hawn in Oi agriogatoi (1986). Athletic roles such as that gave way to tough guy roles as in New Jack City (1991), and to the action hero in Passenger 57 (1992). Wesley feels that at least with the Hollywood heavyweights he must be doing something right - Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Dennis Hopper and Sean Connery all had veto power over casting and all approved his role.

When Jean-Claude Van Damme became an international film star, there was some debate as to his kick-boxing accomplishments. Former multiple World Kickboxing Champion Don "The Dragon" Wilson even offered Jean-Claude a "$100,000" bounty match to get into the ring and fight him. Van Damme brushed off the "challenge" as a publicity stunt. But, the truth of the matter was that Jean-Claude Van Damme was a successful semi and full-contact fighter who competed in Europe from 1976-1980.

Was a celebrity player (along with Betty White) on the final week of the cult-classic gameshow "Whew!" (1979) (when the show was known as "Celebrity Whew!").

Was discovered by an agent who saw him in a posed shot on the cover of "True Romances" magazine.

Has a black belt in karate.

Has one son, Antonio Saxon with his former wife Mary Ann Saxon.

Is fluent in Italian (His ancestors left Italy for the US and he 's worked on and off in that part of Europe since the early 60s).

Is Italian-American. The son of immigrants from Calabria, Italy.

David Carradine was the eldest son of legendary character actor John Carradine and he presided over an acting family that included brothers Keith Carradine, and Robert Carradine as well as his daughters Calista Carradine, Kansas Carradine and nieces Ever Carradine and Martha Plimpton.

He was born in Hollywood and educated at San Francisco State College, where he studied music theory and composition. It was while writing music for the Drama Department's annual revues that he discovered his own passion for the stage, joining a Shakespearean repertory company and learning his craft on his feet.

Robin Shou is the fourth child of a Shanghai tailor and homemaker. His family moved to the US in 1971. Their first home in Los Angeles was a 2 bedroom apartment near Olympic and Vermont, today known as Koreatown.

Shou didn't start attending martial arts classes until he was 19. He took Kenpo (Karate) classes while attending California State University. He soon realized that Karate didn't do anything for him so he decided to quit. A year and a half later he watched a demonstration by a group of Wu Shu practitioners from Beijing. He said "This is Chinese!" He was so inspired to train in this discipline that in year 1981, just before starting his senior year at California State University, he sold his car and used the money to spend a quarter studying Wu Shu in China. Robin's parents didn't know his real whereabouts until his aunt wrote his mother telling her that her son was in Nanjing.

Born and raised in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, a small town near Pittsburgh. He is the middle son of Petro and Despina Maropis and is very close to his brothers, Sam and Chris.

Being an exceptional all-around athlete in high school (Burgettstown High-school in southwest Pennsylvania), it appeared Adoni would pursue a professional career in some sport. Turning down various athletic scholarships, he enrolled at West Virginia University and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.

But, from years of being entertained by Adoni's impromptu comedic performances and impersonations which began when he was a small child, his father, Petro, told him that the suit and tie of the business world would probably choke him to death and encouraged Adoni to give acting a shot. Surprised, yet intrigued at this suggestion, Adoni enrolled at a performing arts school, Point Park College (now a University) in Pittsburgh, and studied acting, dialects, singing, and a bit of dance.

His first stage role was as a freshman, even though freshman weren't allowed to perform at the time, where they needed him as an "Arabian Carrier" in The Nutcracker Sweet. Not only did Adoni get to flex his muscles in that role, but he also played the "Jack-in-the-Box" in the same production. Some of his other memorable plays and musicals were: Working, Evita, Getting Out, You Can't Take it With You, and Little Shop of Horrors where he played the man-eating plant, "Audrey II." After three years of theatre at Point Park, with the help of his younger brother Chris, he headed for Hollywood.

Although Adoni is truly blessed with a more than usual dose of athletic ability and creative talent, what truly makes Adoni stand out is that he is a Type 1 Diabetic, and has been since he was 18 months old. His parents were told he would be weak and sickly, and in and out of hospitals his whole life. Ultimately, a renowned diabetic specialist told his father that most likely Adoni would be dead by the age of 25. As Adoni puts it, "I get a kick out of someone saying I can't do it." This has been proven by his numerous athletic awards and championships throughout high-school and college which involved everything - strength, speed, quickness and finesse. The list includes: tennis, basketball, baseball, football, weightlifting, arm-wrestling, fitness, and his favorite pastime, which is table tennis (ping-pong). Adoni loves being creative with his workouts which involve only 30-45 minutes per day of either running, biking, aerobics, some martial arts, or what he calls his "unique, unnatural, yet truly natural Cirque du Soleil/Tarzan workout".

Some of Adoni's diverse and memorable roles include: the flamboyant evil sorcerer, Quan Chi, in the TV show "Mortal Kombat: Conquest" (1998), the sarcastic undercover agent in The Gristle (2001), "Abu-Fayed," in Season 6 of the Fox hit series "24" (2001) and the regal falcon-man in Hidalgo (2004), starring Viggo Mortensen.

An inspiration to the world, Adoni will tell you that the most important ingredients to success and happiness are - love, laughter, and fitness! He credits his family and a few good friends with supplying all three.