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Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee may be universally considered the greatest in the Martial Arts genre, but they’re not alone at the top. Both are unquestionably the biggest names in kung fu movies, but they don’t dominate the genre. It’s actually filled with talented fighters not named Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, some of which being actors whose fame predate the two stars.
The number of iconic martial arts movies released since the 1960s speaks to the idea that Lee and Chan have plenty of company when it comes to actors with real fighting skills. After all, a large portion of the most talked-about martial arts movies of all time don’t include either actor. Bloodsport, Come Drink With Me, Ong Bak, Fearless, and Ip Man are among the countless films in the genre that don’t rely on the top two kung fu stars. Here are the ten best movie martial artists that aren’t Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan.
10 Jason Statham
With black belts in multiple disciplines, Jason Statham stands out as one of the best martial arts stars in the modern era. Thrusting him into the forefront of these conversations was the Transporter trilogy, which saw Statham’s Frank Martin unleash all sorts of devastating and brutal hits on the movies’ gangster villains. With these films, Statham helped created an image that distinguished his characters from more traditional martial arts heroes. Similar to the non-nonsense approach employed by Steven Seagal, Statham doesn’t use flashy moves or rely on prolonged action sequences to showcase his talents; instead, he incapacitates his enemies as quickly as possible with hard-hitting, bone-breaking moves.
9 Michelle Yeoh
Unlike most high-profile kung fu icons, Michelle Yeoh had no formal training in martial arts prior to her breakthrough in the genre. However, that fact is hardly evident in movies like Police Story 3, Supercop 2, Yes, Madam, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Learning kung fu as she went along, Yeoh initially relied on her dance background but came across as a seasoned and capable martial artist even in her earliest movies. Much of this was thanks to her natural athleticism, which aided in her ability to perform high kicks and other moves. Over the years, Yeoh has cemented her position as the top female star in the entire genre.
8 Lo Lieh
Few actors have played starring roles in more kung fu movies than Lo Lieh, a prominent player in the Hong Kong movie industry between the 1960s and 1970s. The late actor lent his martial arts experience to several movies a year (more often than not as the villain), eventually accumulating over 200 acting credits. In 1972, Lo Lieh beat Bruce Lee to becoming the first international martial arts superstar when he played the lead role in the now-legendary Five Fingers of Death. Adept at carrying long and engaging kung fu battles, Lo has been involved in some of the the greatest martial arts showdowns in cinematic history, such as the one seen in Clan of the White Lotus.
7 Chuck Norris
For most of the 1970s, the genre was dominated by Hong Kong studios, but the latter part of the decade witnessed the rise of a martial arts icon in the West. Long before American martial arts movies were taken over by the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Seagal, Chuck Norris brought a high level of toughness and energy to movies like The Octagon. But perhaps the biggest testament of his abilities was in his first movie fight, which was against Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon, where the two fought for almost ten minutes in what is now renowned as one of the best fights in the genre’s history.
6 Sammo Hung
Collectively known as the Three Dragons, Chan, Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung formed a trio of martial arts actors who appeared together in a slew of action movies. Trained at the same school, the three boasted similar levels of kung fu skill. Chan obviously emerged as the bigger star in the end, but both of his co-stars proved equally capable as martial artists. Hung, for his part, often stole scenes in his movies, not only with his comedic chops but also with his kung fu moves. In spite of his large frame, Hung has never lacked for speed or energy in his action sequences.
5 Donnie Yen
Arguably the top martial arts star of the 2010s, Donnie Yen has gradually built a reputation as one of the greatest kung fu heroes. His use of Wing Chun in the four Ip Man movies served as an excellent demonstration of his skills and went far in improving his fame internationally. Expertly utilizing the reflexive nature of Wing Chun, Yen assisted in crafting action sequences so intense that many were easily on par with the fight scenes that made Lee and Chan famous in the first place.
But while the Ip Man movies are by far his biggest kung fu films, they alone don’t define his legacy. Yen’s other work reveals that Wing Chun is one of many martial arts styles he knows how to use well on the big screen. Also, earlier roles in movies like Tiger Cage 2 highlighted a knack for acrobatics reminiscent of Chan’s style, which just goes to show how well-rounded he is as a kung fu actor.
4 Jet Li
In the 1990s and 2000s, the only martial arts star close to the same level as Jackie Chan was Jet Li. Years of playing kung fu experts in Hong Kong movies have seen the actor contribute a great deal to the kung fu movie genre. With an emphasis on classical kung fu and the use of Chinese weaponry, Li became the go-to actor for martial arts period pieces, whereas actors like Chan did more modern movies. He also starred in Fist of Legend, a Fist of Fury remake which amounted to a worthwhile successor to the 1971 Bruce Lee original. Living up to the expectations set by Lee’s performance was a tall order, but Li met it, and without ever becoming a Bruce Lee copycat.
3 Gordon Liu
Perhaps not as well-known today as Jason Statham or Donnie Yen, Gordon Liu headlined multiple kung fu classics during the prime of his acting career, the late 1970s and the 1980s. In fact, many of the highlights of this particular era were fueled by Liu’s performances. His most notable work, which includes Eight Diagram Pole Fighter and 36 Chambers of Shaolin, was with Shaw Brothers, the biggest kung fu movie studio in Hong Kong. For a long time, they thrived on a long list of bankable martial arts stars, such as Ti Lung, David Chiang, and Jimmy Wang Yu, but moving into the late 1970s and 1980s, Shaw Brothers began to lean more heavily on actors like Liu, who had much stronger backgrounds and more talent in martial arts than most kung fu actors at the time. With a martial artist of Liu’s caliber, Shaw Brothers could easily deliver fast-paced fight scenes with top-notch choreography, which resulted in Liu becoming the studio’s top star for several years.
2 Tony Jaa
Thai actor Tony Jaa made waves in the 2000s with the Ong Bak trilogy and The Protector. Rather than practicing kung fu or karate, Jaa uses a Thai form of martial arts called Muay Thai in the majority of his movies. In doing so, Jaa created an onscreen image completely unique to most martial arts actors. Having no need for wires, Jaa regularly performs jaw-dropping jumps and flying knee attacks. By taking advantage of his impressive acrobatic abilities and not depending on wires or stunt doubles, Jaa found a way to make his fights look unbelievably real.
1 Jean-Claude Van Damme
Like the other greats of the martial arts genre, the Muscles of Brussels combines multiple martial arts disciples using elements of kickboxing, Muay Thai, karate, and more to create his own fighting style, which comes complete with dynamic jump kicks and his signature move, the splits.This, plus the raw energy he infuses into his performances (i.e. the final fight in Bloodsport), have remained a part of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s image for more than 30 years now. It’s for these reasons that Van Damme has been such an enduring action icon and a staple of the martial arts genre.
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