Fight Choreographers in Film
This is a (non-exhaustive) list of some of the top fight choreographers in the film industry.
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- Stunts
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeff Imada was born and raised in Inglewood, California, USA, where he began studying martial arts at the age of fifteen. At El Camino College and UCLA, he majored in pre-med and minored in music. While in college, he started working as a movie "extra," which led to his becoming a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Stunts Unlimited and the Directors Guild of America. Jeff Imada also had been technical advisor on numerous films, including Dutch (1991), Tango & Cash (1989), Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), Dreamscape (1984), and Streets of Fire (1984), and such television series as Magnum, P.I. (1980), Remington Steele (1982), Dynasty (1981), Matt Houston (1982), Airwolf (1984), Stingray (1986), Hart to Hart (1979) and Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982).Blade, Bourne & Breaking Dawn!- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou, China. His mother, Bow-sim Mark, was a kung fu master and his father, Kylster Yen, a newspaper editor and amateur musician. When Donnie was just two years old, the family moved to Hong Kong and then, when he was 11, to Boston, Massachusetts.
There, Master Bow-sim Mark became a pioneer for Chinese martial arts in America, and it was only natural that her only son was trained from early childhood in the same skills. At the same time, Donnie was influenced by his parents' love of music and reached a high level of proficiency as a pianist. All these interests would have a manifest influence on Yen's later life.
In his teens, Donnie defined his own persona by rebelling against his parents edicts. Beyond the limitations of his mother's school, Yen began training in various different fighting arts, including Japanese karate, Korean taekwondo and western boxing. Donnie also took up hip-hop and break-dancing. At the same time, he began spending his nights in Boston's notorious Combat Zone. Given that he was by now a serious practitioner of modern Wu Shu, his parents decided to send him to Beijing to train at the Chinese capital's famed Wu Shu academy.
It was when Yen returned to Hong Kong en route back to Boston that he met the famed martial arts movie director Yuen Woo-ping.
Donnie exploded onto the Hong Kong movie scene when he was cast in the lead role of director Yuen Woo-ping's 'Drunken Tai Chi'. His debut film immediately established him as a viable leading man, and Yen has remained a major figure in Chinese action cinema to this day.
Yen skills as a street dancer were to the fore in his second starring role, 'Mismatched Couples', in which he showed off his breakdance moves, as well as his general athleticism. This slapstick romantic comedy was produced by Hong Kong's prestigious Cinema City studio.
Donnie was subsequently signed by the newly formed D&B Films, and cast in the hit cop actioner 'Tiger Cage'. In this movie, and his follow-up features for the company ('In the Line of Duty 4', 'Tiger Cage 2'), Yen showed off his own unique form of contemporary screen combat, a form that included elements of rapid fire kicking, Western boxing and grappling moves.
Having established a worldwide fan base, Yen moved on to star in a string of independent Asian action features before director Tsui Hark tapped him to co-star in 'Once Upon A Time In China 2'. The film's two action highlights saw Donnie's character duel the legendary martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, played by his old friend Jet Li. The film brought Yen his first real attention as a thespian and he was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category at that year's Hong Kong Film Awards.
Tsui Hark went on to produce a remake of King Hu's classic 'New Dragon Inn', which provided another showcase role for Donnie as the film's apparently invincible villain.
Donnie was reunited with director Yuen Woo-ping for 'Iron Monkey', a film which brought Yen's acting and action skills both into focus. In 'Iron Monkey', Yen played the father of Wong Fei-hung, and its success prefigured that which he would later enjoy as another pugilistic patriarch in 'Ip Man'. Donnie collaborated with Yuen on the action for the film, designing a new on-screen interpretation of Wong Fei-hung's classic 'Shadowless Kick'.
'Iron Monkey' was all the more remarkable in that, years after its Asian release, it was acquired by the American studio Miramax, re-cut, re-scored and given a wide release in US theatres. After premieres in New York and Los Angeles, the film enjoyed great acclaim from the American critics, and won a prize at that year's Taurus Awards, an event held to celebrate action in cinema.
After working on a number of independent features, Yen went on to enjoy huge success on the small screen when he accepted a lucrative offer from Hong Kong's ATV to film a series based on the Bruce Lee classic 'Fist of Fury'. The show was the top-rated action drama show around the region, and was subsequently re-edited for international distribution on video.
Donnie went on to make his directorial debut with 'Legend of the Wolf', a stylish period actioner that even attracted the attention of legendary American film-maker Francis Coppola. The film, about an amnesiac warrior returning to his home village, has become a bona fide cult classic.
As director, Donnie followed 'Legend of the Wolf' with a very different venture, 'Ballistic Kiss', an urban thriller about a conflicted assassin. The film played at the prestigious Udine Festival in Italy, and took home awards at several other events, including the Japanese Yubari International Action Film Festival.
Donnie's body of work had by then attracted the attention of Hollywood, and Yen was approached to choreograph the action for the mainstream franchise films 'Highlander: Endgame' and 'Blade 2'. After a period where he was based in Los Angeles, Donnie returned East by way of the West when Jackie Chan requested that Yen play his nemesis in the hit 'Shanghai Knights', a shoot that took the star from Prague to London.
Yen returned to China to co-star in director Zhang Yimou's epic wu xia master work 'Hero'. Yen's duel with Jet Li brought his skills to the emerging Mainland Chinese theatrical audience, and paved the way for Donnie to become the country's biggest action star. The film received a wide US theatrical release from Miramax, and remains one of the most successful foreign language titles ever distributed in the America market.
Donnie returned to Hong Kong to choreograph the smash hit fantasy-horror-comedy 'The Twins Effect', and went on to enjoy his most productive partnership with a director. Beginning with the cop actioner 'SPL', Donnie teamed with helmer Wilson Yip for a series of very different films that Yen would star in and action choreograph and Yip would direct. Star and director subsequently teamed to create the comic book inspired fantasy actioner 'Dragon Tiger Gate' and the gritty police thriller 'Flashpoint', in which Donnie created what fans feel is the definitive on-screen MMA action scene. Yen was to return to this hard-hitting, urban action style for the later 'Special ID'.
Donnie now found himself in demand as a leading man in a series of prestigious period actioners produced for the Chinese market. 'Seven Swords' premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and proved a hit with worldwide audiences. The film was released in North America by The Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label, and remains its biggest hit.
Yen also attracted rave reviews when he played an honorable general in 'An Empress and her Warriors' and an offbeat ghost-buster in Gordon Chan's 'Painted Skin'.
Yen took his career to a new level when he accepted producer Raymond Wong's suggestion that he play Bruce Lee's teacher, 'Ip Man', in an eponymous film relating the life of the great master. The film was a huge success in Hong Kong and China, and 'Ip Man' went on to find favor with audiences worldwide. Donnie also received a Best Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
'Ip Man' confirmed Donnie's position as China's greatest action hero, and he was immediately signed to lead a strong ensemble cast for Teddy Chen's 'Bodyguards and Assassins', produced by Peter Chan. Besides his on-screen performance, Donnie was also called on to choreograph the dynamic duel between himself and MMA champion Cung Le. The movie went on to sweep the board at the Hong Kong Film Awards winning Best Film, among many other prizes. Yen himself was nominated for Best Actor at the Chinese Hundred Flower awards.
Yen followed this with 'Ip Man 2', a rare example of a sequel that proved a match for its predecessor. The film followed Ip's life journey to Hong Kong, where he faces both rival kung fu masters, led by the film's choreographer, Sammo Hung, and a brutal foreign boxer, portrayed by the late Darren Shahlavi. 'Ip Man 2' was the biggest local hit of the year in China, and enjoyed a limited theatrical release in the US.
The film's success led to Donnie being cast as a number of legendary Chinese heroes: He played General Qin-long in Daniel Lee's '14 Blades', Guan Yu in 'The Lost Bladesman' and reprised Bruce Lee's Chen Zhen role in Andrew Lau's 'Legend of the Fist'. Yen also used the lighter side of his screen persona to good effect in two installments of the hit Hong Kong comedy movie series 'Alls Well Ends Well'.
Yen was cast opposite Tang Wei and Takeshi Kaneshiro in director Peter Chan's 'Wu Xia' (aka 'Dragon'), a dark, elegant period martial arts murder mystery. The film premiered to great acclaim at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and subsequently received a North American theatrical release from The Weinstein Company.
Donnie Yen played 'The Monkey King' in a hit reimagining of the Chinese classic. Donnie starred opposite screen legend Chow Yun-fat in the film, which smashed box office records in Mainland China.
Showing his versatility, Yen went on to play a kung fu master facing challenges in the modern era in director Teddy Chen's 'Kung Fu Jungle'. The movie, which premiered at the London Film Festival, paid tribute to the great history of Hong Kong martial arts cinema.
During the shooting of his ambitious, time travel themed action fantasy 'Iceman 3D', Yen was approached to revitalize the greatest brand in the history of Chinese martial arts cinema. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny' was shot primarily on location in New Zealand, with Yen in the lead role. The world class creative team gathered by producer Harvey Weinstein included legendary kung fu film director Yuen Woo-ping, acclaimed directors Peter Berg and Morten Tyldum (as producers), 'X-Men' series DP Tom Sigel as well as the Oscar-winning production, costume and FX designers from the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit' film series.
The film debuted in most international territories as a Netflix Original movie, making it the most widely seen wu xia of all time. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Sword of Destiny' also played at selected Imax theatres in North America, and enjoyed a wide theatrical release in China, where it was screened in its 3D version.
Yen reteamed with his former mentor Yuen Woo-ping for the hugely popular 'Ip Man 3'. The film, with Wilson Ip as director and Yuen as choreographer, pitted the title character against legendary boxing champion Mike Tyson. The film out-performed all the previous movies featuring the character of Ip Man, smashing box office records throughout Asia. Following a high profile Los Angeles premiere, 'Ip Man 3' enjoyed a Los Angeles premiere and a US theatrical release, earning rave reviews in the mainstream American media.
Having conquered every territory beneath the Asian skies, Donnie accepted an invitation to join the cast of an entry in the world's biggest film franchise. In 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story', Yen plays one of the Rebel warriors responsible for the theft of the Death Star plans, the adventure that, within the 'Star Wars' universe, leads to the events of the very first film in the series. The film was shot primarily at the famed Elstree Studios in England.
Donnie had a role opposite Vin Diesel and his fellow Asian action star, Tony Jaa, in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), which filmed in Toronto, Canada.
Now firmly established as a leading player across the globe, Donnie Yen continues to present a unique blend of Eastern experience and Western innovation, of musical grace with martial impact, from Hong Kong to a galaxy far, far away....
Donnie is one of the leading martial arts choreographers in the world of action cinema. His skills behind the camera began developing from his early days in the industry, and he was very much involved with the action choreography of his films for D&B Films. He received his first full action directing credit on the Michelle Yeoh, kung fu drama 'Wing Chun', in which he also starred.
Yen further developed his style of choreography in the high pressure world of Hong Kong television, where he created the action for his hit series 'Kung Fu Master' and 'Fist of Fury', and as a low-budget film-maker, when he directed, starred in and choreographed the movies 'Legend of the Wolf' and 'Ballistic Kiss'.
It was after Yen had helmed his first two Chinese features that Hollywood made its first serious bid for his services. He was signed to co-star in and action direct 'Highlander: Endgame', the latest in a series of fantasy actioners. The film, which starred Adrian Paul and Christopher Lambert, was produced by the US studio Dimension, and enjoyed a successful worldwide theatrical release.
Having relocated to Los Angeles, Yen paid his dues by directing action scenes for the Dimension action thriller 'Stormbreaker' and providing the fight sequences for the German TV series 'The Puma'.
Donnie agreed to both action direct and cameo in the major New Line action franchise entry 'Blade 2', starring Wesley Snipes. The film, directed by Guillermo del Toro, was a huge hit, earning almost twice the box office of the original 'Blade'.
Returning to Hong Kong, Yen found he now had a major contribution to make behind the camera, co-directing the SFX action adventure 'The Twins Effect'. The film, which starred two of China's top pop idols, told the tale of young vampire hunters with well-honed martial arts skills. A huge hit for Emperor, the film earned Yen his first Best Action Director prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
'The Twins Effect' saw Donnie start to introduce elements of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in his film fight scenes. He took the on-screen depiction of the style to new heights with the film 'SPL', released in the US as 'Kill Zone'. Yen's final reel duel with Sammo Hung is now regarded as a classic of the genre. The film won Donnie his second Best Action Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
He took his on-screen depiction of MMA to new heights in 'Flashpoint', which featured an even longer and more intense final showdown, this time between Yen and 'Matrix Reloaded' actor Collin Chou. The film won Donnie his third Best Action Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards, as well as a prize for Best Action in a Foreign Language Film at the Taurus Awards.
Yen explored different styles of screen combat when he choreographed the stunning kung fu fights for the period actioners 'Legend of the Fist' and 'The Lost Bladesman', the fantasy combat for 'The Monkey King' and the time travel adventure 'Iceman Cometh 3D'.
Many fans feel that Yen delivered his best choreographic work to date in Peter Chan's masterful 'Wu Xia', released in the US as 'Dragon'. The film saw Donnie bring his own unique flair to classical Shaw Bros style kung fu action.
Donnie brought traditional Chinese martial arts into the modern era with 'Kung Fu Jungle', for which his work won yet another Best Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Away from the cameras, Yen entered into the most rewarding partnership of his life when he married former beauty queen, Cissy Wang. The couple now has two children, a girl and boy, Jasmine and James.Highlander, Flashpoint, and Blade two!- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
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 sparring partner 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" (Enter the Fat Dragon (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 (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.Martial Law and Chuck Norris - say no more!- Additional Crew
- Stunts
- Actor
William Hobbs was a fight director, stuntman and actor, the son of an RAF pilot killed during the closing stages of World War II. He was brought up and schooled in Australia, had an early background in amateur dramatics and took up fencing in 1954. A natural swordsman, he narrowly missed out on making the Aussie squad for the 1957 Melbourne Olympics. The following year he moved to England to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Between 1958 and 1960, he tried his hand at acting in repertory theatre, failed miserably and was told by Laurence Olivier to 'give it up'. For nine years he then worked as fight director for Olivier's National Theatre Company. Bathed in a plethora of glowing plaudits for his stage duels he wrote his first textbooks entitled "Stage Combat: The Action to the Word" and "Techniques of the Stage Fight" (1967). As fencing master and fight choreographer he went on to train numerous film and TV stars in the intricacies of parry, lunge and riposte. In terms of both weaponry and action, he placed great emphasis on historical accuracy and realism. To achieve period authenticity he frequently relied on examining old pictures and prints. To Hobbs, the single most important ingredient, however, was the acting. In his 1995 book "Fight Direction for Stage and Screen" he declared "the actors have to be working mentally on a conscious level of coolness, with complete body relaxation and control, so that their acted aggression can be performed with conviction and at the same time in absolute safety". His work is singularly showcased by the brilliant fight scenes in Ridley Scott's The Duellists (1977) which are among the best ever filmed. Hobbs later recalled "the pauses that we put into the fights in [The Duellists] were phenomenal, but we wanted to get across the awful feeling that you believe you'll be dead on the floor. In the end, the realism is the fear." Among the acting luminaries Hobbs prepped for swashbuckling excellence were Peter O'Toole (Hamlet, National Theatre, 1963), Tim Roth and Liam Neeson (Rob Roy (1995)) and Leonardo DiCaprio (The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)).- Game of Thrones!
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
- Actor
B.H. Barry was born on 19 February 1940 in Staines, Middlesex, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Glory (1989), The Addams Family (1991) and Mulan (1998).From Antony & Cleopatra, through Dr Who, all the way to Broadway.- Stunts
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nick Gillard was born in Brighton, Sussex, England, UK. He is an actor and assistant director, known for Wanted (2008), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and The Count of Monte Cristo (2002).Indiana Jones, various James Bond films, Judge Dredd and Star Wars.- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Fat Chung is known for To Be Number One (1991), Millionaires' Express (1986) and The Return of Pom Pom (1984).Kung Fu master since Enter The Dragon.- Director
- Actor
- Stunts
Award-winning director David Goodall began working in Theatre in 1981; almost concurrently he was acting, fight directing and composing. In 1982 he directed an acclaimed production of "The Caretaker" for Tryst Theatre, with whom he subsequently directed "Rosencrantz and Guidenstern Are Dead" - of which the Guardian Review said "Quite, quite extraordinary" - both productions starred Cal Macanninch.
He spent quite some time in London, working as an assistant engineer at the Boundary Row Studios, and has worked on producing singles and albums for various groups and individuals; mixing the score for Paul Campion's "The Devil's Rock" and producing and engineering the 2010 Nigerian World Cup single - "One"
Since 2010 he has directed several award-winning films "Crush" and "Changed Days" won Best Director and Best International film in New York and Los Angeles, Keeping Mum, Goon and The Magical Beacon Stone have won awards throughout the world, including the Alan Parsons Award for Best Film Score
As an actor, David has worked with renowned directors Ken Loach, Cary Fukunaga and Douglas Mackinnon, appearing in Masters of the Air, The Angel's Share and Outlander
As a fight director, David has worked on such long-running, gritty shows as "Taggart" and "Rebus". He has choreographed the violence for "Red Road" with Tony Curran, "That Old One" with Kevin McKidd and Paddy Considine's acclaimed directorial debut "Dog Altogether" with Peter Mullan.
David began composing in the early eighties, writing for theatre, chamber ensembles and small choral groups. His composition work has taken him all over the world, and his experience ranges from writing and producing pop songs to composing choral and orchestral commissions. His music has been used in projects as diverse as the world premiere of Derek Walcott's adaptation of "The Odyssey", a choral piece for the funeral of Domenico Chiocchetti, (principal artist of the Italian Chapel in Orkney), and the Irn Bru Can Clan campaign. Feature Films include: "Fallen Angels", "In The Dark", "Hamlet" & "To Have and to Hold". TV: "Eikon", "Wild Harvest" & "Zig Zag"; he has worked on award-winning commercials and idents, and has won a Silver Rose for Best Sound Design as well as awards for Best Original Song and Best Score.
David was brought up between Italy, France and Scotland. and he speaks several languages, which he has used in voicing foreign language versions of numerous console games. His only training was as a chef, and he used to handle the catering on smaller shoots!Award winning director. Rebus, Taggart, That Old One, among others.- Ernie Reyes Jr. was born on 15 January 1972 in San Jose, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), The Rundown (2003) and Red Sonja (1985). He has been married to Lisa Reyes since 11 November 2009. They have two children.NCIS, and Rush hour too.
- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Wesley Trent Snipes was born in Orlando, Florida, to Marian (Long), a teacher's assistant, and SMSGT Wesley Rudolph Snipes, an aircraft engineer. He grew up on the streets of the South Bronx in New York City, where he very early decided that dance and the theatre were 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. Fortune would have it that he along with two friends and his "Drama class" teachers Mr. S Porro and K. Rugerio, would start a bus-n-truck theatre company (Struttin Street Stuff) be instrumental in his high schools (Jones High) induction into the International Thespian Society, Orlando Chapter and help lay the foundation for what would become Dr. Phillips High Schools theatre arts program. Musical theatre rooted Snipes performed song-n-dance, puppetry, and acrobatics in city parks, dinner clubs, and performing arts centers around central Florida. As a recipient of a Victor Borge Scholarship, Snipes left Orlando and entered the world-renowned professional theatre arts program at SUNY Purchase in New York, now Purchase College, where he honed his theatrical performance and martial arts skills. Graduating with a BFA, he went on to co-star in a few soap operas and nighttime dramas, peppered in between critical acclaim performances Broadway. It was there in a Broadway theater An agent saw him on stage and invited him to audition for his first feature film role.
Goldie Hawn Wildcats (1986). Athletic roles such as that gave way to dramatic 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. Wesley also founded Amen Ra Films Production Company, and is a Multi System Combat Arts Black Belt Holder IT Technologist & VC.No introduction needed!- Producer
- Actor
- Stunts
Hong Kong's cheeky, lovable and best-known film star, Jackie Chan endured many years of long, hard work and multiple injuries to establish international success after his start in Hong Kong's manic martial arts cinema industry.
Jackie was born Kong-sang Chan on April 7, 1954, on Hong Kong's famous Victoria Peak, to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan, and the family immigrated to Canberra, Australia, in early 1960. The young Jackie was less than successful scholastically, so his father sent him back to Hong Kong to attend the rigorous China Drama Academy, one of the Peking Opera schools. Chan excelled at acrobatics, singing and martial arts and eventually became a member of the "Seven Little Fortunes" performing troupe and began lifelong friendships with fellow martial artists / actors Sammo Kam-Bo Hung and Biao Yuen. Chan journeyed back and forth to visit his parents and work in Canberra, but eventually he made his way back to Hong Kong as his permanent home. In the early 1970s, Chan commenced his movie career and interestingly appeared in very minor roles in two films starring then rising martial arts superstar Bruce Lee: Fist of Fury (1972) (aka "The Chinese Connection"), and the Warner Bros. production Enter the Dragon (1973). Not long after Lee's untimely death, Chan was often cast in films cashing in on the success of Bruce Lee by utilizing words like "fist", "fury" or "dragon" in their US release titles.
Chan's own film career was off and running and he swiftly appeared in many low-budget martial arts films that were churned out at a rapid-fire pace by Hong Kong studios eager to satisfy the early 1970s boom in martial-arts cinema. He starred in Shaolin Wooden Men (1976), To Kill with Intrigue (1977), Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978) and Magnificent Bodyguards (1978), which all fared reasonably well at the cinemas. However, he scored a major breakthrough with the action comedy Drunken Master (1978), which has become a cult favorite among martial arts film fans. Not too long after this, Chan made his directorial debut with The Young Master (1980) and then "Enter the Dragon" producer Robert Clouse lured Jackie to the United States for a film planned to break Jackie into the lucrative US market. Battle Creek Brawl (1980) featured Jackie competing in a "toughest Street fighter" contest set in 1940s Texas; however, Jackie was unhappy with the end result, and it failed to fire with US audiences. In a further attempt to get his name known in the United States, Jackie was cast alongside Burt Reynolds, Sir Roger Moore and Dean Martin in the Hal Needham-directed car chase film The Cannonball Run (1981). Regrettably, Jackie was cast as a Japanese race driver and his martial arts skills are only shown in one small sequence near the film's conclusion. Stateside success was still a few years away for Jackie Chan!
Undeterred, he returned to East Asia to do what he did best--make jaw-dropping action films loaded with amazing stunt work. Chan and his legendary stunt team were without parallel in their ability to execute the most incredible fight scenes and action sequences, and the next decade would see some of their best work. Chan paired with the dynamic Sammo Kam-Bo Hung to star in Winners & Sinners (1983), Project A (1983), Wheels on Meals (1984), My Lucky Stars (1985) (aka "Winners & Sinners 2"), Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985) (aka "Winners & Sinners 3"). Chan then journeyed back to the United States for another shot at that market, starring alongside Danny Aiello in The Protector (1985), filmed in Hong Kong and New York. However, as with previous attempts, Jackie felt the US director--in this case, James Glickenhaus--failed to understand his audience appeal and the film played to lukewarm reviews and box-office receipts. However, Jackie did decide to "harden" up his on-screen image somewhat and his next film, Police Story (1985) was a definite departure from previously light-hearted martial arts fare, and his fans loved the final product!
This was quickly followed up with the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)-influenced Armour of God (1986), during filming of which Jackie mistimed a leap from a wall to a tree on location in Yugoslavia and fell many quite a few feet onto his head, causing a skull fracture. It was another in a long line of injuries that Chan has suffered as a result of doing his own stunt work, and he was soon back in front of the cameras. Project A 2 (1987), Police Story 2 (1988), Miracles: The Canton Godfather (1989) (aka "Mr. Canton and Lady Rose)", Armour of God 2: Operation Condor (1991) (aka "Armour of God 2") and Supercop (1992) (aka "Police Story 3") were all sizable hits for Jackie, escalating his status to phenomenal heights in Asia, and to his loyal fanbase around the globe. US success was now just around the corner for the hard-working Jackie Chan, and it arrived in the form of the action film Rumble in the Bronx (1995) (though it was actually filmed in Canada) that successfully blended humor and action to make a winning formula in US theaters.
Jackie did not waste any time and went to work on First Strike (1996) (aka "Police Story 4"), Mr. Nice Guy (1997), Who Am I? (1998), which all met with positive results at the international box office. Jackie then went to work in his biggest-budget US production, starring alongside fast-talking comedian Chris Tucker in the action comedy Rush Hour (1998). The film was a bigger hit than "Rumble in the Bronx" and firmly established Jackie as a bona fide star in the United States. Jackie then paired up with rising talent Owen Wilson to star in Shanghai Noon (2000) and its sequel, Shanghai Knights (2003), and re-teamed with Tucker in Rush Hour 2 (2001), as well as starring in The Tuxedo (2002), The Medallion (2003) and the delightful Around the World in 80 Days (2004). Not one to forget his loyal fanbase, Jackie returned to more gritty and traditional fare with New Police Story (2004) and The Myth (2005). The multi-talented Chan (he is also a major recording star in Asia) shows no sign of slowing down and has long since moved out of the shadow of Bruce Lee, to whom he was usually compared early in his career.
Chan is truly one of the international film industry's true maverick actor / director / stuntman / producer combinations - he has done this the hard way, and always his way to achieve his dreams and goals to be an international cinematic star. Off screen, he has been directly involved in many philanthropic ventures providing financial assistance to schools and universities around the world. He is a UNICEF GoodWill Ambassador, and he has campaigned against animal abuse and pollution and assisted with disaster relief efforts to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami victims.Just...Jackie Chan!- Visual Effects
- Stunts
- Actor
Born in Miami, Florida, to a family of puppeteers, Leonora and Gerald Chapin (who was confined to a wheelchair after being stricken with polio), Robert Chapin (Bob) grew up making movies with his brother Stuart. He attended drama and music classes throughout junior high and high school, and in 1982 he received a music scholarship to Miami Dade Community College where he also studied computer science. At that time, he began training in stage combat and swordplay with The Royal Chessmen- a group that performed living chessgames at local renaissance fairs.
Moving to Orlando, Florida in 1985, Bob worked his way through college at the University of Central Florida by performing swordfights at a local dinner theater called "Shakespeare's Tavern". In 1986, Bob's father passed, but Bob continued his studies until he graduated in 1987 with a degree in computer science. During this time, he also continued to take drama classes and choreographed swordfights for a critically acclaimed production of "Romeo and Juliet".
In 1989, Bob's brother convinced him to move to Los Angeles where he almost immediately found work as a swordsman on feature films such as "Hook" and "Army of Darkness". Bob's mother then passed in 1991, two years before Bob wrote and starred in his first feature film "Ring of Steel", which was distributed by MCA Universal. Over the years, Bob went on to star in several other action films while building his credit list as an actor, stuntman, and fight coordinator.
During this time, Bob also began a career as a visual effects artist, using his computer science degree to find work as a camera recordist at Pacific Data Images in LA. Moving from one company to the next: CFC, Manex, Cinesite, Zoic, and Hammerhead, Bob worked on several award-winning feature films such as "X-Men", "Crouching Tiger", "Fantastic Four", "Armageddon" and "American Beauty". Bob also supervised several indie films before he became the in-house VFX supervisor at New Deal Studios.
Bob continues to keep up his acting and swordfighting skills. He trained for several years with the infamous acting coach, Larry Moss, and was certified in six weapons as an actor-combatant in 1995 with the Societies of American, British, and Canadian Fight Directors at the First International Stage Combat Workshop in London, England. He has also trained in multiple martial arts forms including Tae Kwon Do with Hee Il Cho, Kali with the infamous Dan Inosanto, bullwhip with Anthony DeLongis, and Wushu with Eric Chen. As a stage combat instructor, Bob has taught classes at various workshops and colleges around the country, most notably UCLA, UCF, Strausberg, Westside Fencing Center, the Inosanto Academy, and the National Wushu Training Center.
Bob continues to develop his own work, most recently creating the first web series based on user content called "The Hunted", which can be found online at www.thehunted.tv. The show originally began as a class project for his stage combat students, but has now spread to include episode submissions from all over the world. In addition to producing and acting in the series, the show allows him the opportunity to explore his other interests in film production - from directing and editing, to music, marketing and web design.The Hunted, Baywatch, Scooby Doo, Crouching Tiger.- Actor
- Stunts
- Director
Corey Yuen was born on 15 February 1951 in Hong Kong. He is an actor and director, known for Righting Wrongs (1986), Red Cliff (2008) and The Transporter (2002).The Transporter, The Expendables, Drunken Master.- Stunts
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Joe Golby was born on 15 August 1987 in Somerset, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Robin Hood (2010), Watch Over Me (2014) and Rueful Warrior (2019).Robin Hood and Judas Ghost.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Actor, Director, Fight Coordinator & Weapons Expert. He's performed with some of biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jet Li, Brendan Frasier, Ron Howard, Yuen Woo Ping, Tim Burton, David Carradine, Patrick Swayze, Angelica Huston, Placido Domingo, and Charlton Heston, to name a few. As an Actor De Longis portrayed Shakespeare's immortal villain Iago in Othello, twice, and co-starred in the popular movies Fearless, Road House, Masters of the Universe, Circle of Iron, Jaguar Lives and The Sword and the Sorcerer. He created the role of Kazon leader Maje Culluh for Star Trek Voyager, guest starring in five of the series' episodes. Television appearances include NCIS LA, Revolution, Grimm, Myth Busters, Leverage, ER, The Outer Limits, The Queen of Swords, The Adventures of Sinbad, Conan the Adventurer, Babylon 5, and Highlander the Series, twice. He stars as Sheriff Leigh Marshal in Rock Star Games' Red Dead Redemption and General Serrano in Bullet Storm. His directing debut Blood Trail, won Best Western and Best Action Short at the Action On Film Festival. As a Fight Director and choreographer, he's known for his skill and knowledge in a broad range of bladed weapons arts, always building his action from combative truth to tell a more dynamic action story. De Longis introduced the unique style of Spanish rapier fighting to the screen in Highlander the Series and created a more efficient, effective and visual style of whip work for Michelle Pfeiffer's "Catwoman" and Harrison Ford's "Indiana Jones" in Crystal Skull. He's demonstrated his practical skills with blade, whip, gun and horse on History Channel's More Extreme Marksmen, Myth Busters, Lock & Load, Triggers, 101 Weapons That Changed the World and Deadliest Warrior. Anthony is a published writer, member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, SAG/AFRTA, Actors Equity Association, Academy of Canadian Television and Radio Actors, Union of British Columbia Performers, Society of Canadian Fight Directors and an honorary member of the Society of American Fight Directors. He was honored with inductions into the Black Belt Hall of Fame, USA Martial Arts Hall of Heroes and the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame.Masters of the Universe and Star Trek Voyager.- Director
- Producer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Logan Cross is the owner/operator of Cross the Line Companies, a conglomerate of over 50 companies across 11 different business sectors.
Cross ventured from the East Coast in 2009 to pursue entertainment in Los Angeles. After a very short duration as an actor, he realized he wanted more from the experience and chose to explore opportunities behind the camera as well.Short film specialist, Payday, Ground Zero.- Director
- Stunts
- Actor
Woo-Ping Yuen was born on 1 January 1945 in Guangzhou, China. He is a director and actor, known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Fearless (2006) and The Grandmaster (2013).Kill Bill, Drunken Master