Jet Li is one of the most famous action stars in the world. While he is a martial artist, he’s still recognized as one of the best action stars in all those movies with kick butt characters. Li’s latest film to hit U.S. theaters is “The Sorcerer and the White Snake.” The U.S. has plenty of famous action stars, but so does the rest of the world. Many of these foreign action stars have made names for themselves in the U.S. while others are just very famous in their own countries. They all have different fighting skills and kick butt in their action films.
Jackie Chan
Probably the only foreign action star more famous than Jet Li is Jackie Chan. They have both made foreign action films that did well at the box office abroad in the U.S. They have both made U.S. films that have become popular favorites still today. Despite the similarities, Chan stands out above Li. Why? It’s difficult to say for sure, but probably because Chan has made only “good guy” films. Action movie fans, families, and kids watch his movies. He has a larger fan base because his films span the genres. They are both awesome, though.
Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-fat has made hundred of films, but the majority of them are dramatic films. He’s on the list of best foreign action stars because his action films might have been fewer in number but they stand out among the rest. Chow Yun-fat’s action films did better in the U.S. than in his own country, and because of that he became famous in the U.S. and started making films in Hollywood. Those life changing action films included “Hard Boiled,” “The Killer,” and “A Better Tomorrow,” which had a few sequels.
Tony Jaa
Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Bruce Lee have all influenced younger wannabe martial artists, but that doesn’t mean they will ever earn that same fame. Tony Jaa was influenced by those men, and has managed to gain some fame that could continue until he’s as famous and well-known as the others. Tony Jaa is best known for his breakout film “Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior.” He did his own moves without CGI or wires. That might not seem like a big deal, but many of the moves seem impossible and against the rules of gravity. Which is why Tony Jaa became famous and made several prequels/sequels.
Akshay Kumar
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has made dramatic, comedic, and romantic films that have done well at the box office. His action films made him famous. It all began with “Waqt Hamara Hai,” a film that became a huge blockbuster and cemented Kumar as an action star. His following action films did just as well and Akshay Kumar became a household name. He’s also famous for his “Khiladi” series, which have a bit of thriller action to them. Kumar is often jokingly called the “Indian Jackie Chan” because he does his own stunts.
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh made several wuxia films in the 90s that showed her skills as a martial artist. Like others, she does many of her own stunts. While she gained fame for her early martial arts films, it was her role in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” that showed the U.S. that she was not only one of the most beautiful women in the world, but one of the most kick butt women in the world as well. She’s popped up in a few U.S. films and in other foreign films that received U.S. theater releases. More and more, movie fans in the U.S. are recognizing Michelle Yeoh and recalling her name.
Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi didn’t begin her acting career in action films. She began in the sweet, dramatic film “The Road Home” where she was adorable. After that, Zhang Ziyi decided to pick up several weapons and show the world that she wasn’t so innocent in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” She would continue to kick butt in “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers.” While she beat up people in films, she also continued to stand out in dramatic films, such as “Memoirs of a Geisha.”
