Summary
Martial artscinema was full of incredible performers capable of awe-inspiring feats of human ingenuity, but some viewers would be shocked to learn just how many stars were not actually trained as fighters. With the power of illusion, intense training packed into a few short months, or transferable skills from dancing, some actors convinced the world that they were true martial artists. Of course, martial arts cinema has greatly benefited from the varied skills of its performers, and actors don’t always need to take a traditional approach when it comes to becoming a martial arts star.
Some actors found themselves gaining roles ininfluential martial arts movieswithout having previously trained, but then, over the years, built up the skills needed to become fighters of great skill. Others never consistently trained but had other talents that helped them pull off amazing choreography or epic swordfights. This applied to performances in both Eastern and Western productions, as manytalented actors managed to appear as if they had a long history as real fighters, only to have gained these skills through other means.
10Takeshi Kaneshiro
Known for House of the Flying Daggers (2004)
Takeshi Kaneshiro was known for his roles in crime comedies likeFallen AngelsandWuxia romance moviessuch asHouse of the Flying Daggers, but many will be surprised to learn his background does not stem from the world of martial arts. Kaneshiro began his career as a pop star in Taiwan before making the leap into film and television. Having released his debut album in 1992, Kaneshiro soon made a name for himself in cinema withExecutionsin 1993 before working with Wong Kar-wai onChungking Expressin 1994, just the first in a string of collaborations with acclaimed directors.
Without a martial arts background,Kaneshiro has still made a significant impact on the film industries in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. With his innate charisma and striking good looks,Timemagazine even dubbed Kaneshiro the Johnny Depp of the East Asian film industry in 2003. Although Kaneshiro does not always appear in martial arts films, it’s impressive that he’s had such success in them despite not being trained as a real-life fighter.
House of Flying Daggers
Cast
House of Flying Daggers is a 2004 martial arts romance film directed by Zhang Yimou. Set during the Tang Dynasty, the film stars Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Andy Lau. The story follows a skilled dancer who becomes embroiled in a rebellion against the government, and the two officers sent to capture her. Known for its vivid cinematography and elaborate fight choreography, the film explores themes of love, loyalty, and deception.
9Fan Bingbing
Known for Shaolin (2011)
As a Chinese star who has consistently topped theForbesChina 100 listof the highest-paid celebrities, Fan Bingbing has carved out an impressive career for herself despite initially being untrained as a real-life fighter. A hugely influential actress, Bingbing has had major roles in Chinese productions likeShaolinand international films, includingX-Men: Days of Future Past. However, this does not mean Bingbing does not prepare for her roles, as she’s undergone training and even intense physical transformations to immerse herself in her characters (viaFacts.)
With appearances alongside martial arts greats like Andy Lau and Jackie Chan,Bingbing has established herself as an important actress worldwidedespite not having lifelong martial arts skills. As a global force to be reckoned with, Bingbing has effortlessly traversed the worlds of acting, modeling, singing, and even martial arts in her journey toward becoming a major star. AlthoughBingbing’s tax evasion scandalbriefly paused her career, she’s still a major figure in China and internationally.
8Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Known for Hero (2002)
Named byCNNas among the greatest Asian actors of all time, Tony Leung Chiu-wai will be familiar to viewers for his work with Wong Kar-wai, particularly his incredible performance inIn the Mood for Love. However, Leung has also succeeded in martial arts classics likeHeroand the MCU productionShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Despite an impressive career that’s littered with martial arts performances, Leung’s background was not in martial arts, as he’s focused primarily on acting his entire career.
This lack of real-life martial arts experience made Leung’s leading role inThe Grandmasterall the more impressive. This was where Leung played the legendary Wing Chun grandmaster, Ip Man, in agroundbreaking modern Kung Fu film directed by Wong Kar-wai. Although Leung did not have a lifelong devotion to martial arts, he portrayed the grandmaster with an incredible skill that proved his stern commitment to the roles he played and his ability to deliver spectacularly choreographed fight sequences without training as a real fighter.
Hero (2002)
A defense officer, Nameless, was summoned by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three warriors.
7Zhang Ziyi
Known for Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Zhang Ziyi gained international recognition for her role in the Wuxia martial arts filmCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, although her background came primarily from the world of dance. While it was impressive to see someone without training as a real-life fighter give such an extraordinary performance, it made sense, asZhang studied at the Beijing Dance Academy since she was 11 years old(viaCSC). While it may not be initially obvious, the intense commitment to dance and the complex choreography of martial arts filmmaking have so much in common that they complement each other well.
Having proved herself able to deliver martial arts performances despite being untrained as a real fighter, Zhang gained subsequent roles in martial arts movies likeThe Grandmasterand even made her Hollywood debut opposite Jackie Chan inRush Hour 2. A success in Asia and Hollywood, Zhang’s commitment to her roles made her a major star. While not a martial arts film, viewers may also be familiar with Zhang for her lead role inMemoirs of a Geisha, which she co-starred in alongside Michelle Yeoh.
Memoirs Of A Geisha
Memoirs of a Geisha is a film adaptation of Arthur Golden’s bestselling novel, directed by Rob Marshall. Set in 1920s Japan, it follows the life of a young girl named Chiyo who transitions into a renowned geisha called Sayuri. The story explores her struggles, relationships, and the intricate culture of geisha life. Starring Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, and Michelle Yeoh, the film delves into themes of beauty, sacrifice, and resilience.
6Charlene Choi
Known for Butterfly Lovers (2008)
Charlene Choi first gained recognition as a member of Cantopop group Twins, along with Gillian Chung, but has also had several impressive roles in martial arts movies. Despite not being trained as a real-life fighter, Choi showed off her skills in films likeThe Twin Effect,Drunk Kung Fu, andThe Sorcerer and the White Snake. As a consistent performer with more than 70 acting credits under her belt, Choi may not be trained as a real-life fighter, but over the past two decades, she has gained a lot of experience in martial arts.
One of Choi’s most significant martial arts movie roles came with the release ofButterfly Loversin 2008, in which she played a woman disguised as a man in order to learn martial arts.Butterfly Loverssaw Choi take up intense training, not just in hand-to-hand combat but also in showing off her sword fighting skills. As a Wuxia film based on the Chinese legend of the Butterfly Lovers, this encapsulated Choi’s commitment to martial arts despite not being initially a trained fighter.
Butterfly Lovers
Zhu Yanzhi (Charlene Choi), disguised as a man, seeks to learn martial arts with an elite clan. Once she begins her intense training, Zhu finds herself at odds with her trainer and superior, Liang (Chun Wu).
5Uma Thurman
Known for Kill Bill (2003/2004)
Kill Billwas the most well-known American martial arts movie ever made and acted as director Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to the genre. Released in two volumes,Kill Billfeatured several iconic martial artists, but its lead star, Uma Thurman, was untrained as a real fighter when she was cast in the role of the Bride. However, this did not mean that Thurman’s fighting was accomplished with special effects or stand-ins, as she rigorously trained for three months (viaSlash Film) to be ready to play the part.
Thurman had already shown her acting skills for Tarantino inPulp Fiction, and withKill Bill, she proved she was willing to go the extra mile to prepare for the film’s highly complex choreographed action sequences. Not only was Thurman required to study martial arts forKill Bill, but she also practiced swordsmanship and Japanese for the part.Production onKill Billalso had to be halted for several months after Thurman became pregnantand Tarantino refused to recast her role.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 follows an assassin as she seeks revenge after being betrayed by her former employer, Bill, and fellow assassins. Released in 2003, the film initiates a violent journey of vengeance directed by Quentin Tarantino and stars Uma Thurman as the central character known as The Bride.
4Chow Yun-fat
Known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Despite being well-known for martial arts films, Chow Yun-fat had no formal martial arts training and has reportedly stated that he was a “fake” who relied on “illusion” (viaDigital Spy.) Although Chow has appeared in John Woo action films and even the epic WuxiaCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,he has said: “I am not at all athletic. I am not like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, I promise you. It is an illusion.” Chow gave extra credit to the stunt coordinators who created beautiful acrobat movies that made him look like a superstar.
With a reputation for playing honorable tough guys on both sides of the law,it’s impressive that Chow has had such an acclaimed career without the martial arts credentialsto pack them up. However, this was part of the magic of cinema, as sternly committed actors can make it appear like they have skills and abilities far beyond what they could accomplish in day-to-day life. Chow’s success proved that actors don’t have to be trained to make it big.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.
3Maggie Q
Known for The Protégé (2021)
The American actress Maggie Q began her career in the Hong Kong film industry and has consistently performed martial arts in action movies despite not being trained as a real fighter. However, that’s not to say she does not have major martial arts credentials, asthe greatest Kung Fu star Jackie Chanconsidered her a protege and helped impart his ethos of stuntwork and intensive training. Q even stated in an interview withNew Yorkmagazine: “I had never done a day of martial arts in my life when I started in the business. I couldn’t even touch my toes.”
Before entering the film industry, Q was a model but soon appeared in major action movies likeNaked Weapon,Mission Impossible III, andLive Free or Die Hard. Starring roles like in the action-thrillerThe Protégéshowcased Q’s intense commitment to performance and highlighted impressive martial arts skills, considering she was originally untrained as a real fighter.Q has been a consistent action star for the past 20 years, so it’s no surprise that she picked a thing or two during that time.
The Protégé
Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody, Anna is the world’s most skilled contract killer. However, when Moody is brutally killed, she vows revenge for the man who taught her everything she knows.
2Cheng Pei-pei
Known for Come Drink with Me (1966)
Cheng Pei-pei was considered to be the first female action hero of cinema who, although she was not formally trained as a fighter in childhood, went on to join the Shaw Brothers Studio in the 1960s, which started her life in the world of martial arts. Known for her appearances in the 1966 King Hu filmCome Drink with MeandCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Cheng was readily associated with the Wuxia genre. With a background in dance, it made sense that Cheng was able to quickly transfer her skills toward martial arts.
Cheng’s filmography included a litany of Hong Kong movies as she played into her reputation as a notable female action star during a time when few women showcased these types of skills on film. After moving to California in the 1970s,Cheng returned to her first love of dance and began teaching Chinese dance classes(viaELAC Campus News.) However, she never fully said goodbye to martial arts movies, as she appeared inCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the recentMulanlive-action remake, and countless other films.
Come Drink With Me
A foundational piece of the wuxia genre, “Come Drink With Me” stars Cheng Pei-pei as Golden Swallow, a fierce warrior on a mission to rescue her kidnapped brother from bandits. Blending elegant martial arts sequences with musical elements, director King Hu crafts a visually stunning tale of bravery, strategy, and unexpected alliances, laying the groundwork for modern martial arts cinema.
1Michelle Yeoh
Known for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
As one of the very best martial arts movie stars out there, it may come as a total shock to learn that Michelle Yeoh has no formal martial arts training. Instead, she has relied on her dancing background and onset trainers to prepare for parts in movies likeCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, andEverything Everywhere All at Once(viaGQ.) As a ballet dancer since age four, Yeoh has the discipline and transferable skills needed to deliver exceptional performances in martial arts movies.
Equally acclaimed in Hong Kong and the West,Yeoh has starred opposite Jackie Chan inPolice Story 3: Supercopand was a notable Bond girl inTomorrow Never Dies. As the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, Yeoh has broken down cinematic boundaries and stands as one of the greatest action heroines of all time. With countless iconic roles, Yeoh has proven you don’t need to be a martial artist to have a kick-ass career.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
In Everything Everywhere All at Once, a middle-aged laundromat owner (Michelle Yeoh) is distracted from her financial and family issues by a multiversal crisis. With just her husband (Ke Huy Quan) to support her through the confusion, she must contend with her overbearing traditional father (James Hong), a pencil-pushing auditor (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her emotionally-distant daughter (Stephanie Hsu).
