Who didn't love watching Chuck Norris defeat entire armies of Vietnamese soldiers back in the day? What guy out there didn't get a little pumped when Jet Li proved to be a worthy adversary against both Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in
Lethal Weapon 4? Not to mention those Jean Claude Van Damme spinning 360 degrees kicks. Yep, martial arts movie actors are a different breed. You simply know that when any of the soon-to-be mentioned actors are in a flick, that means edge of your seat action and fight scenes.
Along with that, here is a list of some of the more popular martial arts movie actors for your reading pleasure.

China Photos/Stringer/Getty ImagesChan's parents didn't have a lot of money and therefore enrolled him in the Chinese Opera Institute at the age of seven in order to give him a better life. There he learned many of the high flying martial arts driven stunts he'd come to be known for. By the time he made his American film debut in
Rumble in the Bronx in 1995, his parents dream of a better life for their son had come true. However, Chan's starring role alongside Chris Tucker in
Rush Hour truly brought an already amazing film career in the east to new heights in the west.
Popular Jackie Chan Movies
Jaa is different than most of the martial arts movie actors on this list because of his base art. You see, Jaa comes from a Muay Thai/Muay Boran background, which is a stark contrast from the kung fu/karate/Tae Kwon Do backgrounds you'll see from most action stars. Regardless, his breakthrough role came in Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior in 2003. The former stuntman continues to amaze fans with his ability to pull off things on camera that most only dream of.
Popular Tony Jaa Movies
Lee’s influence on
martial arts is still quite evident years after his death via the Jeet Kune Do martial arts
style that he formalized. His martial arts films including
Fists of Fury,
The Chinese Connection, and
Way of the Dragon are also very popular beyond his death. Lee was simply one of the most influential martial arts movie actors ever.
Li is a former martial arts champion that claimed 15 gold medals at Chinese wushu championships. He made his American film debut in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), where his amazing speed and fluent martial arts moves thrilled fans everywhere. Fact is, Li doesn't tend to talk much in his American movies. Then again, he doesn't have to.
Popular Jet Li Movies
Kung Fu Style Guide
Tai Chi Style Guide

Kevin Winter/Staff/Getty ImagesNorris began his martial arts training in Tang Soo Do, a Korean style, and eventually became a karate champion. American movie audiences first truly took notice of him when he appeared as Bruce Lee's enemy in
Way of the Dragon. However, it was his starring role in the
Missing in Action series of movies that compelled his popularity to new heights.
Chuck Norris Jokes
Popular Chuck Norris Movies
Karate Style Guide
Seagal is an aikido black belt that is considered to be the first foreigner to operate a dojo in Japan. He made his acting debut in the 1988 film
Above the Law and appeared in several box office hits from there on. Seagal is somewhat unique as a martial arts movie actor in that his martial arts style, aikido, does not stress strikes as much as throws and joint locks.
Top 5 Steven Seagal Movies
Aikido Style Guide

Kristian Dowling/Getty ImagesVan Damme is a shotokan karate black belt with amazing flexibility. He achieved his first starring role in the movie
Bloodsport in 1988, a film that captured the imaginations of martial arts movie fans everywhere. Van Damme's spinning kicks and splits serve as his defining moves on the screen.
Top 5 Jean Claude Van Damme Movies
Karate Style Guide
Yen grew up surrounded by the martial arts, as his mother is a grandmaster that taught him both wushu and tai chi. Beyond his martial arts movie acting credits, Yen is also an accomplished choreographer and director.