American action actors. The best action actors

By the third film in the Expendables series about the adventures of veteran mercenaries, which Sylvester launched in 2010, there has been ongoing talk about who is missing from the team of action stars. Viewers have long been waiting for someone, someone, like Wesley Snipes, who served a prison sentence, will be seen in the new film, but the lists of desirable faces and biceps are not getting shorter.

It is all the more annoying that most often they consist of a repeating dozen, albeit deserved, but not the only worthy people.

Once you dig deeper, or at least rummage through the VHS tapes stacked in the attic, it won’t be easy to stop. Therefore, let's forget about Nicolas Cage (who, by the way, is promised in the next part) and John Travolta, giving their places to the real heroes of the video salons of the 80s and 90s.

1. Jackie

Jackie Chan

Number one on this list, also because this actor is most often remembered in the context of conversations about those who are not with the guys. Not only fans, but also the creators of this series of films remember -

interested parties have repeatedly confirmed the fact of negotiations on Chan's participation in the project, but so far it has not been possible to reach an agreement.

I don’t agree to a cameo, or even to the role of simply an equal among outstanding masters of fighting using everything that comes to hand - he needs one of the main roles and he needs to like the character. With the release of The Expendables 3, conversations about future collaborations have resumed - Chan could join the cast in The Expendables 4.

2. Stephen

Steven Seagal

Another mastodon from the word “must”, meaning in this case a person necessary in this company. Unlike Chan, he does not make any special demands, but directly says that

He doesn’t want to go on the same set with some of its participants: “Life is too short to work with eccentrics.”

He does not specify who exactly Seagal considers to be eccentrics, emphasizing that there are plenty of good guys in the project: “I like Jason Statham, I like him, I respect these kinds of guys.” However, in June alone, Seagal first told reporters that he would not participate in “The Expendables” and, perhaps, would even assemble an alternative team for a competing film, and a week later he said that he spoke with Stallone on the phone and did not renounce anything .

3.

Hulk Hogan

A man whose appearance alone should have ensured his registration in the team. The wrestler with the white mustache did not reach particular heights in the cinema, where he often played in comedies for family viewing (Mr. Nanny, Spy Club, Strongman Santa Claus, Three Ninjas: A Hot Afternoon on Mount Mega), but He was also the star of the TV series Thunder in Paradise and appeared in such cartoons as Robot Chicken and American Dad. As a result, his face is familiar to more people than the faces of many project participants, and there was no doubt that sooner or later he would receive an appropriate offer. It arrived, and the actor has already tweeted that he will star in “The Expendables 4.”

4. Sho Kosugi

Sho Kosugi

Criminally, the list of those expected in The Expendables forgets the name of the main ninja of the 1980s - the stars of the films Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, Ninja 3: Spirit of the Ninja, Nine Deaths of a Ninja and Black Eagle ", in which an American ninja-turned-ninja is confronted by a KGB agent played by . Yes, Kosugi has not acted for a long time and only appeared on screen once after 1994 (in 2009, the director of “V for Vendetta” called Kosugi in a film with the telling title “Ninja Assassin”), but this is not a reason to give up the hope of seeing him again karate masters in any capacity. Plus, Sho Kosugi is accompanied by sons Kane and Shane. They played a huge number of karate fighters and action films for the family with titles from the “Women from Planet Zero VII” series. So you can’t do without them.

5. Rutger Hauer

Rutger Hauer

In Blade Runner, escaped replicant assassin Roy Batty delivered one of the most beautiful monologues in film history: “I saw things you humans never dreamed of: attack ships burning over Orion, X-rays cutting through the darkness at the gates.” Tannhäuser. All these moments will be lost in time, like tears... in the rain... It's time to die..." This role is too good to pay for it with participation in "The Expendables", but Dutch actor Rutger Hauer made his Hollywood debut face to face with Stallone in Nighthawks, often played in action films and thrillers, does not refuse a variety of offers, so he can agree to something similar if offered.

6. Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan

The Irish actor doesn't look like an action hero, but many believe the four-time leading man in films in the late 1980s and early 1990s deserves a place of honor in The Expendables.

The producer of the project is of the same opinion - he has already addressed the appropriate hint, and the latter replied: “Why not? Let's see".

However, Brosnan adds that there have been no specific negotiations, and he has no idea which of the next films he might appear in. “Maybe I’ll play in The Expendables 7.” However, now all the news about the project includes a mention of this name in connection with The Expendables 4.

7. Glover

Danny Glover

He played the main villain in The Expendables 3, so it's time to ask a question about his partner in Lethal Weapon. Moreover, it was not just this role that Glover earned the right to participate in the party: everything in his career is perfect - from the cameo role of a prisoner in Escape from Alcatraz to his partner with another Danny - Trejo (by the way, also a candidate) - in Cool Dudes , recently released straight to DVD. Glover's multiple B-movie jobs don't faze him at all, and it proves he's still not "too old for this shit."

8.

Danny Trejo

Since we remembered him in the previous paragraph, we will dedicate a separate nomination to this person.

Trejo's film career began in the film "Runaway Train", where the Mexican actor played a boxer.

By the way, another “strong guy”, Tommy Lister, best known as “the president from The Fifth Element,” made his debut in the same film. Subsequently, Trejo outplayed more than a dozen Mexican (and, more broadly, Latin American) scoundrels and fell in love with him, who gave him memorable roles in “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Spy Kids” and, finally, the main role in “Machete.”

9. Chow Yun-fat

Chow Yun-fat

The star of the action films "A Bright Future", "Hard Boiled", "Hit Killers" moved away from the roles of fighters after Ang Lee's kung fu tale "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and the role of pirate baron Xiao Fen in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" " In recent years, Yunfat has been playing emperors and other historical characters, so convincing him to take part in The Expendables may not be easy. This makes it all the more desirable for some of his fans. According to others, he is too good for such pampering.

10. Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood

Readers may be outraged that by excluding Cage and Travolta in favor of video store heroes, we are placing on this list an actor and director whose personal achievements in cinema are too great to even be named with a comma. The outrage will be fair, but the answer is simple - Dirty Harry. Played in five films, the brutal cop Harry Callahan is too important for genre cinema to allow himself to do without the actor in this plot.

11. Bolo Yen

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Before playing some of the best villains in kung fu action history, Yen swam from China to Hong Kong in the 1960s, where he opened a bodybuilding school and got into film. Then there were acquaintance with, supporting roles in “Enter the Dragon” and “Hercules of the East”, but the real breakthrough was “Bloodsport” with Jean-Claude Van Damme, in which Yen played the bone crusher and kumite champion Chang Lee. The confrontation was so successful that it was repeated in Double Impact. These two films alone should be enough to get into The Expendables.

12.

Cynthia Rothrock

The women's block of the list opens with an action heroine who became the world karate champion five times in a row before making her film debut with Super Squad 2 (aka Yes, Madam!).

In it, she played two police officers who come into conflict with the Hong Kong triads.

Numerous films about karate-wielding heroines followed, including Tiger's Claw, in which Rothrock hunted Bolo Yen (see above). Rothrock ended her acting career in 2004 with The Fantastic Fighter and has since taught martial arts in California.

13. Pam Grier

Pam Grier

In the 1970s, Grier became the star of films in the "blaxploitation" genre about black heroes and villains and the "woman in prison" subgenre: "The Big Doll's House", "Women in Cages", "Shiba Beauty" and a couple of dozen others. In the 1980s, she played in the series Miami Vice and Crime Stories, was Steven Seagal's partner in Above the Law, and in the nineties she was even included in the animated series Pinky and the Brain. A monument to her contribution to cinema was erected by Quentin Tarantino when, in 1997, he directed Grier in the film “Jackie Brown,” written especially for her.

14. Zoe Bell

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Before landing her own roles, New Zealander Zoe Bell worked as a stuntwoman on the set of the series “The Amazing Journeys of Hercules” and “Xena: Warrior Princess.”

and then performed stunts in Kill Bill, which turned her into an actress.

She liked her so much that he made Bell the heroine of Death Proof and Grindhouse. No other big roles followed, but the career of the actress and stuntwoman continues, and this year the film “Mercenaries,” suspiciously similar to “The Expendables,” is due to be released, in which Bell, Cynthia Rothrock and such an action star as Brigitte Nielsen ( "Red Sonja", "Rocky IV", "Cobra"). The latter has less chance of migrating to The Expendables than the others: Nielsen divorced Stallone in 1987.

15.

Don "Dragon" Wilson

The kickboxing legend began acting actively in films in the late 1980s and has been swinging his legs on screen ever since. Moreover, his acting career shows no signs of slowing down - on the contrary, five, and according to some reports, even seven films with his participation are due to be released in 2014. Of all the films Dragon has starred in, it's hard to find titles with a score higher than 5 out of 10 on IMDB, making Wilson an ideal candidate for The Expendables.

16. Christopher Lambert

Christopher Lambert

This actor’s greatest fame came not from classic action films with shooting and massacres, but from the fantastic saga “Highlander” about almost immortal swordsmen who have been chopping off each other’s heads for centuries, if not millennia, because “only one can remain.” But it’s enough to get on the list - “Highlander” ensures membership in the club, even if you don’t take into account “Mortal Kombat”, “Fortress” and “Hard Barrels”.

17. Lorenzo Lamas

Lorenzo Lamas

Russian fans of second-rate action films might not have known about Lamas if it were not for the series “Immortal,” which was suspiciously reminiscent of the series “Highlander,” which in turn was based on those very films from . Also surprising in the actor’s career is the large number of films set in water: from “Dark Waters” to the film “Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus.” This actor makes the list as an example of the strange twists and turns of popular culture and generational memory.

18.

Gary Busey

For almost 60 years in cinema, Busey has played so many roles that for every good picture in his filmography, there are a dozen that were seen only by viewers of nightly broadcasts of minor TV channels.

On the one hand, he ensured his eternal fame with his role as Agent Angelo Papas in the film Point Break.

On the other hand, together with Bolo Yen, Cary-Hiroyuka Tagawa and other heroes of past decades, he even made it to Kazakh cinema, playing in “Close Combat” by Erken Yalgashev. A wonderful person, in a word.

19. Kurt

Kurt Russell

In 1981, Russell played a one-eyed government outlaw in Escape from New York, a near-future fantasy action film in which Manhattan has been turned into a prison island. Russell's career is not limited to action films, but they were good, and in 1989 he had a meeting with Stallone at Andrei Kanchalovsky's Tango and Cash, which increased his chances of being invited to join The Expendables.

20. Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen rarely ventured outside of Hong Kong cinema, appearing in the films Highlander: End Game, Blade 2 and Shanghai Knights. But at home, he is one of the main characters in films about kung fu, and his cult status is finally secured by the main role in the duology about the great martial arts master Ip Man.

21. Peter Weller

Peter Weller

On the one hand, this actor is perhaps too intelligent for The Expendables - he played in Naked Lunch. On the other hand, Weller was the main character of one of the most important films for the “video salon era” - RoboCop. In addition to “RoboCop” and its sequel, it is worth remembering another science fiction action movie, “Screamers.” So Weller has every right to enter the frame of “The Expendables” for a couple of minutes in some non-obvious capacity.

22. Mister T

Mister T

Former bodyguard and club bouncer, wrestler and Sylvester Stallone's opponent in Rocky III. This is already enough, but you only need to see the colorful African-American man with a mohawk and massive gold chains to understand how well Mr. T suits “The Expendables.”

23.

“How young we were...” Alexander Gradsky once sang, but it’s true that everyone was once young. Some, of course, are still young, cheerful and perky, but the coolest guys in Hollywood have long since lost their positions, although they are still adored. And how can you not love them, if throughout the 80s and 90s they were the idols and they were the role models for millions of men around the world. It’s now that effeminate men are in fashion, but back then they were loved – handsome, muscular and fearless heroes. Now Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan and other fighters are already over 50, but no one can replace them, no matter how pumped up Kellan Lutz, Ryan Gosling and other modern actors are. Those actors are on a completely different level, bringing back nostalgia and pleasant memories of good films and good stunts. In one of the demos it was written that these actors are the last ones who will be buried by the whole world. An exaggeration, of course, but how nice it would be for them to hear it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is known to viewers for his roles in the films “Terminator”, “Conan the Barbarian”, “Predator”, “Red Heat”, “Total Recall”, as well as “Eraser”. In total, Arnie’s filmography includes 156 films, so you can watch this actor, bodybuilder, businessman and former governor of California for an infinitely long time, each time noticing something new. The first film with Schwarzenegger's participation was filmed in 1969 and in it he played the role of Hercules.

Jackie Chan It is no coincidence that he is one of the most popular action heroes in the world, because he not only has acting talent, but also amazing physical training, thanks to which he performs many of the stunts on his own. Chan's first breakthrough project was the film Drunken Master, filmed in 1978.

American actor, and also a martial artist Chuck Norris has many loyal fans who consider him the best in everything, in addition, Chuck is the hero of humorous Internet memes in which his abilities are comically exaggerated. For example, “Every morning Chuck Norris puts a knife on his bread,” “Actually, Chuck Norris died 10 years ago. Death is just afraid to tell him about it,” “Chuck Norris counted to infinity. Twice.”, “When Chuck Norris was born, he carried his mother out of the hospital,” “Chuck Norris is not healthy as a bull, this bull is healthy as Chuck Norris,” etc. Chuck is best known for the TV series "Cool Walker", the first episode of which appeared in 1993. The first project with Norris's participation was released in 1969.

Famous karateka, bodybuilder and kickboxer nicknamed “The Muscles from Brussels” Jean-Claude Van Damme is also considered one of the action heroes. He can be seen in the films “Kickboxer”, “Universal Soldier”, “Hard Target”, “Double Impact”, “Bloodsport”, as well as in more than 70 films. Van Damme is the father of three children, as well as a friend of V.V. Putin, Fyodor Emelianenko and Ramzan Kadyrov.

Sylvester Stallone Known by his nickname “Sly,” he is the protagonist of such world-favorite action films as “Rambo and Rocky.” In total, he has made 143 films, in several of which he acted as a screenwriter, director and producer.

One of the highest paid Hollywood actors Bruce Willis couldn’t help but get on this list, having starred in “Die Hard,” which brought him popularity. By the way, 4 parts have been released and this is not the limit, because since the audience loves Bruce, part 5 will be released in 2013. In total, Bruce's filmography includes approximately 50 films.

Another unsinkable hero - Dolph Lundgren, who also has about 50 films behind him. Dolph's most famous works include the films Rumble in Little Tokyo, Universal Soldier, Master of the Universe, Peacemaker, The Punisher and The Expendables.

"Wrestler" Mickey Rourke in his youth he was a real conqueror of women's hearts, but even now his masculine charm affects the most attractive models, although the actor himself admits that it is terrible to realize the fact that you are getting worse. According to Rourke, plastic surgery on his face was necessary because of the blows inflicted during fights, which disfigured his face beyond recognition (Mickey is a professional boxer). By the way, the first short film starring Mickey was released in 1976.

I don’t know if I did the right thing by highlighting Rutger Hauer, but I think he deserves to be on this list, because he starred in more than one action movie.

Steven Seagal- American film actor, film producer, screenwriter, director, aikijin, musician, and sheriff is one of the most famous action heroes. Stephen became famous for his role in the film Under Siege. Critics greeted this film with mixed reviews, but the film was successful at the box office. Subsequently, Seagal starred in several more action films. Seagal started out playing in TV series.

Actors who star in action films always attract the attention of viewers and become popular favorites. Moreover, love and recognition come to them much faster than, for example, to performers of comedic roles or lyrical heroes. Action actors who have had success on the big screen gain their loyal fans and are under their scrutiny. Paparazzi also track heroes who star in action films, and this is explained by the fact that viewers are always interested in their personal lives.

An interesting fact is that famous action movie actors do not lose their popularity over time. Even decades after the release of the film with their participation, the public remembers both the actor who starred in this film and the hero he played. It seems that it is difficult to understand the reason for such incredible success, but much is explained by the specifics of the action film - the genre in which all these heroes and people's favorites are filmed.

What is the secret of success?

Action actors, whose photos will be provided in our article, are indeed particularly popular, which has not subsided over the years. And with a high probability we can say that this fame is largely determined by the specifics of the films in which they star.

The action genre usually involves a large number of bloody scenes, chases, fights and shootouts. Most films are characterized by the presence of one main positive hero who tirelessly and by any means fights against evil and injustice. Moreover, in action films, the positive hero uses any available methods in his struggle for truth and justice.

As a rule, charismatic, tall, physically developed actors who are capable of performing a variety of tricks are chosen for such roles. Thanks to such careful selection, the characters will always be looking at the viewer from the TV screen. Women and girls, watching such films, fall in love with the brave, bold and determined characters and, accordingly, begin to sympathize with the actor who brought this image to life.

Men, watching action films, admire the strength of the protagonist, his courage and the number of bloody scenes that can be seen thanks to his thirst to restore justice and the desire to punish the villains.

Teenagers are devoted fans of actors who star in action films.

Despite the fact that most action films, due to the huge amount of violence and bloody scenes, are not intended for viewing by viewers under 16-18 years of age, the main audience of these films is still teenagers. As you know, this category is one of the most impressionable and acutely experiences all the events that it sees on the TV screen.

We have already said earlier that quite often action actors who play the role of the main character in mesmerizing action films, even among adult viewers, involuntarily begin to associate with their movie characters. And even more so for teenagers. Seeing a strong and brave hero on the screen, teenagers begin to deify him. At the same time, for many years they become devoted fans of the actor who played their favorite movie character.

Remembering how their idol impressed them in childhood or youth, many viewers retain their love for the actors who played in cult action films throughout their lives.

Cult actors who have not lost their fame for decades

Action actors, the list of which will be given below, are rightfully considered legends. Most of them appeared on television in the late 80s - mid 90s. Undoubtedly, this was the time of Hollywood action films, which the whole world watched with bated breath. Spectators in the post-Soviet space were no exception, as they were willing to give a lot for a videotape of an American action movie.

After watching these films, the following became the idols of hundreds of thousands of viewers around the world:

• Arnold Schwarzenegger.
• Mickey Rourke.
• Dolph Lungren.
• Jean-Claude Van Damme.
• Sylvester Stallone.

It is difficult to find a person who has not heard these big names at least once in his life. Despite the fact that in real life the age of the heroes is quite impressive, they do not lose their popularity. This further proves the claim that Hollywood action actors are timeless.

As long as the audiences who saw films with their participation in the 80-90s are alive, these guys are not in danger of falling into oblivion. Next, we will briefly look at each actor on the list, and also remember the films that brought them fame and recognition.

American action actors who played iconic roles in the 80s and 90s

The idol of millions, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was born into a rather poor Austrian family, but the boy knew for sure that when he grew up, he would definitely become rich and popular. At the age of 14, the future actor began to seriously engage in bodybuilding. Later, giving back to his homeland and serving in the army, Arnold went AWOL and took part in the Mister Europe competition among juniors. Returning to his unit, the young man suffered serious punishment, but he won the competition. After his service, Arnold moved to Munich, where he worked as a fitness instructor, and eventually began running his own gym. Next, Arnie takes part in several bodybuilding competitions and takes prizes. At the age of 21, he moved to America and 2 years later won the honorary title “Mr. Olympia”.

Since 1969, he began acting in films, but did not have much success. The guy's problem is his unnaturally large muscle mass and a strong German accent. The directors are not too fond of the young actor. But success still came to him after filming Conan the Barbarian (1982). Despite the fact that the film was a success and Schwarzenegger looked incredibly harmonious in this role, this filming did not bring any significant fees to the actor. Everything changes dramatically in 1990, when the legendary film “Total Recall” starring Arnold is released. Then, in 1991, viewers saw the legendary Terminator.

The actor's popularity becomes undeniable. The list of action films in which he plays leading roles is replenished with films such as “Damages” and “The End of the World.”

In 2003, the long-awaited Terminator 3 was released, for the role in which, by the way, Arnold received a record fee in the history of the world film industry - $30 million. After this, Schwarzenegger stopped filming for a long time.

American action actors of the 90s, having played in cult films and won the popularity and love of audiences around the world, received an excellent opportunity to realize themselves in later life. The legendary iron Arnie was proof of this. He was twice elected governor of California, and after completing his second term, the actor returned to films. In 2013, a new action movie called “The Return of the Hero” was released, in which Arnie, of course, played the main role.

Many actors in the action genre, just like “Iron Arnie,” are professional athletes, and this is not surprising, because participation in the filming of action requires excellent physical training. Another actor, Mickey Rourke, was no exception to this pattern. Having experience as a professional boxer, he managed to do an excellent job of acting and earn worldwide recognition for all his talents.

Fame came to him after filming the action movie Rumble Fish. He then played in the legendary film “9 and ½ Weeks,” which brought him recognition. Over his long career, Mickey played in a huge number of films, including such action films as “Year of the Dragon”, “The Last Cowboy”, “Bullet”, “Colony”, “Bloody Thursday”, “Through the Eyes of a Killer”. For his acting talent, Mickey was awarded a huge number of awards, including an Oscar.

Many American action actors become famous screenwriters and producers after their acting talent is recognized. An example of such growth is Sylvester Stallone.

Sylvester wrote the script for the film that brought him worldwide fame on his own and sold it to one of the film companies on the condition that the main role in the film would be played by the author himself. This is how the cult film “Rocky” was released, making the actor a world-class star. To date, his filmography includes filming in several parts of “Rambo” and “Rocky”. He also starred in action films such as Unstoppable; "Escape plan"; "The Expendables"; "Get Carter" and "Assassins".

Sylvester’s hard-won “Rocky” brought fame and recognition not only to him. In Part IV of this film, the role of Russian boxer Ivan Drago was played by an American actor of Swedish origin. After filming, his name became recognized by thousands. It was none other than Dolph Lungren. Being a martial arts master, this actor did not have much success with the audience before filming Rocky. But in 1985 everything changed dramatically.

After “Rocky,” the actor starred in such action films as “Joshua Tree,” “Showdown in Little Tokyo” and “The Punisher.”

To be fair, it is worth noting that action movie actors not only bask in the glory, but also quite often come under very harsh criticism. Most often they are criticized for not performing well enough. Seeing professional athletes with muscles of steel on screen, many believe that they deserve the attention and love of viewers only for their appearance. There is an opinion that if you are spectacular, beautiful and can easily perform the most difficult tricks, it is not at all necessary to play well and shine with Stanislavsky’s technique. But the idol of millions, Jean-Claude Van Damme, in a sense, violated the well-functioning system and very often came under criticism of a completely different plan. His declared achievements in sports were often questioned. True masters of martial arts called Van Damme an impostor and a liar, and often publicly challenged him to fights. In turn, the actor dodged and avoided such meetings in every possible way. This did not hinder his popularity at all, and posters with his image in the 80s and 90s hung in the room of almost every teenager in the former CIS.

Despite such troubles, Van Damme's worldwide popularity, earned by participating in such action films as Bloodsport, Nowhere to Run, Death Warrant, Kickboxer and Double Impact, remained intact.

Heroes of modern American action films

It would seem that it is impossible to surpass the success of the heroes of the actors who starred in action films of the 80s and 90s. But modern action actors, whose photos tirelessly appear in all the world's glossies, prove that new times require new heroes.

Among those who began acting in action films in the late 90s and continue filming to this day, it is worth highlighting:

• Jason Statham.
• Bruce Willis.
• Keanu Reeves.

The first hero on the list has been a symbol of courage and bravery for several years. Statham's heroes are always full of determination and fight evil by any means available. Filming in the following action films helped Jason firmly cement his image as a brutal, strong and fair man:

• "Carrier".
• "Unstoppable."
• "Defender".
• "Confrontation".
• "Professional".
• "Fast and Furious" (parts 6-8).
• "Mechanic".

Continuing the list of modern action heroes, of course, one cannot help but recall Die Hard. Bruce Willis earned this nickname for his role in the action movie of the same name. The first part of Die Hard was released in 1988, and after that Bruss gained the reputation of an invincible hero. A few years later, 3 more parts of this film appeared, which were no less successful. Over his long acting career, Willis has played roles in a variety of action films, including The Expendables 2 and Lone Hero.

Unlike the brutal Bruce, the next American actor at first glance does not give the impression of an action hero at all. Keanu Reeves, who became famous after his role in the cult “The Matrix,” seemed to be the hero of completely different stories. After his roles in A Walk in the Clouds and Sweet November, Reeves was associated exclusively with the lyrical hero. But in 2014, he played the main role in the action movie John Wick, and viewers saw him in a completely different role. Moreover, even before “John Wick,” Reeves starred in such action films as “Master of Tai Chi,” “Speed,” and “Street Kings.”

Martial arts films

Martial arts films are also commonly classified as action films because their main plot is very similar to classic action films - the main character fights the surrounding evil and tries to defeat injustice. The main difference and advantage of this type of film from other action films is the presence of a large number of scenes showing martial arts. Trends such as karate, judo, and kung fu originate in Asia, and for viewers on other continents, watching warriors who master these types of arts has always been incredibly interesting and exciting.

Films of this genre, as a rule, emphasized the need for self-development and work on oneself. A characteristic feature of the plot of such films is the presence of a main character - a warrior. At the beginning of the film, he is not strong enough and suffers from injustice. Over time, the hero begins to persistently train not only his body, but also his spirit, which ultimately leads him to success. The main character becomes strong, punishes all his former offenders and defeats his enemies.

Films of this genre (which were incredibly popular in Western countries in the 80s and 90s) include Kickboxer, Judo Genius, Enter the Dragon. Action actors of Asian origin have also taken a strong place on Olympus of heroes revered by viewers. Next, we will briefly look at the most popular actors who have played in action films and become famous for their martial arts skills.

Famous action actors come from Asian countries

For a long time now, actors such as:

• Jackie Chan.
• Bruce Lee.
• Brandon Lee.

The name of each of them became a legend in the unique genre of karate-action films. Jackie Chan deservedly deserves to be called one of the most famous Asian actors in the world and he is also practically the most famous action actor. This man is famous for his most complex stunts, which he always performs himself, without the help of stunt doubles. Jackie began acting in episodic roles at a fairly young age, but they, of course, did not bring him worldwide success. Seriously interested in kung fu and having achieved stunning success in this form of martial arts, Jackie begins a more serious career in the field of cinema, but as a stuntman. Chan periodically acts as the main actor, but this does not bring him a meteoric rise.

Since 1970, he has acted as a director and himself comes up with the staging of complex stunts for his films. His first truly successful work was the main role in the action film “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow,” for which the actor himself came up with the stunts. The actor's recognition by the American public occurred in 1995, after the release of the action comedy film Rumble in the Bronx. Chan's worldwide popularity came from the film Rush Hour, released in 1998. Throughout his acting career, Jackie starred in more than 100 films.

Bruce Lee played the leading roles in many action films (with elements of martial arts). For many fans, he was not only a brilliant actor, but also a philosopher, spiritual mentor and sensei. It was he who developed his own style of kung fu called jidkundo. Having moved to America, Bruce began acting in episodic roles and TV series, where he demonstrated his fighting skills. But the actor’s real breakthrough came after his return to Hong Kong, where he played the main role in the action movie “Big Bos” (Bruce Lee also choreographed all the stunts for the film).

The success of this film was stunning. He was followed by roles in “Return of the Dragon”, “Fist of Fury”. During his life, the actor starred in 36 films and their number would, without a doubt, be several times more if not for his premature death in 1973. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of fans still cherish the memory of Bruce Lee, who was rightfully included in the list of “Best Action Movie Actors.”

Brandon Lee tried to continue his father's work. The son of the great actor starred in the films “Framed,” “Criminal Killer,” “Showdown in Little Tokyo,” and “Quick Fire.”

Heroes of Russian action films

Russian action actors have also become legends for their audience. It's no secret that our films are in many ways inferior to foreign ones. First of all, this is due to the size of the budget allocated for filming and the lack of experience of our filmmakers. But it is worth noting that in Russian cinema there are a couple of worthy action films, and Russian action actors deserve special attention.

"Dynamite" (Vladimir Turchinsky), Mikhail Porechenkov, Dmitry Dyuzhev

Of course, we cannot consider all the actors in Russian action films. But we will try to briefly recall the most prominent representatives of the Russian film industry who had success after filming in the action genre.

Vladimir Turchinsky (known by his nickname “Dynamite”) met all the criteria of a Hollywood hero. Professional athlete, MS in combat sambo and judo. Managed to star in such films as “Special Forces in Russian”, “Cobra”, “The Motherland is Waiting”, “Invincible”, “Sky on Fire”.

The list would have been continued if not for the actor’s premature death. In December 2009, Vladimir died of a heart attack.

Mikhail Porechenkov looks no worse than Hollywood action stars. Candidate of Masters in boxing, tall and stately, Mikhail flawlessly brings to life the images of fearless heroes. His filmography includes roles in such domestic action films as “Special Forces”, “9th Company”, “Liquidation”.

It is worth remembering the real favorite of Russian TV viewers - Dmitry Dyuzhev. The actor played a role in the Russian action film Showdown in Manila, and before that he played leading roles in the action comedy films Zhmurki and Antidur. But for the sake of fairness, it is worth saying that the fame that Dyuzhev has now, he owes to the role of “Cosmos” in the television series “Brigada,” which has become a cult favorite in the post-Soviet space.

Actors who starred in the cult Russian action series

The creators of the film “Brigada” are positioning it as a crime saga, which has too many similarities with the action genre. The series, released in 2002, really attracted the attention of a huge audience, because it very realistically depicted the life of Russia in the period of the late 80s and until the beginning of 2000, filled with criminal elements. The actors who played the main roles in this series gained real popularity. In addition to Dmitry Dyuzhev, this is, of course, Sergei Bezrukov, who became a popular favorite after playing the role of Sasha Bely.

The role of Phil was played by Vladimir Vdovichenkov, whose filmography, in addition to his role in “Brigade,” includes filming in such action films as “August. Eighth"; "Racketeer", "Paragraph 78".

Also thanks to the series, Pavel Maikov, who played the role of Bee, gained wide recognition. Despite the fact that Pavel no longer starred in action films, viewers still remember the character he played. His example proves that the actors of action films remain in the memory of their fans for a long time, regardless of whether they continued to work in this genre or discovered something new.

• 1 of 71 Mark Dacascos. Kung fu adept who has starred in more than 40 action films. The most famous films in the former USSR were the films “Boogie Boy” and “Drive”. He played kickboxers, police officers, and karate rockers.
  
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  2 of 71 Now: acts in films, owns a network of martial arts schools, where he teaches his own style - created on the basis of karate, kung fu and boxing. In 2005 he starred in Sergei Bodrov’s film “Nomad” about the struggle of the Kazakh people against the Dzungarian horde.
  
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  3 of 71 Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. A 56-year-old Japanese karateka who has played bad Asians all his life. He became famous in Russia for his role as Shang Tsung, the evil sorcerer in Mortal Kombat. Tagawa was a bad Asian in "Twins" with the participation of Schwarzenegger and DeVito, in "Moonlight Detective Agency", in "Pearl Harbor".
  
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  4 of 71 Now: continues to actively act. In 2014, he played a priest of the Japanese Orthodox Church together with Ivan Okhlobystin and Pyotr Mamonov in the film “Priest-San”.
  
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  5 of 71 Eric Roberts. Actress Julia Roberts' older brother Eric Roberts graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. However, he became known to Russian audiences thanks to his role as a taekwondo fighter in the film “The Best of the Best.”
  
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  6 of 71 Now: continues to act, periodically quarrels with his sister Julia, and has completed a drug addiction recovery course. He periodically appears in films by Ukrainian and Kazakh filmmakers.
  
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  7 of 71 Se Kosugi. The main ninja of all times, Japanese martial artist. Star fame overtook Kosugi in the mid-80s. “Ninja”, “Spirit of the Ninja”, “Revenge of the Ninja”, “Ninja Enters” - under the influence of these films, schoolchildren in the Soviet Union began sharpening ninja stars in labor lessons.
  
• 8 of 71 Now: Xie's main brainchild is the "Xie Kosugi Martial Arts Institute" in Tokyo. He has two adult sons - Kane and Shane, whom their father introduced to karate and involved in supporting roles in his films.
  
• 9 of 71 Don "Dragon" Wilson. Eight parts of "Bloody Fist", three parts of "Ring of Fire", "Cyborg Hunter" and "Electronic Fighters". During his stellar period, Don Wilson starred in five films per year. In almost all of them he played a kickboxer in various forms.
  
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  10 of 71 Before his film appearance in 1989, Wilson "The Dragon" won 11 kickboxing championships. Out of 72 fights in the ring, he finished 47 by knockout, and lost only in five.
  
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  11 of 71 Now: Wilson trains young athletes and refuses to appear in films.
  
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  12 of 71 Michael Dudikoff. The blond model guy with Russian roots became a kind of American response to films with Asian ninjas. The first American Ninja was released in 1985. Dudikoff was used in this role until 1997.
  
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  13 of 71 Now: The actor lives the life of a retired movie star in a mansion in California. He enjoys architecture, owns a golden retriever, has a degree in child psychology, plays tennis, and occasionally practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu with a personal trainer.
  
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  14 of 71 Michelle Kissi. The actor was remembered by the audience for the role of the healthy Thai boxer Tong Po, who deals with Van Damme’s brother in the film “Kickboxer” and kicks a stone column during training. Friendship with Van Damme became decisive in the fate of the Moroccan Kissi. The Moroccan appeared in the credits of perhaps every Belgian film, as an actor, coach, stuntman or choreographer.
  
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  15 of 71 Now: periodically busy with filming, lives in Brussels. Acts as a consultant for fight scenes in action films. Continues to communicate with Van Damme.
  
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  16 of 71 Steve James. He got into cinema thanks to his godfather, who was well-versed in the world of cinema and was friends with Danny Glover (Mel Gibson's black partner in the film Lethal Weapon). James's credits include, in particular, films titled "I'll Get You, Bastard" and "Hero and Terror."
  
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  18 of 71 Matthias Hughes. From 1988 to 1998, Hughes played 2-4 roles annually. Basically, these were the roles of villains, who were killed by the main character at the end of the film after a long fight.
  
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  19 of 71 Now: continues to actively act. In 2014, he starred in the film “Black Rose” by Russian bodybuilder Alexander Nevsky.
  
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  20 of 71 Mister T. He tried many things in his life: he was a bouncer, a wrestling star, and a personal bodyguard for Hollywood stars. With a mohawk, he emphasizes his African roots. He has an extensive collection of gold items, which he likes to wear all at once when the opportunity arises.
  
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  21 of 71 Now: voiced himself in the TV series The Simpsons. He has appeared in commercials for Hitachi, Toyota, the Snickers bar, and advertised the computer game World of Warcraft. Hosted the program "Shop on the Couch".
  
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  22 of 71 Cynthia Rothrock. A hit in the USSR video stores was a film starring Cynthia Rothrock called “Above the Law 2. Blonde Fury,” in which the actress played an undercover FBI agent.
  
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  23 of 71 Now: divorced, raising a daughter. Owns a chain of gyms and consults with Hollywood studios on action scenes. Starred in episodic roles in action films. The actress's official website reports that she has 6 black belts in various types of martial arts - including karate and taekwondo.
  
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  24 of 71 Bolo Young. He started out playing the roles of Bruce Lee’s “double” for Hong Kong filmmakers. In the 80s everything changed. Bolo Young became famous around the world thanks to his role as a brutal winner of illegal fights in "Bloodsport" and moved to America.
  
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  25 of 71 Now: practically never acts, lives in America. Acts as a consultant for martial arts scenes in action films. In 2007 he starred in the Russian film "Close Combat". His son is David Young, a famous fitness trainer in Hollywood.
  
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  26 of 71 Billy Blanks. Since 1986, Billy has acted in a number of different films and is the main director of all combat scenes, including the videos known to all Soviet fans: “AWOL”, “Claws of the Eagle”, “Policeman of the Year 2000”, “Cool and Deadly”, etc.
  
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  27 of 71 Now: Blanks founded a new type of aerobics - tai-bo, where he borrowed movements from martial arts. Develops a training center named after himself in California. Can't be removed.
  
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  28 of 71 Gary Daniels. English footballer turned action hero. For many years he played supporting roles in films by Jackie Chan and Don “Dragon” Wilson. At the same time, he constantly trained seriously and won kickboxing competitions.
  
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  29 of 71 Now: continues to actively act in films and consult on action scenes in films.
  
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  30 of 71 Sammo Hun. A seemingly clumsy, fat man, Sammo Hung is an expert in martial arts. He developed a particularly vigorous activity in the early 80s - when he wrote scripts for Jackie Chan (where there was always the role of a fat friend). Later he became famous thanks to his role in the TV series “Chinese Policeman”.
  
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  31 of 71 Now: continues to act, film, work as a producer and consultant. In 2010 he received an award at the New York Asian Film Festival for the film "Ip Man" about Bruce Lee's teacher. Hoon became ill while filming this film. he was hospitalized and had heart surgery, but returned to work within days.
  
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  32 of 71 Steven Seagal. The actor and martial artist is known to domestic audiences for such films as “Under Siege,” “Despite Death,” “Niko” and others.
  
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  33 of 71 Now: After delving into Buddhism, he left films several times, but continues to act, direct, produce, tour with his blues band, and work as an analyst for the Legg Mason Foundation.
  
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  34 of 71 Tom Berenger. In addition to numerous roles in soap operas, the actor is remembered for his portrayal of Sergeant Barnes in the films “Platoon”, “Fire to Kill” and others.
  
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  35 of 71 Now: continues to act in action films and TV series.
  
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  36 of 71 Wesley Snipes. Success came to the actor after he played a drug lord in the films New Jack City and Water Dance. In 1993, he played with Sean Connery in "Rising Sun" and with Sylvester Stallone in "Demolition Man", and 3 years later - with Robert De Niro in "Fan". Also famous for his later role as Blade.
  
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  37 of 71 Now: Since 2010, he served three years for tax evasion. Now he continues to act.
  
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  38 of 71 Frank Zagarino. Star of low-budget action films, best known for the film “Project Shadowhunter” and its sequels.
  
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  39 of 71 Now: was last seen in films in 2007, both as an actor and as a director.
  
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  40 of 71 Chuck Norris. Before becoming the hero of Internet memes, Chuck was known to Russian audiences from films with Bruce Lee and similar action films; later, his role as the Texas Ranger Walker brought him success.
  
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  41 of 71 Now: occasionally acts in films, has become the creator of a large number of television shows, in addition to this he publishes his own magazine, and has written 7 books.
  
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  42 of 71 Robin Shu. The Chinese-born Hollywood actor is best known for his role as Liu Kang in the film Mortal Kombat, after which his career began to decline.
  
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  43 of 71 Now: in the 2000s, there was a slight increase in interest in the actor - he was invited to roles in the films "DOA: Dead or Alive", "Streetfighter" and the "Death Race" trilogy. The actor is also seriously interested in making ceramics.
  
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  44 of 71 Linden Ashby. The actor became famous for his roles in the films “Wyatt Earp” and “Mortal Kombat”, after which he did not stop acting, but the films with his participation went unnoticed.
  
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  45 of 71 Now: Since 2011, he has been starring in the fairly popular TV series “Teen Wolf” and has played supporting roles in other films. In his spare time, Linden enjoys surfing, private jet flying and skiing.
  
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  46 of 71 Richard Norton. His acting talent and ability to fight helped Richard quickly enter the ranking of the best actor-fighters in the world. After the Chinese action films, where he partnered with Jackie Chan, his reputation as a master of action scenes was firmly established.
  
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  47 of 71 Now: after a slight decline in the 90s, he continued acting, as he can be seen in the 2015 film “Mad Max 4: Fury Road”
  
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  48 of 71 Rutger Hauer. His first appearance in Hollywood was in the film Nighthawks (1981), starring Sylvester Stallone, in which he played the killer Wulfgar. After that, the actor was assigned the role of villains.
  
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  49 of 71 Now: continues to actively act and loves to make independent films at his studio. He is a member of the board of trustees of the Higher School of Directors and Scriptwriters in St. Petersburg.
  
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  50 of 71 Lorenzo Lamas. The actor, who has been studying karate and taekwondo since 1979, is best known for the crime series "The Renegade", in addition to which he starred in a number of action films in the 90s.
  
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  51 of 71 Now: In recent years, the actor has been starring in low-budget action films that are not intended for the big screen and are released straight to video.
  
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  52 of 71 Michael Pare. The young Paré immediately became the idol of millions. Frequent sex scenes in action films, and now he’s already on top. The films “The Philadelphia Experiment”, “Eddie and the Wanderers”, “Village of the Damned” made him popular.
  
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  53 of 71 Now: the actor very often starred in films by German director Uwe Boll, whose films many critics regard as low-grade.
  
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  54 of 71 Andrew Divoff. As an actor, Andrew is distinguished by the films “The Other Forty-Eight Hours”, “Night Shift”, “Toy Soldiers”, Adrenaline: Fear of the Pursuit”, in which he most often appears in the role of a villain.
  
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  55 of 71 Now: Andrew switched to acting in TV series and small roles in films. You could see him in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008), the series “Alias”, “Lost”, “Black Mark”, “Impact”, “CSI: Miami”, “Criminal Minds” .
  

Today, actors of action films and films are the most highly paid and sought-after stars in both domestic and foreign cinema. They are restrained and ironic, courageous and self-confident - who are they, the most popular actors in action-packed stories with countless tricks and a machine gun at the ready?

Legendary action actors

Arnold Schwarzenegger or "Iron Arnie" became a real megastar of the last century thanks to his amazing physical shape, charisma and acting talent. Action films with his participation today have become classics of action cinema. Just look at the notorious "Terminator".

Sylvester Stallone - the legendary Rocky and Rambaud rolled into one - after the release of these film masterpieces, he gained the status of an exclusively actor for action films for a long time.

Steven Seagal is a representative of the old school of Hollywood superheroes. He alone was able to save the world and even the universe. Steven Seagal is as fearless in real life as he is on screen—he's a sheriff and a martial artist.

Bruce Lee is a legendary actor whose early death shocked the whole world. By his example, this man proved that nothing is impossible for a person in terms of physical fitness. His films are still considered action classics today.

Dmitry Pevtsov is one of the cult actors of the former USSR. His career began with small theatrical roles, but participation in the TV series “Gangster Petersburg” glorified the young actor and made him a superstar.

Vladimir Mashkov has about a hundred roles to his name, not only in domestic cinema, but also in Hollywood. The stage range of this man is endless, but action actors of this level are a rarity for Russian cinema. His most striking roles in this genre are “Let's Do It Quickly,” “Behind Enemy Lines,” “Piranha Hunt.”

Actors of action films during the Soviet period were the most sought-after stars of Russian cinema. The most striking negative hero was Dmitry Nagiyev. He participated in such films as “The Mole” and “Wapit Hunting”.

Vladimir Porechenkov is one of the most prominent actors in Russian cinema. Textured, courageous, fearless, he transforms into both heroes and villains.

Russian action film actors

Gosha Kutsenko, despite his mature age, is a sought-after actor. He continues to star in action and crime films. One of the most striking characters in Kutsenko’s career was the hero Fox from the Antikiller trilogy.

Alexey Serebryakov is another pride of Russian cinema, in which good action actors are a rarity. This man is so versatile that he can portray any role on screen. “Agent”, “Fan”, “Gangster Petersburg” - just a few action-style films from the list of Serebryakov’s works.

Danila Kozlovsky is “our everything,” as domestic directors jokingly say about this talented young actor with a decent track record. Mr. Kozlovsky’s filming schedule is so tight that films with his participation are released almost every season. Danila is a multifaceted actor, playing in dramas, comedies, and action films. Russian action actors are trying to reach Danila’s fees, but so far these are just dreams.

Hollywood stars

Hollywood action movie actors receive huge fees and the love of the audience, and all thanks to their skill and absolute dedication to the film in which they are starring. Tom Cruise is one of the highest paid foreign film stars. Despite his difficult character, directors line up for the opportunity to work with this person. His participation in films such as "Mission Impossible" and "Jack Reacher" became the actor's calling card.

Bruce Willis is a legendary foreign action actor. Playing a simple, but very charming, fearless and almost immortal guy, Bruce earned himself authority and millions in fees. The most striking action films with his participation are “Die Hard”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Jackal”.

Matt Damon is a multifaceted actor, director and even screenwriter. The actor's most prominent role in the Bourne franchise.

Top 3 Most In-Demand Action Actors

Jason Statham began his career in 1998. Success came to the actor after participating in the film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Action films are the main genre in which this actor looks natural.

From a lingerie model to an actor and director, he has come a long way. His talent and efforts were duly appreciated by critics and viewers. The most striking roles are “The Departed”, “Shooter”.

Despite his, Liam Neeson remains on the crest of the wave. Moreover, the main genre in which he succeeded was action films. “Hostage”, “Night Fugitive”, “Air Marshal”, Three Days to Escape” - bits and pieces from the actor’s bright filmography.

Actors of Russian action films are less in demand, and yet today films of this format are beginning to interest viewers again. Perhaps in the near future, domestic cinema will be replete with new names.

Young and promising action stars

It's already hot on the heels of the film business luminaries. Action actors of the new generation are courageous heroes, a mountain of muscles, maximum erudition and a sense of humor.

Callan Lutts is one of the representatives of Hollywood youth. After the release of the Twilight franchise, success simply overwhelmed the actor. Thanks to his masculine appearance, the actor has comfortably mastered the niche of action cinema. His work in the action films "The Expendables" and "Mescada" found positive responses from viewers.

Theo James is the new star of Foggy Albion. He started with episodic roles in detective series, and gained popularity after the film “Divergent.”

A brilliant figure, breathtaking appearance, the grace of a cat and super performance have made Channing Tatum one of the most sought-after and highly paid actors of our time. He is harmonious in any role, but the role of a hero saving America and the world suits him. He played in such films as “White House Down,” “Jupiter Ascending,” and “Fight Without Rules.”