Real Martial Artist Actors VS Non-Martial Artists Actors

[AlbertV]

There are a few actors not named on the celebrity list that are worth mentioning:

 

Freddie Prinze Jr. holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do

Cam Gigandet has a black belt in the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga, and this was just prior to Never Back Down

 

[ShawAngela]

Lady Hu, the return...

 

David Chiang is mentioned on sites (I don't remember where I saw that, sorry) to have been a martial arts instructor on some movies, so, he must have practised as well...

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

I would bet money that Beardy at least began practicing martial arts regularly after he began his film career. You don't pull off some of the moves he did without training.

 

As far as the question of which I prefer, the answer is neither for me. If an actor can take instruction and perform moves without too much camera trickery it can be just as good and sometimes better than a real martial artist.

 

I believe many guys that aren't labeled as "martial artists" at least learned a lot on the job to do some of the things they did.

 

Look at David Chiang in The Challenger, watching an early Shaw effort you'd never expect him to throw down like that! Same goes for Lo Liehs earlier roles when compared to his work with Pops.

Beardy, that's probably true. The guy is absolutely amazing. 

 

David Chiang had been studying martial arts since he was 15. He started training as a stunt man for Shaws in 1965 (18). I do wonder if he had a little bit of Peking Opera training too (his acrobatic agility.) Chiang's skills really grew once Lau Kar Wing took him on as a student - not sure when but 1973-1974 (you can see Lau Kar Wing sparring with David in the Fists of Fury documentary.)

 

 It was always to fun to spot LKW in subsequent movies with Chiang, and Shaolin Mantis...well, I don't need to wax lovingly about that movie again do I? 

[paimeifist]

Beardy, that's probably true. The guy is absolutely amazing. 

 

David Chiang had been studying martial arts since he was 15. He started training as a stunt man for Shaws in 1965 (18). I do wonder if he had a little bit of Peking Opera training too (his acrobatic agility.) Chiang's skills really grew once Lau Kar Wing took him on as a student - not sure when but 1973-1974 (you can see Lau Kar Wing sparring with David in the Fists of Fury documentary.)

 

 It was always to fun to spot LKW in subsequent movies with Chiang, and Shaolin Mantis...well, I don't need to wax lovingly about that movie again do I? 

I am sorry, you'll have to excuse my ignorance in regards to Chiangs training. Feel free to gloat as much as you want about Shaolin Mantis, it is probably my favorite David Chiang performance.

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

I am sorry, you'll have to excuse my ignorance in regards to Chiangs training. Feel free to gloat as much as you want about Shaolin Mantis, it is probably my favorite David Chiang performance.

Aww, nothing to be sorry for paimeifist.  I am 100% okay with folks' opinions, I am not okay with sounding harsh though. If so, my bad. 

 

Back on topic, I wish I knew what styles Chan Wai Man trained in (not familiar with what little he mentioned) before getting into kickboxing and western boxing (besides rudimentary sword training with those 'choppers' .)  I generally perfer martial performers who employ flowing movements, but I dig the way CWM just attacks. It's almost feral and definitely a nod to his background. 

[ShawAngela]

Fu Sheng, Kara Hui, Lily Li, maybe Ti Lung, Adam Cheng and many other ones were Liu Chia Liang's students.

 

We forgot to mention Shih Kien as a real martial arts practitioner.

 

It seems to me that I read somewhere that Carter Wong was also a practitioner, in the same school or style as Angela Mao, if I remember well.

[AlbertV]

Michael Woods, John Salvitti, and Stephen Berwick trained under Donnie Yen's mother Madame Bow Sim Mark at her school in Boston. 

 

Sophia Crawford at first learned martial arts for films after arriving in Hong Kong. However, she has kept going and is a stuntwoman and fitness trainer these days.

 

Had read that Michelle Yeoh had first trained under Lam Ching-Ying, who was a member of Sammo's stunt team in the 80's. A funny story was that her leg cramped when she turned her leg inward and she asked Lam to turn his leg outward as used in ballet and his leg cramped too. I read that in Bey Logan's book.

 

[kokuryuha]

 

 

It seems to me that I read somewhere that Carter Wong was also a practitioner, in the same school or style as Angela Mao, if I remember well.

 

Carter Wong was more than just a practitioner.He's a bonafide Master and I don't use that term recklessly.Here is some information that I acquired from Kung fu Kingdom in a well written article by one of their staff members Andy Abrahim in February 2014

 

Training Backround: Started learning, traditional Chinese Kung Fu at 8 years old, taught by the principal Shaolin Monk at the time, and the Grand Master of Wudang Chi-Kung.Went to Japan to train in Karate, Thailand to train in Muay Thai, and Korea to train in Hapkido and Taekwondo.Founded the Chung Hop Kuen Federation in 1980. It is a composite style based on Shaolin Kung Fu, Wu-Dang Chi-Kung (internal breathing) and the essence of Karate, Muay-Thai, Taekwondo and Hapkido.Carter Wong’s International Chung Hop Kuen Federation is represented in 36 countries and is still increasing. This association has produced many European and world champions in Muay-Thai, Kung Fu, Kickboxing. Even lots of different police departments are learning his Chung Hop Kuen style.

 

Acheivements: 1968-1986 36 Muay-Thai fights with a record of 30 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses.

1979 Chief Instructor for the Royal Hong Kong Police Force (Karate)

1984 Master Instructor for the New York State Police Force Of the US (Muay-Thai)

1986 World Muay-Thai Championship champion.

1989 World Cup International Martial Arts Open Championship champion.

1990 Master Instructor for the Marine Corps of California US (Muay-Thai)

1996 Chief Consultant of Galaxy and Chuwaitana Muay-Thai Camp (Thailand)

1997 Professional member & representative for the World Kickboxing Association (WKA)

1998 International Wudang Mountain Style Chi-Kung Association Vice Chairman.

1998 Grand Master of Hungary Police Force (Karate)

2002 International Muay-Thai Federation (Committee)

World Muay-Thai Championship Council VIP Security Services Academy in Cambodia (Principal)

Hungary Police (CTU Combat Technic)

Saint-Paul Brazil Police Military Academy (Kung Fu Master)

World Mixed Martial Arts Federation (MMA)

International Wu-Dang Chi-Kung Association (Principal)

International Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Seitokukai (7th Dan Black Belt)

International Martial-Arts Federation (8th Dan Black Belt)

Hong Kong Southern & Northern Martial Art Association (Honorary President)

 

Trivia: Carter was the first person to teach Karate in Macau, back in 1968.

Carter worked with Golden Harvest, the prodigious film production company that had helped produce Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon.

World Muay Thai Champion of 1986.

7th Dan black belt Go-Ju-Ryu Karate-Do Seitokukai.

8th Dan International Martial Arts Federation, Kung-Fu Master.

Starred in over 100 films.Has given fight choreography lessons to Matt Damon and William Shatner.

Carter Wong was one of those that Talked the talk,Walked the walk,And wrote the scroll to boot!✊

 

 

[Secret Executioner]

Now THAT is what I call an impressive resume.  

[ShawAngela]

Thank you very much for the informations regarding Carter Wong. Very impressive career in martial arts !!

[ShawAngela]

Here's a clip in which Adam Cheng practices martial arts and swordplay...before break dance and singing !

 

 

 

[ShawAngela]

Adam Cheng's drunken sword :

 

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/InL7WLIIsqE/

 

 

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

There was a Shaw Brothers Bio on David Chiang.

 

He  was doing Tai Chi Chuan in the video.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-SucZD--SE

 

GD Y-Y

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

I do not know if it was mentioned.

Chen Sing is a real kung fu master.

I read somewhere, forget what his style is.

 

 

GD Y-Y

[AlbertV]

I do not know if it was mentioned.

Chen Sing is a real kung fu master.

I read somewhere, forget what his style is.

 

 

GD Y-Y

Chan Sing was actually a master of Goju-Ryu Karate. I know I read about it or even heard it in one of Toby Russell's documentaries, possibly Top Fighter. Can't remember off-hand.

 

Another Karateka turned film star was George Rudy (real name Tjwan Hien). Many of us U.S. fans will know him as the ill-fated husband of Cynthia Rothrock's character in Lady Dragon 2. Rudy is an expert in Kyokushinkai Karate and appeared in some Indonesian-made martial arts films in the 70's and 80's. He is supposed to be in the upcoming Indonesian Expendables film, Garuda 7 film as well.

 

 

[ShawAngela]

Here is a repost of a disappeared post in which one can see Adam Cheng kneeling and paying respects to his shifu Liu Chia Liang by offerring him some tea, and this latter showing how he taught Adam to use the fan in the series Book and sword or Chu Liu Xiang ( I guess it, since it's in these two series that Adam Cheng uses this weapon the most...)

 

 

[AlbertV]

Pop starlet Stephy Tang (who has an athletic background as a former volleyball player before her singing and film career) has been training in karate and Muay Thai under actor and martial artist Stephen Au in preparation for the upcoming Chapman To-directed film Karate. Stephy even went on to say that after filming is complete, she plans to continue training in martial arts.