Summary
- Bruce Lee founded Jeet Kune Do, a martial arts philosophy that influenced MMA. He trained major names in martial arts and was a true tough guy.
- Charles Bronson, known for action movies like Death Wish, was a former US Air Force member who fought in World War II and received a Purple Heart.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former professional bodybuilder, won Mr. Olympia seven times and earned respect in the sport. He is one of Hollywood's toughest actors.
From the time that the big theatrical action movies began to gain popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, filmmakers set out to find actors who not only looked the part but were also real-life tough guy actors. From names like Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee, who came into Hollywood as legitimate tough guys, to actors who developed real-world fighting skills after getting their start, many tough guy personas on screen are so endearing to watch because they're authentic.
It also isn't just action movies. There are faces who have been involved in science fiction movies and TV shows, horror movies, and more, who are real-life tough guy actors. Many actors, especially in the earlier decades of Hollywood, entered the profession after careers in the military. Many more still found their fame in competitive fighting sports like MMA, boxing, or martial arts, transitioning to the screen after many years of proving their toughness in the ring.
25 Bruce Lee Founded His Own Martial Arts Philosophy
Bruce Lee Created Jeet June Do And Laid The Foundations For MMA
At one time, there wasn't a bigger martial arts star in Hollywood than Bruce Lee. On top of starring in some of the world's biggest martial arts movies, Lee was a martial arts master. In Hollywood, Lee starred in movies like Fist of Fury, Enter the Dragon, and Game of Death. Sadly, he died at the young age of 32 before he could do more.
According to the book The Way of the Warrior, Lee was the founder of a hybrid martial arts philosophy called Jeet June Do, which was one of the main influences of MMA fighting in the future. Lee also trained some major names in martial arts, including Joe Lewis, Chuck Norris, James Coburn, and his own son Brandon Lee.
24 Charles Bronson Was In The US Air Force
Charles Bronson Was Awarded The Purple Heart
Charles Bronson got his start acting in war movies like The Magnificent Seven and The Dirty Dozen. He then became an action-hero icon in the Death Wish movies. While his character in Death Wish and the various war movies killed countless people, Bronson was also a tough guy off the big screen. Bronson was a blue-collar worker before he started acting, putting in time in the mines in Pennsylvania to follow in the footsteps of his late father. After that, Bronson joined the Air Force and fought in World War II where he received a Purple Heart for wounds received in battle (via Military.com).
23 Arnold Schwarzenegger Was A Professional Bodybuilder
Arnold Schwarzenegger Won Mr. Olympia Seven Times
Arnold Schwarzenegger, while in his 70s, is still one of the toughest actors in Hollywood. Most know him from his role in Terminator, although he was a familiar face in some of the biggest action movies of the 1980s. However, before he became an actor, he started lifting weights when he was 15, won Mr. Universe when he was only 20, and went on to win the prestigious Mr. Olympia title seven times (via Bodybuilding.com). While he might not be a fighter and was just a bodybuilder, he still earned the respect of names like Bruno Sammartino and more, and his legacy in the sport of bodybuilding can't be overstated.
22 James Caan Is A Trained Martial Artist
James Cann Studied Takayuki Kubota & Gosoku-ryu Karate
James Caan came to prominence with his role in The Godfather. In the classic movie, he picked up an Oscar and Golden Globes nomination for his role as Sonny Corleone. From there, he added roles in movies like Brian's Song, A Bridge Too Far, and Misery. What is fascinating about his career is that Caan chose to take on roles in movies that played against the machismo he played in The Godfather. In real life, Caan was the son of a butcher who grew up in Queens, New York, and finally found his way into acting. Caan trained in Takayuki Kubota martial arts and was also a Master of Gosoku-ryu Karate (via USA Dojo.com).
21 Steve McQueen Was A Marine
Steve McQueen Saved The Lives Of Five People During An Arctic Exercise
Steve McQueen was one of the most popular actors of the 1960s counterculture movie movement. He was an Oscar nominee for The Sand Pebbles, but also had big roles in some of the era's best action movies like The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, and The Getaway. On top of being the most successful movie star in the world, he was also a real-life tough guy. His biography, Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel reveals he was a Marine when he saved the lives of five other Marines during an Arctic exercise. McQueen also mastered Tang Soo Do, where he earned a ninth-degree Black Belt.
20 Jackie Chan Is A Master Martial Artist & Acrobat
Jackie Chan Performs His Own Stunts
Jackie Chan is perhaps one of the most famous tough guy actors with real-life credentials. It's been widely documented throughout his career that Jackie Chan actually does all his stunts and is even the fight coordinator in his movies. Despite adding humor to his action movies, Chan is recognized as a legit tough guy in the movie industry. Chan spent a decade at the start of his acting career studying martial arts and acrobatics. He trained in hapkido under grand master Jin Pal Kim and attained a black belt. Jackie Chan is also proficient in kung fu, Karate, Judo, Taekwondo, and Jeet Kun Do.
19 Dwayne Johnson Is A Former Professional Wrestler
The Rock Was Also A Former Football Star
Dwayne Johnson is one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, and he not only looks the part, but he is a tough guy in real life. While there are many who are dubious about whether professional wrestlers count as legitimate tough guys, in the case of The Rock, he fits the role.
Before his time in WWE, Dwayne Johnson was a football star and played with future NFL stars at the University of Miami. Johnson is also a notorious bodybuilding enthusiast and spends almost as much time in the gym as anyone in Hollywood. Johnson has played superheroes in Black Adam and dangerous government agents in Fast & Furious, and he's one of several tough guy actors who can match their characters in real life.
18 Jean-Claude Van Damme Is A Real-Life Kickboxer
Jean-Claude Van Damme Has Competed In Several Kickboxing Competitions
In the 1980s, the advent of B-grade action movies receiving theatrical releases hit its highest point. One of the biggest stars is Jean-Claude Van Damme, a martial arts actor who broke out thanks to the late 80s action movies Bloodsport, Kickboxer, and Universal Soldier. In many of his movies, he mostly played a martial arts master who often had to fight in illegal tournaments or against over-the-top villains. However, before he started portraying martial arts experts in movies, he competed in several karate and kickboxing competitions in real life.
17 Gal Gadot Was A Combat Fitness Trainer For The Israel Defense Forces
Gat Gadot Was Cast In Fast & Furious Because Of Her Military Experience
When the DCU signed Gal Gadot to join the team as Wonder Woman, it was a lot more than just adding a pretty face. While Gadot was a model turned actor who also appeared in the Fast & Furious franchise, she has a lot more to her skill set than just her looks. Born in Israel, Gadot enlisted with the Israel Defense Forces when she was 20. She didn't just serve her two mandatory years of military service, but she was also a combat fitness instructor during her time there. She said that Fast & Furious director chose her because of her military experience and her knowledge of weapons (via Longview News-Journal).
16 Chuck Norris Is A Black Belt In Three Different Martial Arts
Bruce Lee Got Chuck Norris His Break In Hollywood
Chuck Norris has become an Internet meme over the years, but when it comes to his qualifications to play action stars, he earned every bit of it. The man is known to one generation for his performance in the TV show Walker, Texas Ranger, and to another generation for his roles in action movies like Missing in Action. However, he enjoyed his breakout working in a movie with Bruce Lee called Way of the Dragon in 1972. Lee saw that Norris was a real-life tough guy and wanted to work with him. Norris was an Air Policeman in the Air Force and had a black belt in Tang Soo Do and created his own fighting style called Chun Kuk Do.
15 Charlie Hunnam Studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Charlie Hunnam Began Studying Martial Arts As An Actor
Most fans know Charlie Hunnam for his role as Jax Teller in the FX series Sons of Anarchy. In that series, most of the cast played tough guys, and many of them fit the role in real life. The show even cast members of the Hell's Angels biker club as bikers in the series. As for Hunnam, while he was a regular actor, he is a real-life tough guy even off the screen. Outside of acting, Hunnam also had a fondness for martial arts, and he studied Brazilian jiu-jitsu under the instructor Rigan Machado, where Hunnam earned his blue belt (via BJJ Eastern Europe).
14 Sir Christopher Lee Was An RAF Pilot
Christopher Lee Also Climbed Mount Vesuvius Before It Erupted
Sir Christopher Lee holds the Guinness World Record for most film acting roles, having appeared in more than 240 movies since his debut in 1946. He played major villain roles, such as Count Dracula in the Hammer Horror movies, Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and the Middle-Earth wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) and The Hobbit Trilogies (2012-2014).
Christopher Lee might not be a tough guy actor or known for action roles, but the Saruman actor led a life remarkably similar to many characters in the genre. Lee served meritoriously in North Africa and Italy as an RAF pilot officer (via War History Online). He even took time off in the middle of the war to climb the dangerous volcano Mount Vesuvius, which erupted only days after his ascent.
13 Mickey Rourke Was A Professional Boxer
Mickey Rourke Left Acting to Box Early In His Career
Controversial film star Mickey Rourke started off as a boxer after graduating from high school in 1971, winning his first match as a bantamweight boxer at the age of 12. He trained at the 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach and joined the Police Athletic League. He left amateur boxing in 1973, with a record of 27 wins and only 3 losses.
Micky Rourke then took his first try at acting and, during the 1980s, he appeared in several films. However, he later returned to boxing in 1991 to start a professional career, but retired in 1994, undefeated in eight fights. He resumed his acting career and won a Golden Globe in 2009 for his role in The Wrestler (2008). He also appeared in Iron Man 2 (2010) and The Expendables (2010).
12 Danny Trejo Served Time In San Quentin
Danny Trejo Was A Boxing Champion In Prison
Danny Trejo had a very rough upbringing. He wanted to become a professional boxer but ended up spending 10 years in prison. While serving his sentence in San Quentin, he honed his boxing skills (via USA Today). After leaving prison and completing a rehabilitation program, he was offered a minor role in the movie Runaway Train. The screenwriter, who knew him at San Quentin and was aware of his boxing skills, hired him to train the actors for the action scenes. While training Eric Roberts, the director noticed Trejo and offered him a more prominent role. Because of his tough appearance, he quickly became the go-to actor for hardened roles.
11 Dolph Lundgren Is A 4th Dan Black Belt In Kyokushin Karate
Dolph Lundgre Won The European Karate Championship
Action and horror movie veteran Dolph Lundgren is a mixed martial arts expert who holds a 4th dan back belt in Kyokushin Karate and was the former European Karate champion (1980-1981). He met actress Grace Jones in Sydney and came to the U.S. in 1983 after being awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. After he left MIT and joined Jones in NYC where he worked as a bouncer at The Limelight, a Manhattan nightclub, he obtained a minor role in the James Bond movie A View to a Kill. He got his breakthrough when he landed the role of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV (1985). He went on to star in several films, almost always portraying tough fighting characters.
10 Steve Buscemi Was A Former Firefighter
Steve Buscemi Helped The Rescue Efforts After 9/11
Steve Buscemi worked as a firefighter in the 1980s before he became a successful actor. It turns out Buscemi is a hero. He showed courage and selflessness when he volunteered to work with his former firefighter colleagues in NYC after the 9/11 attacks. He spent more than 12 hours daily for several days helping with rescue efforts under dangerous conditions. He also avoided talking to the media about it because he wasn't doing it for publicity. When he was later asked why he joined the firefighters and risked his health and life at the forefront of rescue efforts, he answered that he only wanted to help his "brothers" (via Business Insider).
Steve Buscemi volunteered to work with his former firefighter colleagues in NYC after the 9/11 attacks.
9 Steven Seagal Is A Black Belt In Aikido
Steven Segal Also Worked As A Border Patrol Officer
Steven Seagal was one of the main stars during the heydey of the 80s action movies and his career flowed into the 90s before finally moving straight to video. However, with titles like Under Siege, Above the Law, and Hard to Kill, Seagal proved to be a legitimate martial arts master. He holds a 7th dan black belt in Aikido, and while this form of fighting is mostly defensive, he has used it to his advantage. Seagal has many stories about his accolades as a martial artist, although many have been disputed. Despite this, he has also worked as a border patrol officer and even had a TV series following his adventures in this career.
8 Sean Bean Has Real-Life Tough Guy Stories
Sean Bean Was Stabbed In A Bar Fight And Refused A Hospital Trip
Sean Bean, best known for his role as Ned Stark in Game of Thrones, is another tough guy actor who has a reputation in real life. In 2012, while hanging out at a bar in London, someone made a smutty comment about his date. Bean confronted the man who left and returned later. He tried to stab Bean with a shard of glass, but he blocked it with his forearm. Bean later walked calmly into the bar and asked for the first aid kit. He dressed up his wound and returned to his drink, although the bar workers offered to call an ambulance. However, Bean would not have his night ruined by something as ordinary as being stabbed in the arm (via CBS News).
7 Ronda Rousey Was A UFC Champion
Ronda Rousey Also Won A Gold Metal For Judo
Judo and mixed martial arts practitioner Ronda Rousey became the UFC Bantamweight Champion in February 2013 after leaving Strikeforce and went on an epic run with the belt. Before becoming a professional MMA fighter she had won a gold medal at the 2004 World Junior Judo Championship in Budapest. She became the first U.S. female athlete to win an Olympic medal in judo when she won a bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She made her amateur debut in mixed martial arts in 2010 and never lost a fight until she lost to Holly Holm in November 2015. She made her film debut in 2014 in The Expendables 3.
6 Michael Jai White Holds Black Belts In Seven Karate Disciplines
Michael Jai White Has Appeared In Over 25 Martial Arts Movies
Michael Jai White is a native of Brooklyn, who made his debut in Toxic Avenger II, and is tough guy actor who can match in real life what he shows on the screen. Michael Jai White holds black belts in seven karate disciplines, including Shotokan, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Goju Ryu, and Kyokushin. He has won more than 25 martial arts titles, including the North American and U.S. Open titles. He starred as Al Simmons in Spawn, appeared in Mortal Kombat: Legacy as Jax Briggs, and portrayed Mike Tyson in the HBO movie Tyson (1995). All in all, he's every bit as tough as he looks on-screen.