25 Actors Who Are Legitimate Tough Guys

March 10, 2018, 6:01 p.m.

Movies

25 Actors Who Are Legitimate Tough Guys

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Summary Real-life tough guy actors don't just excel in action films - they come from various backgrounds and genres.

Bruce Lee's martial arts prowess influenced MMA; his legacy lives on through Jeet Kune Do.

James Caan, Chuck Norris, Steven McQueen - tough guys onscreen and off, with military or fighting backgrounds.

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.

Real-life tough actors don't just appear in action movies, either. 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.

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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.

Bruce Lee trained some major names in martial arts, including Joe Lewis, Chuck Norris, James Coburn, and his own son, Brandon Lee.

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 mastered Tai Chi, Wing Chun, boxing, Karate, Judo, Escrima, and Taekwondo before he combined all of those into his Jeet June Do. It wasn't just his own skills he honed though, as Bruce Lee 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

The Magnificent Seven And Dirty Dozen Star 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). In World War II, he served as an Army gunner in the 760th Flexible Gunnery Training Squadron. He then became a Superfortress crewman with the 39th Bombardment Group, based on Guam. Bronson ended up assigned to a B-29 bomber, flying on 25 missions.

23 Arnold Schwarzenegger Was A Professional Bodybuilder

The Acclaimed Physical Powerhouse 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).

His legacy in the sport of bodybuilding can't be overstated.

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. Arnold went on to become one of the most famous tough guy actors of the 1980s and 1990s, and he went on to star in some of the biggest action movies in history, including the Terminator franchise, Conan the Barbarian, Commando, Predator, and Total Recall.

22 James Caan Is A Trained Martial Artist

The Godfather Star 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. Caan had been working on fighting since he was a kid, and he even took up boxing as a child and earned the childhood nickname of Killer Caan (via factinate.com). It made sense that he would end up taking on roles that made him a Hollywood tough guy as well, with Sonny Corleone being just the start.

21 Steve McQueen Was A Marine

The Iconic 1960s Actor 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.

Steve McQueen came from a rough childhood and a broken home where both his mother and father abandoned him as a child

McQueen also mastered Tang Soo Do, where he earned a ninth-degree Black Belt. His son Chad also explained why his dad was such a tough guy, as Steve McQueen came from a rough childhood and a broken home where both his mother and father abandoned him as a child:

"My dad had a horrible childhood. It made him the man he was. He fought like hell for what he believed in, but he had a very short temper; I saw that at home and in his work.

20 Jackie Chan Is A Master Martial Artist & Acrobat

The Modern Martial Arts Movie Legend 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. When talking about martial arts, Chan also said that it is more about respect than about hurting people:

"When you are learning about a martial art, it is about respect. You have to find a good teacher. If you knock somebody down - stop. Bring them up."

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19 Dwayne Johnson Is A Former Professional Wrestler

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. Sadly, his football dreams didn't come to fruition, and he moved on to his role in WWE.

His incredible physique has definitely been an asset for his career.

Johnson is also a notorious bodybuilding enthusiast and spends almost as much time in the gym as anyone in Hollywood. His incredible physique has definitely been an asset for his career, as he 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

The 1980s Action Movie Star 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.

One thing that makes Jean-Claude Van Damme different from other tough guy actors is that he has no problem making fun of his status and spoofing the exact kind of person he portrayed over his career. In the Prime Video series, Jean-Claude Van Johnson, Van Damme plays a fictional version of himself. In the series, he mocks his role as a real-life tough-guy actor and plays around with that role, showing that you don't have to be serious to be tough.

17 Gal Gadot Was A Combat Fitness Trainer For The Israel Defense Forces

The Wonder Woman Star 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.

Gal Gadot ended up performing her own stunts while making the movies, which showed her inherent toughness.

She said that Fast & Furious director Justin Lin chose her because of her military experience and her knowledge of weapons (via Longview News-Journal). Gal Gadot ended up performing her own stunts while making the movies, which showed her inherent toughness. While Gadot is no longer portraying Wonder Woman in the DCU, it is easy to see her perform any number of superheroes in the future to play off her natural abilities.

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 has competed in and defeated champions in all 50 states in the International Karate Championship and actually went on to win the Karate triple crown for the most tournament wins in one year (via Athlon Outdoors). Norris was an Air Policeman in the Air Force and has a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. He also went on to create his own fighting style called Chun Kuk Do, which is translated to mean "The Universal Way."

15 Charlie Hunnam Studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

The Leading Man In Sons Of Anarchy 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. As for Hunnam, while he was a regular actor playing a role alongside these dangerous tough guys from the world of bikers, he is also a real-life tough guy actor even off the screen.

Hunnam said that he isn't someone who wants to be known as a tough guy actor.

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). However, in interviews, Hunnam said that he isn't someone who wants to be known as a tough guy actor:

"I play a lot of tough guys and violent characters, but I’m not like that at all. I’m a hippie who smiles a lot and is pretty relaxed" (via Cosmopolitan).

14 Sir Christopher Lee Was An RAF Pilot

The Icon Of The Early Years Of Hollywood Had A Surpisingly Action-Filled Life

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.

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13 Mickey Rourke Was A Professional Boxer

The Star Of The Wrestler 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.

He later returned to boxing in 1991 to start a professional career, but retired in 1994, undefeated in eight fights.

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). Rourke even took a turn in professional wrestling and appeared at WrestleMania.

12 Danny Trejo Served Time In San Quentin

The Man Behind Machete 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. However, Trejo said he needed to change how people looked at him:

"I realized I had to show people I had really changed. I had to change the way people saw me. I could still be in prison. Hell, for all I did, I could be headed to the gas chamber. This is all icing."

11 Dolph Lundgren Is A 4th Dan Black Belt In Kyokushin Karate

The Veteran Action Movie Star 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 started training in karate when he was 10 and by 19, he was part of the Swedish squad at the world championships in Japan for full-contact karate.

He was part of the Swedish squad at the world championships in Japan for full-contact karate.

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). Lundgren then went on to star in several films, almost always portraying tough fighting characters.

10 Steve Buscemi Was A Former Firefighter

The Recognizable Character Actor 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 worked 12-hour shifts alongside other firefighters digging and sifting through the rubble from the World Trade Center looking for survivors.Very few photographs and no interviews exist because he declined them. He wasn't there for the publicity."

9 Steven Seagal Is A Black Belt In Aikido

The Controversial Action Movie Star Also Worked As A Border Patrol Officer

Steven Seagal was one of the main stars during the heyday 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.

Seagal also said that he received his 7th degree black belt in Karate as well from Kancho Hatsuo Royama, a man who also studied under the sensai Mas Oyama.

Despite this, Steven Seagal has also worked as a border patrol officer and even had a TV series following his adventures in this career. Seagal also said that he received his 7th degree black belt in Karate as well from Kancho Hatsuo Royama, a man who also studied under the sensai Mas Oyama. "It is my hope and prayer that the wisdom of the real masters doesn't disintegrate as time goes on," Seagal said about the experience (via Facebook).

8 Sean Bean Has Real-Life Tough Guy Stories

The Man Behind Boromir And Ned Stark 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. "He came in with a cut on his arm and a bruise on his eyebrow. We saw to his injuries with the first aid kit. He seemed OK and wanted to have another drink," one staff member said about the experience (via CBS News).

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7 Ronda Rousey Was A UFC Champion

The Current WWE Star 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 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 film debut in 2014 in The Expendables 3.

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. Rousey went on to have a successful career in WWE, but it seems that she is mostly only making small career moves in Hollywood, as she appeared in Furious 7, Mile 22, and Charlie's Angels, and she hasn't appeared in a movie since 2019.

6 Michael Jai White Holds Black Belts In Seven Karate Disciplines

The Star Of Tyson And Mortal Kombat Has Appeared In Over 25 Martial Arts Movies

Michael Jai White, a native of Brooklyn, made his debut in Toxic Avenger II and is a 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. Over the past few years of his career, White has also gone the way of tough guy actors from the past by appearing in several low budget action movies, averaging no less than three movies every year since 2016 (except for 2020). In 2023, he starred in five movies, almost all action movies.