Action films require more than a slight suspension of reality. They feature its stars getting in the mix of some of the most dangerous stunts in some of the most gorgeous places on Earth, often while dodging the long arm of the law or a particularly vengeful crime family. (How do theyalways manage that, anyway?)
Action stars may not ever be up for Oscar contention, but they know what the audience wants, and they deliver it in spades.
Whether they're known for superhero movies, karate movies, or even movies based on comic books, these 15 action stars are the greatest to ever grace the screen before promptly blowing it up.
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
These days, “Ah-nuhld” is getting laughs as a spokesman for State Farm insurance, courtesy of a commercial that pokes fun at his action star roots. (“Nay-Bahhhh!”) But in his prime, Arnold Schwarzenegger made his name as the star of countless action vehicles, includingConan the Barbarian (and its sequels, includingConan the Destroyer),The Terminator,Predator, andCommando.
Schwarzenegger is also a pioneer in the bodybuilding world and is credited with bringing weightlifting into the mainstream thanks to 1977's Pumping Iron.
2. Sylvester Stallone
In the 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone were the two hottest stars in theaters, mostly thanks to the audience's seemingly insatiable thirst for non-stop action films. Though Stallone is perhaps best known for his star-making turn as boxer Rocky Balboa in theRocky franchise of films, he also starred in a string of shoot-em-up action films like Cobra,the Rambo series of films,Cliffhanger,Demolition Man, and — most recently —The Expendables.
These days, Stallone is delighting TV audiences with his role as Dwight “The General” Manfredi in the Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone)-created Paramount+ vehicle,Tulsa King.
3. Bruce Willis
Before his heartbreaking diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia, Bruce Willis was one of the top-grossing action stars of the 1980s and 1990s. His unique everyman persona propelled movies likeDie Hard,The Last Boy Scout, Color of Night,andStriking Distance into commercial (though not necessarily critical) success.
Willis, too, had a bit of a sense of humor, which was on display in a guest-starring role onFriends(where he played the over-protective father of Ross's much younger girlfriend) and a bit part in the animated film Beavis & B*tt-Head Do America.
4. Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee wasn't just an action star with groundbreaking roles in films likeEnter the Dragon,Marlowe, andGame of Death. He was the founder of Jeet Kun Do, a hybrid form of martial arts that is the forerunner to the mixed-martial arts (MMA) that audiences know and love today.
He was also the father of the late, great Brandon Lee, whose star turn in 1994'sThe Crow is often imitated, but never duplicated. Lee also trained Chuck Norris (who, in turn, trained Bob Barker), and was the godfather ofStar Wars star Diana Lee Inosanto, who played Morgan Elsbeth inAhsoka andThe Mandalorian.
5. Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan got his start in Hong Kong as a stuntman and martial artist. In 1978, he starred in his breakthrough role inSnake in the Eagle's Shadowand became one of the most bankable stars in his native country.In 1995, Chan broke through on American shores with the smash filmRumble in the Bronx, then flexed his comedic chops alongside Chris Tucker in theRush Hour series of films.
These days, however, Chan has been actively involved in the political scene in Hong Kong, serving as a delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since 2013. He has taken a pro-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stance during his time in this role.
6. Jean-Claude Van Damme
Belgium hasn't just given their version of fried potatoes to the world. Brussels native Jean-Claude Van Damme has starred in dozens of action films that have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, making him one of the most successful in the genre.
Outside of his star-making turns in films likeUniversal Soldier,Nowhere to Run, andSudden Death, Van Damme is an activist, often campaigning for environmental and animal rights causes.
7. Liam Neeson
Star Wars star Liam Neeson (a/k/a Qui-Gon Jinn) is, perhaps, an accidental action star. After a spate of serious roles in films likeSchindler's List, Kinsey, andMichael Collins, Neeson took the role of Bryan Mills in theTakenseries of action films beginning in 2009.
Since then, Neeson's roles have been almost exclusively in the “action” genre, as evidenced by his roles inUnknown,Non-Stop,Run All Night, andThe Commuter.
8. Tom Cruise
Few action stars have earned the honorific of “Hollywood Icon,” but Tom Cruise isn't your average action star. After trying his hand at a series of teen heart-throb roles in films likeThe Outsiders, Cruise earned Oscar buzz as the titularJerry Maguire and as Ron Kovic inBorn on the Fourth of July.
But in 1996, Cruise established himself as one of the most bankable action stars in the genre when he first played the role of Ethan Hunt in theMission: Impossible series of films.
9. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
In the beginning, he was the son of a famous wrestler and a member of the most prominent wrestling family in history (the A'noai family). He became a famous wrestler in his own right. And then, he became one of the most successful action stars of all time.
Such is the over-simplified story of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who made a cottage industry for himself as an action star beginning with starring roles inThe Scorpion King andThe Mummy Returns and continuing with theFast & Furious film franchise,Pain & Gain, San Andreas, and — most recently —Black Adam.
10. Will Smith
Will Smith was once a family-friendly rapper nicknamed “The Fresh Prince.”After he pulled the plug on his rap career, Smith transitioned to television with a star turn in the sitcom,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
His Oscar-winning turn inKing Richard aside, Smith has since become known for his action roles, including inIndependence Day,Enemy of the State,I, Robot, and theBad Boys film franchise.
11. Harrison Ford
Before Harrison Ford became known as Han Solo in the Star Wars series of films, he worked as a Hollywood carpenter for A-list clients such as Joan Didion and George Lucas.
After his star-making turn in the franchise he notoriously hates so much, Ford became a bankable action star, with roles in films Air Force One,The Fugitive,Presumed Innocent, and theIndiana Jones series of films.
Ford is also a superhero in real life, too: he is a licensed pilot and has frequently helped emergency services with various search-and-rescue operations.
12. Dolph Lundgren
Swedish film star Dolph Lundgren's breakthrough role was as fearsome Soviet boxer Ivan Drago inRocky IV. He followed that role up with a spate of action films, includingI Come in Peace,The Punisher, and the cult favoriteMasters of the Universe.
However, Lundrgen is not “just another dumb action star.” He received a Fulbright scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he studied chemical engineering for two weeks before quitting.He also has a master's degree in chemical engineering, which he obtained from the University of Sydney.
13. Keanu Reeves
In the 1980s, Keanu Reeves was pigeonholed as a doofy everyman in theBill & Ted series of films (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, andBill & Ted Face The Music) and in Parenthood. After a failed attempt at “serious” acting roles in My Own Private Idaho andMuch Ado About Nothing, he proved himself as a viable action star with roles inPoint Break andSpeed.
Since then, Reeves has proven his action mettle as Neo inThe Matrix series of films, as John Constantine in Constantine, and as the titularJohn Wick.
14. Jason Statham
Before he became an actor, Jason Statham was a professional soccer player and diver. He even tried out for Olympic glory in the English Commonwealth Games back in 1990. When his original dream fell through, though, Statham became a model for Tommy Hilfiger and French Connection.
The modeling gig turned into an acting gig, and Statham subsequently cemented his place in the action star pantheon with roles in films likeThe Bank Job, The Italian Job, Crank, and theFast & FuriousandExpendablesseries of films.
15. Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood is, perhaps, the “OG” of action stars. After starting in the spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s — where Italian director Sergio Leone favored him — Eastwood went on to star in a series of action films such as Where Eagles Dare, Escape from Alcatraz, and Heartbreak Ridge.
Eastwood, too, is known for his gentler fare, includingThe Bridges of Madison County,Gran Torino, and the Oscar-winningMillion Dollar Baby.
