We’ve seen them everywhere: on the TV, on the silver screen, on posters, on billboards, and even in ads that we would have no interest in if it weren’t for the face behind it…A-list celebrities, particularly A-list actors and actresses. For the most part, once a certain level of fame is accessed by a person their private life and public persona seem to meld into one.
As a society we seem to be obsessed with every detail of their lives; we know birthdays, favorite colors, favorite foods, whether or not they were popular in high school and we even know that Demi Moore’s children called Ashton Kutcher M.O.D. (My Other Dad…and yes, my significant other was the one that informed me of that and made me realize just how interested we are as a society in celebrities and just how much better Ashton Kutcher is at life than I am).
However; did you know that Kutcher is also a Machado purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? How about the fact that Ryan Phillippe, Rachel Wood, and Sarah Michelle Gellar have all accomplished the feat of receiving the rank of black belt in Tae Kwon Do? Below we will take a look at a few celebrities who are also celebrated, martial artists.
(Note: Honorable Mentions include: Joe Rogan [TKD/BJJ], Ed O’Neill [BJJ], Sean Connery [Karate], and Forest Whitaker [Karate])
5) Sean Patrick Flanery
Known most notably for his role as Connor MacManus in The Boondock Saints, Flanery is an avid martial artist beginning his career at 9 years old in the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do. In 2001 he began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Rickson Gracie’s academy and on May 4, 2008, Flanery was awarded his black belt by Renzo Gracie’s head instructor Shawn Williams.
4) Jim Carrey
As hard as it is to imagine, Jim Carrey is an avid Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner; that’s right, Ace Ventura has some legitimate skills. It may be hard to imagine Fire Marshall Bill putting you to sleep with a triangle choke but it is well documented that Carrey has earned the rank of brown belt. His lineage and the academy where he trains are not public knowledge but the ranking has been verified by multiple publications, actors, and Rich Ace Franklin himself.
3) Guy Ritchie
Ex-husband of Madonna and famed director of such films as Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, RocknRolla, Sherlock Holmes, and the currently in-production film Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur, is also famous in other circles for his accomplishments in the world of martial arts. At the movie premier of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ritchie was paid a surprise visit from the legendary Renzo Gracie…and awarded his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.
In the words of Gracie, He spent eight years as a brown belt – training every day. He is my favorite and no one has ever worked harder than Guy to get his black belt.
2) James Caan
This iconic actor has been in the film industry for over 60 years with roles in The Godfather, The Godfather II, Misery, Dick Tracy, and Brian’s Song to name a few. What many do not realize, however; is just how deep his passion for the martial arts runs, Gosoku Ryu Karate in particular.
He has trained with the famed Takayuki Kubota, the founder of the Gosoku Ryu style and president of the International Karate Association, for over 30 years achieving the rank of 6th-degree black belt and was also granted the prestigious title of Soke Dai by the International Karate Association.
1) Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen was the ultra-cool King of Cool in the 1960s and 1970s propelling him to fame and fortune as well as a level of celebrity that was yet to be realized. He was the epitome of the man that all the guys wanted to be and all the girls wanted to be with. Not only was he an amazing actor as well as motorcycle and auto racing enthusiast but he performed his own stunts and was an incredible martial artist.
McQueen learned the martial art Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art that blends elements of Karate and Kung Fu amongst others, from ninth-degree black belt Pat E. Johnson, had a great relationship with Bruce Lee, was a pallbearer at Lee’s funeral, and was said to have been one of Bruce Lee’s most dedicated and hardworking students.
In Lee’s own words, he had this to say about McQueen, Steve has the potential to be great. He is a hard worker. One day I went to his place to work out and that guy doesn’t know the meaning of quitting. He just kept pushing himself for hours – punching and kicking without a break – until he was completely exhausted.
