James Lew
131 movies · 25 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Sep 6, 1952
- Died
- Aug 23, 2026 (age 73)
- Place of birth
- Escalon, California, USA
- Also known as
- James Jene Fae Lew
Biography
James Jene Fae Lew (September 6, 1952 – August 23, 2026) was an American martial artist, stuntman and actor. Raised in South Central Los Angeles, James Lew's destiny was to answer a cattle call in Hollywood for the hugely popular Kung Fu (1972) television series. He went on to star in the now collectible Hong Kong film, Young Dragon (1976). He made the move to big budget studio films in 1984. John Carpenter handpicked him as the Martial Arts Choreographer for 20th Century Fox's now cult film, Big Trouble in Little China (1986).
Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mel Gibson, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Dwayne Johnson, David Carradine, Chuck Norris, Dennis Quaid, Kurt Russell, Madonna, Charlie Sheen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kathleen Turner, Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Lee, Snoop Dogg and the list goes on and on.
Read the full biography
James was voted "Favorite Action Star" by fans of Inside Martial Arts magazine. Internet fans voted him into the Hall of Fame in the Martial Arts History Museum. Inside Kung Fu Magazine inducted him as one of the "Martial Arts Greats" alongside legends as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and his longtime friend Jackie Chan.
Hit Parader Magazine dubbed him "the king of big-screen martial arts villains." From the deadly killer in Red Sun Rising (1994) to the deadly fighter in the comedy spoof Hot Shots 2 (1993), Lew has proven his chops in both drama and comedy. As a stunt/fight coordinator his creative talents shone in the television series The Crow to recent work on the hit video game, The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005). He handpicked elite members for his company, "Hong Kong Wire Action Team," to bring state of the art action to movies. His formula for longevity in the film industry is diversity, hard work and having a whole lot of fun.
Most recently, James Lew wrote, directed and starred in a movie inspired by his personal experiences in the business titled 18 Fingers of Death! (2006). The story follows Buford Lee (James Lew), the most famous unknown "B"-minus, low-budget, martial-arts movie star and Ronald Mack (Maurice Patton), a young black kid from the hood. Together they laugh and bond together on their quest to finally make Buford's break out movie, 18 Fingers of Death! (2006).
Profiles IMDb
Known for
James Lew: movies and TV shows
Acting (107)
- 2021 Made in Chinatown
as Kane
- 2018 Cucuy: The Boogeyman
as Beat Cop
- 2017
- 2017
- 2016 Breakout
as Cap Ruch
- 2015 Black Salt
as Abbot Xiao
- 2015 Frankenstein
as Hotel Manager
- 2014 Elwood
as Big O
- 2013 G.I. Joe: Retaliation
as Chinese Leader
- 2012 The Girl from the Naked Eye
as Eddie
- 2012 Safe
as Underground Casino Guard (uncredited)
- 2011
- 2011 Let Lorenzo
as Interior Design Older Partner
- 2009 Ballistica
as Chinese Guard #1
- 2009 Angel of Death
as Tommy
- 2009 Star Trek
as Romulan (uncredited)
- 2008
- 2008 Tropic Thunder
as Flaming Dragon Compound Person (uncredited)
- 2008 Superhero Movie
as Shaolin Monk (uncredited)
- 2007
- 2007 Rush Hour 3
as Triad Assassin (uncredited)
- 2006 The Circuit III: Street Monk
as Spider Webb
- 2006 18 Fingers of Death!
as Buford Lee
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2003 Sin
as Leo Thamaree
- 2002 The Real Deal
as Black Belt
- 2002 Sting of the Black Scorpion
as Tong Leader
- 2002
- 2002 Outside the Law
as Cho Sung
- 2002 Ultimate Fights from the Movies
as Knife #1 (Timecop) (archive footage)
- 2001
- 2001 Rush Hour 2
as Triad Gangster (uncredited)
- 2000 Traffic
as DEA Agent - CalTrans
- 2000
- 2000 Deep Core
as Lou Chang
- 2000 Fatal Blade
as James
- 1998 Rush Hour
as Juntao's Man in Los Angeles (uncredited)
- 1998 Lethal Weapon 4
as Freighter's Captain
- 1998 Safe House
as Asian (uncredited)
- 1998 Boogie Boy
as Jason
- 1998 The Replacement Killers
as Bodyguard
- 1997 High Voltage
as Harry
- 1996 Assault on Dome 4
as Quaid, Windham Henchman
- 1996 Robo Warriors
as Darius
- 1996 Escape from L.A.
as Hershe Gang Member
- 1996 Balance of Power
as Shinji Takamura
- 1996 Night Hunter
as Tom Cutter
- 1996 For Life or Death
as Kaan Woo
- 1995
- 1995
- 1995 Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
as Mercenary (uncredited)
- 1995 Midnight Man
as Prince Samarki
- 1995 Ballistic
as Woo
- 1995 Tough and Deadly
as Thug
- 1995
- 1994 Cage II: The Arena of Death
as Chin
- 1994 Timecop
as Knife #1
- 1994 Red Sun Rising
as Jaho
- 1994 The Shadow
as Mongol
- 1994 Ring of Steel
as Asian Fighter
- 1994
- 1994 On Deadly Ground
as Mercenary at Aegis-1 (uncredited)
- 1994
- 1994 Deadly Target
as Guard #2 (uncredited)
- 1993 Private Wars
as Obata
- 1993 Showdown
as Hit Man
- 1993
- 1993 Undercover Blues
as Novacek's Man
- 1993
- 1993 Hot Shots! Part Deux
as Kick Boxer Opponent
- 1993
- 1993 American Ninja 5
as Viper
- 1993 Ulterior Motives
as Yakuza #5
- 1992 Mission of Justice
as Akiro
- 1992 Rapid Fire
as Tau's Men at Laundry (uncredited)
- 1992 Raven: Return of the Black Dragons
as Black Dragon Henchman
- 1991 Martial Law II: Undercover
as Spencer Hamilton Man (uncredited)
- 1991 Showdown in Little Tokyo
as Yoshida's Man (uncredited)
- 1991 Do or Die
as Lew
- 1991 Night of the Warrior
as Hector Sabatei
- 1991 The Perfect Weapon
as Crewcut
- 1990 Guns
as Ninja #1
- 1990 Aftershock
as Mr. James
- 1990 Martial Law
as Tong Member
- 1990
- 1989 Best of the Best
as Sae Jin Kwon
- 1989 Savage Beach
as Agent #1
- 1989
- 1989 Ninja Academy
as Ninja Trainer
- 1988
- 1988
- 1988 Action Jackson
as Martial Arts Instructor
- 1988
- 1986 Big Trouble in Little China
as Chang Sing #1
- 1985
- 1985
- 1985 Los Angeles Streetfighter
as Chan
- 1984
- 1984 Killpoint
as Nighthawk's Gunman #1
- 1983 Going Berserk
as Kung Fu Fighter
- 1982
- 1979 Young Dragon
as Shao Lung
- 1977 Big Time
as Karate Instructor
- 1976 Enforcer from Death Row
as Karate Fighter
- 1976 The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
as Guard (uncredited)
Behind the camera (71)
- 2024 Dominique
Fight Choreographer
- 2023 Booba
Stunt Coordinator
- 2021 Made in Chinatown
Director, Co-Producer, Action Director
- 2020 Mulan
Stunts
- 2019 American Bistro
Stunt Coordinator
- 2019 Avengers: Endgame
Stunts
- 2018 Escape Plan 2: Hades
Stunt Coordinator
- 2017 Maximum Impact
Fight Choreographer, Second Unit Director
- 2017 Mad Families
Stunt Coordinator
- 2016
- 2016 Mr. Right
Fight Choreographer
- 2015 Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser
Stunt Coordinator
- 2015 Underdog Kids
Second Unit Director, Stunt Coordinator
- 2015 The Martial Arts Kid
Fight Choreographer
- 2013 Extraction
Stunt Coordinator
- 2013 Olympus Has Fallen
Stunts
- 2012 Hijacked
Stunt Coordinator
- 2012 Safe
Stunts
- 2012 Battleship
Stunt Double
- 2010 Inception
Stunts
- 2010 Killers
Fight Choreographer
- 2009 Black Dynamite
Stunts
- 2009 Streets of Blood
Stunts
- 2008 Tropic Thunder
Stunts
- 2008 Get Smart
Fight Choreographer
- 2008 Superhero Movie
Stunts
- 2008 Dark World
Stunt Coordinator
- 2007 Rush Hour 3
Stunts
- 2007
- 2007 Flight of the Living Dead
Stunts
- 2006 18 Fingers of Death!
Writer, Stunt Coordinator, Director
- 2005 No Rules
Stunts
- 2004 Collateral
Stunts
- 2004 LArceny
Stunts
- 2004 Forbidden Warrior
Stunts
- 2003 The Last Samurai
Stunts
- 2002 Outside the Law
Fight Choreographer
- 2002 Kung Pow: Enter the Fist
Stunts
- 2001 Impostor
Stunts
- 2001 Instinct to Kill
Stunt Coordinator
- 2001 Rush Hour 2
Stunts
- 2001 Planet of the Apes
Stunts
- 1998 Rush Hour
Stunts
- 1997 The Girl Gets Moe
Stunts
- 1997 Double Tap
Stunts
- 1996 Robo Warriors
Stunt Coordinator
- 1996 Escape from L.A.
Stunts
- 1996 Kazaam
Stunts
- 1995
- 1995 Ballistic
Stunt Coordinator
- 1995
- 1994 Blue Tiger
Stunts
- 1994 On Deadly Ground
Stunts
- 1993 Undercover Blues
Stunts
- 1993 Dark Vengeance
Stunt Coordinator
- 1992 Rapid Fire
Stunts
- 1992 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Fight Choreographer
- 1991 Ring of Fire
Stunts
- 1991 Martial Law II: Undercover
Stunts
- 1991 Showdown in Little Tokyo
Stunts
- 1991 Double Impact
Stunt Coordinator, Martial Arts Choreographer, Stunts
- 1990 Guns
Stunt Coordinator
- 1990 Aftershock
Stunt Coordinator
- 1990 Why Me?
Stunts
- 1989 Ninja Academy
Stunt Coordinator
- 1989 Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
Stunts
- 1988 They Live
Stunts
- 1986 Big Trouble in Little China
Associate Producer, Martial Arts Choreographer
- 1983 Girls of the White Orchid
Stunts
- 1982 They Call Me Bruce?
Stunt Double
- 1979 The Fantastic Seven
Stunts
Talk shows and appearances (1)
- 2018