Many martial arts actors made their mark in the industry by playing villains before transitioning to heroic roles. Being a villain in martial arts movies allowed these actors to showcase their incredible martial arts skills and launch their careers in the action film scene. Some actors, however, decided to stay in villainous roles throughout their careers because they were so popular in them.
Dick Wei, for example, started making his own movies while serving in the Taiwanese army before being signed by the Shaw Brothers. Although he didn't start out playing villains, they became his most popular roles, including the Sand Palm Fighter in "Kid With The Golden Arm" and Lor Sam Pau in "Project A.
Hwang Jang-lee, another iconic martial arts actor, began his career in villainous roles and became known for antagonizing Jackie Chan's hero characters. His notable villain roles include Silver Fox in "Secret Rivals" and Thunderfoot in "Drunken Master." Although his characters were the antagonists, they were often portrayed as better fighters than the heroes.
Bolo Yeung, who began his film career as a bodybuilder, was cast in various villain roles by the Shaw Brothers due to his strength and physique. He appeared in Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon" as Han's enforcer and gained recognition for his breakout role as Chong Li in "Bloodsport.
Collin Chou established himself as a staple villain in many martial arts films. While he broke out of this archetype with the role of Seraph in "The Matrix" franchise, Chou's career was built on his ability to portray compelling villains. His notable villain roles include Jade Warlord in "The Forbidden Kingdom" and Shang Wai in "Hail the Judge."
Other actors who transitioned from villains to heroes include Wang Lung-wei, who played Ma Fu-yi in "Five Shaolin Temples" and Justice Wang in "Five Deadly Venoms," and Chuck Norris, whose first on-screen role was as Colt, a villain in "Way of the Dragon.
Jean-Claude Van Damme, known for his powerful kicks, began his career playing the villain Ivan Kraschinsky in "No Retreat, No Surrender" before moving on to heroic roles. Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa, while playing both heroes and villains, gained fame for his villainous portrayal of Shang Tsung in "Mortal Kombat."
Jackie Chan's career began as a child actor, but it was his role as the villainous Immortal Meteor Wa Wu-bin in "Killer Meteors" that helped launch his career as one of the world's biggest action stars. And of course, Bruce Lee, one of the most influential martial arts actors of all time, started his acting career playing the villain Winslow Wong in "Marlowe" before becoming a legendary hero in movies like "Enter the Dragon" and "The Way of the Dragon."
