James Lew

Last updated
James Lew
Born
James Jene Fae Lew

(1952-09-06) September 6, 1952 (age 71)
Occupation(s)Stunt performer, stunt coordinator, actor
SpouseJordanna Potter-Lew
Children Ryan Potter (stepson)

James Jene Fae Lew [1] (born September 6, 1952) is an American martial artist, stuntman, and actor. He has made 80 on-screen film and television appearances and 46 more as a stunt coordinator or stunt double. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for his work on the series Luke Cage. [2] [3]

Contents

Biography

Of Chinese extraction, Lew was born in Escalon, California and raised in South Los Angeles. He began studying martial arts at the age of 14, when he began taking classes in Tang Soo Do and Choy Li Fut. [4] [5] He is practiced in Bak Mei Pai and Five Animals kung fu, [4] Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, boxing, and submission grappling. In the 1970s, he co-founded Sil Lung Kung Fu demo team with Al Leong and Douglas Lim Wong, and won several championships in martial arts forms. [6]

An early role for Lew was as a guard in the John Cassavetes 1976 film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie . [7]

Lew had a role in the Frank Harris directed action film Killpoint , which starred Leo Fong, Richard Roundtree, Cameron Mitchell and Stack Pierce. [8]

In 2017, he acted in the Mark Steven Grove directed sci-fi film Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine , which also starred Casper Van Dien, Cynthia Rothrock, Sara Salazar, and Tyler Weaver Jr. [9]

Personal life

James is married to Johanna Potter and his stepson is Ryan Potter, who plays Gar Logan/Beast Boy on the HBO Max series Titans.

Books

Selected filmography

Related Research Articles

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to martial arts:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuen Woo-ping</span> Hong Kong film director

Yuen Woo-ping is a Hong Kong martial arts choreographer and film director who worked in Hong Kong action cinema and later Hollywood films. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong. Yuen is also a son of Yuen Siu-tien, a martial arts film actor. He attended the China Drama Academy for one year as a day student of Master Yu Jim-yuen as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chin Ka-lok</span> Hong Kong actor and action choreographer

Chin Ka-lok, sometimes credited as Chin Kar-lok, is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, and television presenter.

Gary Edward Daniels is an English actor, producer, martial artist, fight coordinator and former world light heavyweight kickboxing champion. Born and raised in London, England, Daniels started to take martial arts lessons at the age of eight. By his late teens, he became a competitive kickboxer. In 1980, Daniels moved to the United States to continue the sport. In 1990, he won the WKBA California State Light Heavyweight Championship and the PKA World Light Heavyweight Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Norton (actor)</span> Australian martial artist, actor, stuntman (b. 1950)

Richard Norton is an Australian martial artist, actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, security consultant, and fight choreographer. He holds a 5th dan black belt in Gōjū-ryū karate, a 6th dan black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an 8th dan black belt in Chun Kuk Do, and a level 6 ranking in American kickboxing. After high school, Norton worked as a bodyguard in the entertainment business before pursuing an acting career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chan Tai San</span>

Chan Tai San was a Chinese martial arts grandmaster. Often called one of China's "living treasures", Chan was featured as such on the cover of Inside Kung Fu magazine in 1996.

Philip Kwok is a Hong Kong-based Taiwanese actor, martial artist, and stuntman. He rose to fame as a member of the Venom Mob, an ensemble of highly-talented martial arts actors that starred in several films for Shaw Brothers Studio in the 1970s and 1980s.

Hsiao Ho, is a Hong Kong martial arts film actor, stunt performer and action choreographer. A Hakka, he has acted in many films directed by Lau Kar-leung, including Mad Monkey Kung Fu and Legendary Weapons of China. In 1985 he portrayed legendary kung fu warrior Fong Sai-Yuk in the Lau directed action-comedy, Disciples of the 36th Chamber and also took a lead role in Fake Ghost Catchers, directed by Lau Kar Wing. Fake Ghost Catchers is marketed by Celestial Pictures as being made two years before Ghostbusters. Hou is also known for portraying the "disfigured swordsman" and doubling complicated action scenes in 1993's Iron Monkey. He was also the action director for the movie Shaolin Avengers (1994). In 1982 he was nominated for Best Action Choreography for the movie Legendary Weapons of China at the Hong Kong Film Awards alongside Lau Kar Leung and Ching Chu who also provided choreography for the film.

Darryl M. Chan is an accomplished Hollywood stuntman, martial artist, and actor of Chinese descent. He grew up in San Francisco as the second of four boys. His career spans from the early 1980s to the present. Chan has worked with virtually all the leading Asian actors and filmmakers, and counts Brandon Lee as one of his closest friends at the time of Lee's death. Darryl is also a sports medicine specialist, and has trained many of the entertainment industry's actors and musicians to prepare for roles and world tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choy gar</span> Chinese martial art

Choy Gar, also Caijia Quan, is a Chinese martial art deriving its name from the Cantonese-born founder, Choy Gau Lee (蔡九儀), and is one of the five main family styles of Kung Fu in Southern China. It was taught to him by a monk named Yi Guan. This style, founded in the 17th century, is a combination of rat and snake styles emphasizing on swift footwork and rapid strikes.

George Kee Cheung is a Hong Kong actor and stuntman with an extensive career in American television and film dating back to 1975, often playing Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Mongolian parts. His career has focused primarily on television work, though he has had numerous supporting roles in films such as Rambo: First Blood Part II, RoboCop 2, Under Siege, and Fist of the North Star.

Leo Fong was a Chinese-American martial artist, actor, boxer, and Methodist minister who had been making films, acting, and directing since the early 1970s. Fong was still acting in action films right up until his early 90s.

Hung Yan-yan is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, stuntman and action director originally from Liuzhou, Guangxi, China. He was the stunt double for martial arts superstar Jet Li.

Cheung Wing-fat, also known as Mars, is a Hong Kong actor, action director, stuntman and martial artist. He is one of Jackie Chan's best friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wong Doc-Fai</span> Chinese martial artist

Doc-Fai Wong is a master of tai chi and the Hung Sing branch of Choy Li Fut kung fu. He was born in 1948 in the Guangdong province of China, specifically, the Wangshan village in the Doumen District of Zhuhai. In April 1960, he and his mother immigrated to San Francisco, California to be reunited with his father. He arrived as a third-generation citizen of the United States of America since both his grandfather and father were already citizens. He sought out his first kung fu teacher - Lau Bun (劉彬), the founder of the first Hung Sing Kwoon of Choy Li Fut in America, after encountering taunting and bullying due to language and ethnic difficulties after his arrival. When Lau Bun died in 1967, he started teaching and opened his first school when he was 19 years old.

Phillip Ko-fei was a Hong Kong based actor, screenwriter and film director.

Eagle Han-ying, Korean name Kim Young Il (김영일) was a South Korean actor and martial artist, who rose his fame in South Korea through various Korean drama series from the 90. Outside of Korea, he is best known with his appearance with many kung fu films from the range of Korean, Hong Kong and Taiwanese production.

Mang Hoi was a Hong Kong actor. He won the Best Supporting Actor at the 5th Hong Kong Film Awards. Mang died from oesophageal cancer on 9 October 2023, at the age of 65.

Chui Chung-San was a Hong Kong actor, director, choreographer, martial artist and stuntman. He was known for being an action director and stuntman. Chui was known for films such as The Rebellious Reign, Kung Fu Vs. Yoga, Two Fists Against the Law and 7 Grandmasters; as well as other various Taiwanese television shows.

<i>Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine</i> 2017 American film

Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine is a US-American 2017 science fiction film about a group of mercenaries who embark on a mission to rescue a prince and princess from an evil tyrant on a far away planet. It was directed by Mark Steven Grove, and stars Casper Van Dien, Cynthia Rothrock, James Lew, Brit Laree, Sara N. Salazar and Sarah Sansoni.

References

  1. James Lew Biography (1952-)
  2. "James Lew Emmy Award". Emmy Awards. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  3. Danna, Corey. "Life is Good: Catching Up With James Lew". Kung Fu Magazine.
  4. 1 2 "Interview with James Lew - The Wing Kong Exchange". 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  5. Interviews (2015-06-10). "Interview with James Lew - The Action Elite". theactionelite.com. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  6. McNEIL, JASON. "8 Things You Didn't Know About James Lew - Black Belt Magazine". Everand. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  7. Famous Fix - James Lew » Characters
  8. The Espionage Filmography: United States Releases, 1898 through 1999, By Paul Mavis- Page 167 799. Killpoint
  9. Trailer Addict - Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine (2017)