Tony Jaa made a tremendous impact on martial arts films after his breakout role in “Ong Bak.” He was initially hailed as the next martial arts legend, but his career faced challenges due to behind-the-scenes drama during “Ong Bak 2” and “Ong Bak 3.”
Despite his Hollywood appearances, some fans feel he didn’t reach his early potential. Nevertheless, Jaa’s influence on the genre remains significant, and he continues to be recognized for his impressive martial arts skills.
Prior to becoming a leading actor, Jaa worked as a stuntman for Muay Thai Stunt for 14 years, appearing in many of his mentor Panna Rittikrai’s films. His martial arts films are credited with helping to showcase the Thai combat systems of Muay Thai, Muay Boran, and “Muay Kotchasaan” (a fighting style Jaa and Rittikrai developed in 2005). His Thai films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003), Tom-Yum-Goong (2005), Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (2008),
Ong Bak 3 (2010), and Tom Yum Goong 2 (2013). After leaving the Thai movie company Sahamongkol Film International in 2013, Jaa signed with Universal Studios, and focused more on an international fan base. Since then, Jaa has appeared in films such as Furious 7 (2015), SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015), Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018), and Expend4bles (2023).
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