Tony Jaa is a Thai martial artist, actor, action choreographer, stuntman, director, and traceur.
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), which was his breakthrough role, 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).
Jaa initially worked as a stuntman for Muay Thai Stunt for 14 years, appearing in many of Rittikrai’s films. He doubled for Sammo Hung when the martial-arts movie actor made a commercial for an energy drink that required him to grasp an elephant’s tusks and somersault onto the elephant’s back. He was also a stunt double in the Thai television series Insee Daeng (Red Eagle).
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