Tony Jaais 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), 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.
Tony Jaa was born and raised in a rural area in Surin Province to Rin Saipetch and Thongdee Yeerum. He is of Kuy descent, a Mon–Khmer ethnic group that inhabits Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. The Kuy practice traditions that are more similar to the traditions of Cambodia than that of traditions observed by the Lao or the Thai. The Kuy are known for being skilled trainers of elephants.
Tony Jaa speaks Kuy, Thai and Northern Khmer. 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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Tony Jaa All Movies From (1992 to 2023)
