Martial Arts Actresses

[LadyLavinia]

Martial Arts Ability

Most of the actresses on action-adventure shows/movies or in science-fiction/fantasy shows/movies have been portraying characters with martial arts abilities for the past 15 or 20 years. Which actress (one with no past history of martial arts) seem to embody as the best amateur martial arts fighter?

My choice would go to Michelle Yeoh from "Tomorrow Never Dies" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". I think many would be surprised to learn that before she starred in martial arts films in the 1980s and 90s, Michelle Yeoh was primarily a dancer with no martial arts background. Something no one would believe after seeing her in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

My second choice would be Sarah Michelle Geller of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

What about you? What non-experienced actress seemed very capable as a martial arts fighter?

 

[Zander8472]

Jason Statham.....The Transporter

also played in 'Ghosts of Mars' and 'The Italian Job'

 

[Soulgasm]

angelina jolie and mila jovovich...they both be billy bob hot yall

 

[Xander]

Does SMG do her own martial arts stuff? Anyway Michelle Yeoh is good, and fit ^_^

 

[Shell]

Yeah,SMG does do her own stuff,shes a brown belt in tae kwon doe

 

[WatcherWes]

bull, she doesn't do all her own stuff, they're always cutting between her and a stunt double.

 

[Xander]

Think the stunt double is used for when something "dangerous" could happen, in other words, she has to fall or crash or something like that. Sounds stupid but if SMG was to break her arm they'd have to create a storyline around it.

 

[Allycat]

Uma Thurman, from Quentin Tarrantino's Kill Bill.

 

[LadyLavinia]

Originally posted by Zander8472
Jason Statham.....The Transporter

also played in 'Ghosts of Mars' and 'The Italian Job'

I said actress, not actor.


I also heard that SMG had eventually got rid of her stunt double.

 

[LazyDolphin]

Interesting question.

Here's my take - I think in general dancers make much better movie/tv fighters than actual martial artists. Fight choreography is very similar to dance choreography, whereas actual fighting is all improvised and usually not very pretty.

If I were making an action movie, I'd be more likely to hire a woman with a hefty Broadway chorus-girl resume as my ass-kicking hero chick than I would be to hire a woman with a black belt.