James Lew Dies at 73: Remembering the Martial Artist, Stunt Pioneer and Hollywood Action LegendHollywood is mourning the loss of James Lew, a respected martial artist, actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and fight choreographer whose remarkable career spanned more than five decades.Lew died on August 23, 2026, in Los Angeles at the age of 73. His wife, Jordanna Potter, confirmed his death. A public cause of death has not been disclosed.Although James Lew was not always the name appearing in large letters on a movie poster, his influence could be seen throughout some of Hollywood’s most memorable action sequences. Behind the scenes and in front of the camera, he helped create the fights, stunts, movement, and martial-arts performances that made action movies so compelling.His career crossed generations of filmmaking. From martial-arts productions of the 1970s and 1980s to major Hollywood blockbusters and television series, Lew built a legacy as one of the industry’s versatile action professionals.Who Was James Lew?James Lew was much more than a stuntman.Over the course of his career, he worked as a martial artist, actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, fight choreographer, director, and writer.That versatility became one of the defining features of his professional life. He could perform a fight, design the choreography, coordinate a complicated stunt sequence, or step in front of the camera as an actor.His career demonstrates just how many specialized professionals are involved in creating the action audiences see on screen.For movie fans, his credits included films and television projects spanning several decades. For the entertainment industry, he represented a generation of highly trained action professionals whose work helped shape the visual language of martial-arts and stunt filmmaking.James Lew’s Career Began With Martial ArtsJames Lew was born on September 6, 1952, in California and raised in South Central Los Angeles.He began studying martial arts as a teenager. What started as training eventually became the foundation of a lifelong career in entertainment.His early connection to the entertainment world came through the television series Kung Fu. He later expanded his work in martial-arts cinema and traveled to Taiwan, where he appeared in the 1979 film The Young Dragon.Those early experiences helped establish the path that would define his career.Rather than being limited to one role, Lew continued developing his skills across different areas of production. He could perform, choreograph, coordinate, and act, giving him a rare understanding of action filmmaking from multiple perspectives.From Martial Artist to Hollywood Stunt ProfessionalThe work of stunt performers is often overlooked because audiences naturally focus on the actors and characters on screen.When viewers see someone jump through a window, execute a complicated fight, fall from a dangerous height, or perform a difficult martial-arts maneuver, the actor often receives the attention.Behind those moments, however, is a team of specialists responsible for making the action believable while keeping the production as safe and controlled as possible.Stunt professionals must understand physical movement, timing, choreography, camera positioning, safety procedures, and storytelling.A convincing fight scene is not simply a series of punches and kicks. Every movement needs to work from the camera’s perspective while also fitting the story and the characters.James Lew became highly skilled at that combination.His career eventually included an extraordinary range of film and television productions. According to the source material, IMDb lists him with more than 150 stunt credits and more than 180 acting credits.That extensive body of work reflects the consistency and longevity of his career.James Lew and Big Trouble in Little ChinaOne of the most recognizable projects connected with James Lew was John Carpenter’s cult classic Big Trouble in Little China.Released in 1986, the movie blended comedy, fantasy, martial arts, and action into a distinctive Hollywood production.Lew was handpicked by Carpenter to work as a martial-arts choreographer on the film.His involvement came during a period when martial arts were becoming increasingly influential in American action movies. Filmmakers were relying more heavily on specialists with authentic martial-arts experience to create energetic and convincing fight sequences.Lew was part of that evolution.His career also connected him with other John Carpenter productions, including They Live and Escape from L.A.For fans of classic action movies, those credits help illustrate the breadth of his contribution to Hollywood filmmaking.
Hollywood Mourns the Loss of a Legendary Action Performer and Stunt Pioneer
