Cast & creator
James Lew
Best known for CSI: Miami, Frasier, Westworld
James Jene Fae Lew (September 6, 1952 – August 23, 2026) was an American martial artist, stuntman and actor. Raised in South Central Los Angeles, James Lew's destiny was to answer a cattle call in Hollywood for the hugely popular Kung Fu (1972) television series. He went on to star in the now collectible Hong Kong film, Young Dragon (1976). He made the move to big budget studio films in 1984. John Carpenter handpicked him as the Martial Arts Choreographer for 20th Century Fox's now cult film, Big Trouble in Little China (1986). Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mel Gibson, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Dwayne Johnson, David Carradine, Chuck Norris, Dennis Quaid, Kurt Russell, Madonna, Charlie Sheen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kathleen Turner, Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Lee, Snoop Dogg and the list goes on and on. James was voted "Favorite Action Star" by fans of Inside Martial Arts magazine. Internet fans voted him into the Hall of Fame in the Martial Arts History Museum. Inside Kung Fu Magazine inducted him as one of the "Martial Arts Greats" alongside legends as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and his longtime friend Jackie Chan. Hit Parader Magazine dubbed him "the king of big-screen martial arts villains." From the deadly killer in Red Sun Rising (1994) to the deadly fighter in the comedy spoof Hot Shots 2 (1993), Lew has proven his chops in both drama and comedy. As a stunt/fight coordinator his creative talents shone in the television series The Crow to recent work on the hit video game, The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005). He handpicked elite members for his company, "Hong Kong Wire Action Team," to bring state of the art action to movies. His formula for longevity in the film industry is diversity, hard work and having a whole lot of fun. Most recently, James Lew wrote, directed and starred in a movie inspired by his personal experiences in the business titled 18 Fingers of Death! (2006). The story follows Buford Lee (James Lew), the most famous unknown "B"-minus, low-budget, martial-arts movie star and Ronald Mack (Maurice Patton), a young black kid from the hood. Together they laugh and bond together on their quest to finally make Buford's break out movie, 18 Fingers of Death! (2006).
Also known as: James Jene Fae Lew
163
film credits
26
television credits
109
1976–2024 · acting roles
5.6
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (189)
Showing 189 of 189 credits
CSI: Miami
ND Man #1
2002
Frasier
Security Guard
1993
Westworld
Stunts
2016
Avengers: Endgame
Stunts
2019
Star Trek: Voyager
Stunt Coordinator
1995
MacGyver
Asian Thug
1985
Murder, She Wrote
Cambodian
1984
Babylon 5
Bloodhound Teep
1994
Entourage
2004
Strong Medicine
Cop
2000
Chuck
Anad Chenerad
2007
T. J. Hooker
Asian Thug
1982T. J. Hooker
Ton Li
1982
Family Matters
Man in Bar
1989
Inception
Stunts
2010
Childrens Hospital
Mosura
2008
Walker, Texas Ranger
Tiger
1993
Power Rangers
Warrior
1993
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Stunts
2007
Weird Science
1994
The Last Samurai
Stunts
2003
Growing Pains
Movie Villain #2
1985
Eve
2003
Olympus Has Fallen
Stunts
2013
Star Trek
Romulan (uncredited)
2009
Tropic Thunder
Flaming Dragon Compound Person (uncredited)
2008Tropic Thunder
Stunts
2008
Planet of the Apes
Stunts
2001
Battleship
Stunt Double
2012
Rush Hour
Juntao's Man in Los Angeles (uncredited)
1998Rush Hour
Stunts
1998
Get Smart
Fight Choreographer
2008
Nowhere Man
Thug with Knife
1995
Collateral
Stunts
2004
Rush Hour 2
Triad Gangster (uncredited)
2001Rush Hour 2
Stunts
2001
Alias
Quan Li
2001
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Chinese Leader
2013
Rush Hour 3
Triad Assassin (uncredited)
2007Rush Hour 3
Stunts
2007
Lethal Weapon 4
Freighter's Captain
1998
Double Impact
Stunt Coordinator
1991Double Impact
Martial Arts Choreographer
1991Double Impact
Stunts
1991
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Kick Boxer Opponent
1993
Safe
Underground Casino Guard (uncredited)
2012Safe
Stunts
2012
Mulan
Stunts
2020
Superhero Movie
Shaolin Monk (uncredited)
2008Superhero Movie
Stunts
2008
Traffic
DEA Agent - CalTrans
2000
I'm Dying Up Here
Sensei Phil
2017
Roseanne
1988
They Live
Stunts
1988
Escape Plan 2: Hades
Stunt Coordinator
2018
Big Trouble in Little China
Chang Sing #1
1986Big Trouble in Little China
Associate Producer
1986Big Trouble in Little China
Martial Arts Choreographer
1986
Escape from L.A.
Hershe Gang Member
1996Escape from L.A.
Stunts
1996
Death Valley
Man on street (uncredited)
2011
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
Mercenary (uncredited)
1995Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
Stunts
1995
The Replacement Killers
Bodyguard
1998
Nasty Boys
Fighter / Karate class fighter (uncredited)
1990
Best of the Best
Sae Jin Kwon
1989
Mr. Right
Fight Choreographer
2016
Marker
1995
Booba
Stunt Coordinator
2023
Showdown in Little Tokyo
Yoshida's Man (uncredited)
1991Showdown in Little Tokyo
Stunts
1991
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Fight Choreographer
1992
Killers
Fight Choreographer
2010
Timecop
Knife #1
1994
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist
Stunts
2002
The Shadow
Mongol
1994
Impostor
Stunts
2001
Dominique
Fight Choreographer
2024
Action Jackson
Martial Arts Instructor
1988
The Perfect Weapon
Crewcut
1991
On Deadly Ground
Mercenary at Aegis-1 (uncredited)
1994On Deadly Ground
Stunts
1994
Martial Law II: Undercover
Spencer Hamilton Man (uncredited)
1991Martial Law II: Undercover
Stunts
1991
Rapid Fire
Tau's Men at Laundry (uncredited)
1992Rapid Fire
Stunts
1992
Mad Families
Stunt Coordinator
2017
Mission of Justice
Akiro
1992
Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser
Stunt Coordinator
2015
Extraction
Stunt Coordinator
2013
Undercover Blues
Novacek's Man
1993Undercover Blues
Stunts
1993
Flight of the Living Dead
Stunts
2007
Kazaam
Stunts
1996
Streets of Blood
Stunts
2009
Black Dynamite
Stunts
2009
Girls of the White Orchid
Stunts
1983
They Call Me Bruce?
Stunt Double
1982
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Guard (uncredited)
1976
Savage Beach
Agent #1
1989
The Girl Gets Moe
Stunts
1997
Martial Law
Tong Member
1990
Double Tap
Stunts
1997
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
Stunts
1989
Do or Die
Lew
1991
Excessive Force II: Force on Force
Lee
1995
Sin
Leo Thamaree
2003
Forbidden Warrior
Stunts
2004
The Martial Arts Kid
Fight Choreographer
2015
18 Fingers of Death!
Buford Lee
200618 Fingers of Death!
Stunt Coordinator
200618 Fingers of Death!
Writer
200618 Fingers of Death!
Director
2006
Instinct to Kill
Stunt Coordinator
2001
Why Me?
Stunts
1990
Ultimate Fights from the Movies
Knife #1 (Timecop) (archive footage)
2002
Going Berserk
Kung Fu Fighter
1983
Cucuy: The Boogeyman
Beat Cop
2018
Maximum Impact
Fight Choreographer
2017Maximum Impact
Second Unit Director
2017
Boogie Boy
Jason
1998
Robo Warriors
Darius
1996Robo Warriors
Stunt Coordinator
1996
The Girl from the Naked Eye
Eddie
2012
High Voltage
Harry
1997
Made in Chinatown
Kane
2021Made in Chinatown
Director
2021Made in Chinatown
Co-Producer
2021Made in Chinatown
Action Director
2021
Frankenstein
Hotel Manager
2015
Red Sun Rising
Jaho
1994
Guns
Ninja #1
1990Guns
Stunt Coordinator
1990
Outside the Law
Cho Sung
2002Outside the Law
Fight Choreographer
2002
American Ninja 5
Viper
1993
Night of the Warrior
Hector Sabatei
1991
Assault on Dome 4
Quaid, Windham Henchman
1996
Tough and Deadly
Thug
1995
Ring of Fire
Stunts
1991
Cage II: The Arena of Death
Chin
1994
Showdown
Hit Man
1993
Ninja Academy
Ninja Trainer
1989Ninja Academy
Stunt Coordinator
1989
Deep Core
Lou Chang
2000
Sting of the Black Scorpion
Tong Leader
2002
Ballistica
Chinese Guard #1
2009Let Lorenzo
Interior Design Older Partner
2011
No Rules
Stunts
2005
The Fantastic Seven
Stunts
1979
Fatal Blade
James
2000
Angel of Death
Tommy
2009
Dark World
Stunt Coordinator
2008
Deadly Target
Guard #2 (uncredited)
1994
Underdog Kids
Second Unit Director
2015Underdog Kids
Stunt Coordinator
2015
Safe House
Asian (uncredited)
1998
Blue Tiger
Stunts
1994
For Life or Death
Kaan Woo
1996
Night Hunter
Tom Cutter
1996
Midnight Man
Prince Samarki
1995
Henchman: The Al Leong Story
Self
2018
Hijacked
Stunt Coordinator
2012
Dark Vengeance
Stunt Coordinator
1993
Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine
Sinjin
2017
Raven: Return of the Black Dragons
Black Dragon Henchman
1992
Aftershock
Mr. James
1990Aftershock
Stunt Coordinator
1990
Breakout
Cap Ruch
2016
Shira: The Vampire Samurai
Xu
2005
Ring of Steel
Asian Fighter
1994
The Real Deal
Black Belt
2002
Killpoint
Nighthawk's Gunman #1
1984
Balance of Power
Shinji Takamura
1996
Ulterior Motives
Yakuza #5
1993
Los Angeles Streetfighter
Chan
1985
The Circuit III: Street Monk
Spider Webb
2006
Elwood
Big O
2014Evil Destroyer
1988
Private Wars
Obata
1993
Ballistic
Woo
1995Ballistic
Stunt Coordinator
1995
LArceny
Stunts
2004
Enforcer from Death Row
Karate Fighter
1976
American Bistro
Stunt Coordinator
2019
Zodiac Power 2: Evil Destroyer
1988
Big Time
Karate Instructor
1977Black Salt
Abbot Xiao
2015
Young Dragon
Shao Lung
1979