20 Greatest Action Movie Stars Of All Time, Ranked

Summary

• Iconic action heroes like Keanu Reeves, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford, Jackie Chan, and Arnold Schwarzenegger have made a significant impact on the action genre.
• These actors bring unique style and charm to their roles, creating memorable performances and iconic roles in films like The Matrix and Die Hard.
• The action genre has provided audiences with thrilling entertainment for decades, thanks to the contributions of these legendary action heroes.

The best action movie stars of all time made their mark on the genre by portraying tough-as-nails heroes, stalwart sidekicks, despicable villains, and everything in between, though all gained a legacy from starring in the most pulse-pounding big screen experiences. Various actors have stepped into the action genre over the years, with some great examples who bucked typecasting and proved to be solid action stars, like Colin Firth in The Kingsman and Bob Odenkirk in Nobody. However, the greatest action movie stars are synonymous with the genre and have helped to define it.

The action movie genre can sometimes be dismissed as not serious, but these actors have helped show the kind of cinematic experiences these kinds of movies can provide. Some of the greatest actors of the genre have helped to revitalize what the action genre could be, inspiring countless other actors who followed. Other stars simply used their distinct persona to stand out in the genre and deliver some of its most classic entries. From old-school heroes to the latest superstars, these are the names that define action movies.

20 Steven Seagal

Best Action Movie: Under Siege

Notable Action Movies Roles:

While it has been a long time since Steven Seagal’s movies were released in theaters, there was a time when he was one of the most exciting stars of the genre. Like some other notable names in action movies, Seagal’s ride to stardom came because of the tough-guy reputation he earned before acting. Seagal was a martial arts instructor who made his movie debut in the lead role in Above the Law.

During the late 80s and early 90s, Seagal released a series of movies that showcased his own distinct fighting style that had not been seen in movies before. These early movies also featured Seagal as a hero who handed out brutal justice to villains, making for some of the genre’s most violent movies. He followed it up with the likes of Hard to Kill, Out for Justice, and Under Siege. While he was never considered a great action, he has an interesting persona and there was a certain fun to even his more forgettable action movies.

Seagal’s last theatrical release in a lead role was 2001’s
Exit Wounds
.

19 Jean-Claude Van Damme

Best Action Movie: Sudden Death

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Like Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme is another actor whose talents in martial arts first got him involved in the movie business. He was fast-tracked as a leading man in action movies with his early roles in the likes of Kickboxer and Bloodsport also showcasing a particular brutality. Van Damme also had a charisma that went along with his thick Belgian accent, making him a standout character.

Also similar to Seagal, Van Damme’s rise to fame in the 80s led to success in the 90s before his time as a box office draw came to an end. However, Van Damme left behind a long legacy of great movies, with the likes of Hard Target, Double Impact, and Sudden Death. Van Damme also knew to mix in some other genre elements with sci-fi action movies like Universal Soldier and Timecop among his biggest hits.

18 Wesley Snipes

Best Action Movie: Blade

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Wesley Snipes is an actor who came into the action movie era of his career gradually. During the early days of his fame, Snipes was best known for dramas like Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever and comedies like Major Leagues and White Men Can’t Jump. However, it was with his memorable role leading role in Passenger 57 that Hollywood realized they found an exciting new action hero.

Snipes usually maintained his sense of humor when making these action movies with his villainous role opposite Sylvester Stallone in Demolition Man being as funny as it is intimidating. However, his most iconic action movie role came with Blade. In bringing the Marvel vampire hunter to the big screen, Snipes helped to prove that comic book movies were viable Hollywood options as the R-rated movie proved a huge hit.

17 Bruce Lee

Best Action Movie: Enter The Dragon

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Bruce Lee cemented himself as one of the most impactful and tragic figures in the action movie genre. Lee is another figure who had become something of a legend before he ever appeared on screen. He was a martial arts master known for his incredible discipline. He began teaching martial arts in Hollywood with a number of celebrities as his clients. However, he was also working his way towards becoming a movie star himself.

Lee’s Hollywood fame began with his role as Kato on the superhero TV series The Green Hornet in the 1960s. Though he was a sidekick character, Lee stole the show and wowed audiences with his skills. He eventually started making movies with the likes of The Big Boss, Fists of Fury, and The Way of the Dragon. Sadly, Lee wouldn’t live to see his greatest success as he died before the release of Enter the Dragon, often hailed as one of the greatest action movies of all time.

Lee was trained by the legendary Ip Man.

16 Denzel Washington

Best Action Movie: The Equalizer

Denzel Washington will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest actors of all time, having won two Oscars so far and secured the stunning feat of being nominated in every decade since the 1980s. However, while his dramatic chops are never in doubt, Washington has also proven himself a very effective action movie star as well. Some of his earlier work in the genre, like Ricochet and Virtuosity didn’t showcase his still as effectively but Washington would prove himself later.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Some of the best examples of this include
Man on Fire, The Book of Eli,
and
Out of Time
.

Washington’s action movie roles were often in more complex movies that gave him a strong character to play. Some of the best examples of this include Man on Fire, The Book of Eli, and Out of Time. However, he also embraced popcorn action movies like Unstoppable, Safe House, and Deja Vu. Later in his career, Washington found his first movie franchise with The Equalizer movies which also gave him his best action movie role, where he impressed many with his visceral fighting skills.

15 Sigourney Weaver

Best Action Movie: The Alien Franchise

It is no secret that women have been underrepresented in action movies over the years, which makes it all the more important when a female action movie star emerges to challenge the genre’s conventions. Such was the case with Sigourney Weaver, who created one of the best action movie characters of all timewith Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise. The first Alien movie stealthily hides that Ripley is the true star for much of the movie until she is thrust into the spotlight in the climax.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

However, there was no mistaking her as the action hero at the center of the sequel Aliens. Weaver brought a soft and caring vulnerability to the role while also being a thrilling maverick who was willing to take on the alien monster one-on-one. Weaver even earned an Oscar nomination for the role, a rarity in the genre.

14 Steve McQueen

Best Action Movie: The Towering Inferno

Nicknamed “The King of Cool,” Steve McQueen has one of the most engaging screen presence in movie history, and he put it to good use in action movies. McQueen made a name for himself by stealing the show from other talented actors in big star-studded action ensembles like The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven. Even by doing so little, the viewers were transfixed by his easy-going yet focused attitude.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

While McQueen cemented his cool guy persona in other action movie roles like Le Mans, The Towering Inferno, and The Getaway, it was his role in the cop thriller Bullitt that most action movie fans remember best. Featuring one of the most famous car chases in movie history, McQueen’s insistence on doing most of the driving stunts himself so the audience could see him behind the wheel would influence countless action movie stars that followed.

13 Liam Neeson

Best Action Movie: Taken

Liam Neeson’s rise to action-hero fame is a unique one because, unlike most action stars, this genre is not where he started. The Irish actor began his career in the 1980s but earned his breakout role as Oskar Schindler in 1992’s Schindler’s List. Afterward, he was cast in major franchises, such as Star Wars and The Chronicles of Narnia. It wasn’t until 2008 though that Neeson finally broke into the action genre.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

From Taken to The A-Team, Neeson stands out because of his versatility and unexpectedness. He may be older and less buff than other action stars, but he can still capture an audience’s attention with his rugged charm. Despite getting into the genre late, Neeson has shown incredible longevity as an action star. More recently, he has also begun mixing his dramatic chops with more complex action movie roles, such as in Cold Pursuit or the recent Irish thriller In the Land of Saints and Sinners.

12 Dwayne Johnson

Best Action Movie: Fast & Furious Franchise

Dwayne Johnson is another action star with a unique career path. First and foremost, he began his career not in acting, but as a professional wrestler, earning the nickname, “The Rock.” In 2001, he quickly took the film industry by storm, starring in action films like The Scorpion King, Hercules, San Andreas, and the Fast & Furious franchise. Johnson is another action star with amazing range and digestibility.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

The Rock impresses both adult and youth audiences, and thus, is likable to nearly all viewers. Despite being strong and serious on-screen, there’s no doubt that he is a kind person, and for that, he is an action hero to look up to. He is not afraid to embrace his comedic side in some stand-out adventure movies like The Rundown and the Jumanji movies. He aims for crowd-pleasing and event-level movies which has made him one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

11 Tom Cruise

Best Action Movie: The Mission Impossible Series

Although Tom Cruise made his name in dramas, he has undoubtedly embraced his action hero status. Cruise first entered the action genre in 1986 in Top Gun, but it took about a decade for him to return to the genre with the Mission: Impossible franchise. However, it was Cruise’s immense dedication to the story and his intense performances that made his action movie roles as engrossing and compelling as his dramatic ones.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Cruise is another actor who likes to ensure his action movies are big productions, with him mixing the genre with some of his sci-fi outings as well, like Minority Report, War of the Worlds, and Edge of Tomorrow. Ultimately, what makes Tom Cruise special is his dedication. Cruise is well-known for performing his own stunts, including cliff jumps and flying planes. This drive to not only portray an action star but to be an action star in real life is definitely something to be impressed by.

10 Michelle Yeoh

Best Action Movie: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Michelle Yeoh is now known as much for her dramatic roles as for her action movies, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t left a lasting impact on the genre. She rose to fame after starring alongside Jackie Chan in the Supercop movies where, like him, she showcased her willingness to throw herself into dangerous stunts. Yeoh’s American breakout role was in Tomorrow Never Dies where she played a Bond Girl more impressive than 007 himself.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Even her Oscar-winning role in
Everything Everywhere All At Once
highlights Yeoh’s fighting skills.

Yeoh is also great at seeking out powerful and unique genre movies that do something new and also give her a chance to give a real performance. Such is the case in Ang Lee’s beautiful and exciting martial arts movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Even her Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All At Once highlights Yeoh’s fighting skills, and still counts as one of the best Michelle Yeoh action movies.

9 Jason Statham

Best Action Movie: The Transporter

An actor that was arguably born to be an action star is Jason Statham. Best known for films such as The Expendables and the Fast & Furious franchise, Statham has been a part of the action genre since the late 1990s and his career is still going strong. Though it may seem strange for an actor to continuously play very similar roles, Statham’s ability to embody action characters simply makes him perfect for the job.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Having studied martial arts in his youth, and also being a footballer and diver, Statham is ideal action hero material, and these days, he has certainly been cemented as action hero royalty. He is another actor who excites fans by doing a lot of his own fighting and stunt work on camera. He has a commanding tough-guy presence that makes the audience want to see more and more of him in these types of movies, with his latest, The Beekeeper, proving a surprise hit.

8 Kurt Russell

Best Action Movie: Escape From New York

Despite being one of the older actors on this list, Kurt Russell is still pervasive in the action genre, and for this, he is most definitely impressive. Though Russell’s acting career began in his youth, it wasn’t until the 1980s that he became a fixture of the action genre. In particular, Russell’s collaborations with director John Carpenter like Escape From New York and The Thing brought the actor deeper into the genre with films like Tango & Cash and Tombstone.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Russell is also a unique action star because of his tendency towards vulnerability. He positively influenced the genre by showing that an action-hero can be both heroic and emotional. He has taken on more grounded roles in the genre, like Breakdown and Executive Decision, and he has embraced a more over-the-top style in movies like Soldier and 3000 Miles to Graceland. Even his recent Godzilla series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, allowed him to show his charm and action-hero chops side by side.

7 Keanu Reeves

Best Action Movie: John Wick

Though Keanu Reeves has worked in many different genres, his greatest successes seem to be his action roles, and most likely, this is not a coincidence. Reeves had his breakthrough role in 1989 with Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and in that same period, he established himself in the action genre with films like Point Break and Speed. Both of these movies showcased his impressive intensity in the genre while also playing into his likable easy-going persona.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

However, Reeves shot to true action-hero status with two major franchises: The Matrix and John Wick. Keanu Reeves has the energy of a kind and gentle man, but when it comes to his action movies, the actor can be especially ruthless and dangerous. In this way, he is both enjoyable and dynamic. For the John Wick movies especially, having a star who was able to pull off these fight scenes and shootouts effectively allowed the movie to put the audience into these epic action moments.

6 Bruce Willis

Best Action Movie: Die Hard Series

Bruce Willis has had an incredible career that all began with one single role.

Having starred in over one hundred movies, Bruce Willis has had an incredible career that all began with one single role. In 1988, Willis made waves in the action genre with his portrayal of John McClane in Die Hard. At a time when it was muscle-bound one-man armies who were ruling the action genre, Willis was a breath of fresh air with an everyman quality and his ability to crack jokes as he was taking on bad guys.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

The movie’s success, and the success of its sequels, catapulted Willis into unbelievable fame, and from there, he continued his climb into action hero stardom. He often kept his status as a bonafide star in the genre alive by mixing roles in the likes of Mercury Rising, Armageddon, and Tears of the Sun with more challenging roles in the likes of Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, and The Sixth Sense. Though Willis has retired from acting, his impact on the genre and Hollywood at large is significant. His portrayals of rough-and-tumble characters are iconic.

5 Clint Eastwood

Best Action Movie: Dirty Harry

Clint Eastwood is a Western icon with the genre being closely connected with the action genre over the years. Following the era of John Wayne, Eastwood revitalized the Western genre with Spaghetti Westerns and Revisionist Westerns which gave audiences a new look at the familiar genre stories. He perfected the strong, silent hero who could intimidate enemies with a stare. However, few can deny that Eastwood is also one of the greatest action movie stars, even when he’s not wearing a stetson.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Even later on in his career, Eastwood continued playing tough guy roles while embracing his age in movies like
Unforgiven, In the Line of Fire,
and
Gran Torino.

While Westerns are what Eastwood is best known for, perhaps his most iconic role is in the cop thriller Dirty Harry movies. Eastwood seemed to relish playing anti-heroes like Harry Callahan with the character becoming the archetype of the loose-canon cop that is all over the action genre. Even later on in his career, Eastwood continued playing tough guy roles while embracing his age in movies like Unforgiven, In the Line of Fire, and Gran Torino.

4 Sylvester Stallone

Best Action Movie: The Expendables Series

It’s impossible to talk about action stars and not bring up the iconic performances of Sylvester Stallone. In 1976, Stallone punched a hole through the action genre with his breakout role as Rocky Balboa in Rocky. While the movie was more of an underdog sports drama, the climax of Rocky in the ring with Apollo Creed made it clear Stallone was ready to be an action star. This led to him defining the genre in the 80s with movies like the Rambo series and Cobra.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

For a time, Stallone was one of the highest-paid actors of the era and continued to do great work in the genre in the 90s, with movies like Cliffhanger and Demolition Man. He also was behind the idea of bringing some of the biggest names in the action genre together for The Expendables movies. Ultimately, Sylvester Stallone is nothing short of an icon in the action genre. His long-running action franchises mean his name has never once been forgotten. And even in his 70s, Stallone continues to make his mark in the action genre.

3 Harrison Ford

Best Action Movie: Air Force One

The oldest action hero on this list is also one of the most quintessential. Harrison Ford’s first-ever starring role as Han Solo in 1977’s Star Wars was all that was necessary to make him an incredible movie star. Along with four Star Wars sequels, Ford went on to star in franchises that varied his career as an action hero. He played a cynical hero in Blade Runner, played the thinking man’s hero in the Jack Ryan movies, and helped create one of the most iconic movie heroes of all time with Indiana Jones.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Ford continued to build his career as an action star with terrific and varied roles like Witness, The Fugitive, and Air Force One. Even now, Ford continues to play the tough guy roles in his final Indiana Jones movie, the Western series 1923, and his upcoming appearance in Captain America: Brave New World.

2 Jackie Chan

Best Action Movie: Drunken Master

There are countless international action stars that deserve recognition in the genre but are somewhat underrated as they fail to reach American audiences as often. However, Jackie Chan is an action star who transcends language with his amazing features of martial arts as well as his hugely entertaining physical comedy. While he was initially known as a kung-fu movie star, Jackie Chan quickly proved he was more than suited to more generalized action movies too.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

While other stars have performed their own stunts, Chan has put himself through more and been injured more than any other.

Jackie Chan became a star in his native China thanks to movies like Drunken Master, Police Story, and Supercop, and they helped establish him as a name in America as well. Rush Hour proved that he could headline an English-language action movie too, which led to other movies like Shanghai Noon, mixing his energetic style with comedic action scenes. While other stars have performed their own stunts, Chan has put himself through more and been injured more than any other.

1 Arnold Schwarzenegger

Notable Action Movies: Terminator series, Commando, The Running Man

The best action hero of all time is Arnold Schwarzenegger. This actor did not simply play action heroes; he was one. In his youth, Schwarzenegger made a name for himself as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. Then, in the 1980s, he pivoted to acting and starred in Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator franchise. The Terminator alone was enough to secure the Austrian actor’s fame, and yet, he continued to build a flourishing career in movies and politics.

Notable Action Movies Roles:

Schwarzenegger’s unparalleled career in the genre features the likes of Predator, Kindergarten Cop, The Running Man, True Lies, and Total Recall among many others. These movies showcased his undeniable charisma, his surprising human, and his commanding stature on screen. With his iconic accent, iconic name, and iconic look, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the type of action hero that cannot be ignored, and for this reason, he is the best.