Roger Yuan
Roger Winston Yuan (born January 25, 1961) is an American martial arts fight trainer, stunt coordinator / performer, and actor who has trained many actors and actresses in many Hollywood films. As an actor himself, he also appeared in Shanghai Noon (2000) opposite Jackie Chan, Bulletproof Monk (2003) alongside Chow Yun-fat, the technician in Batman Begins (2005), and as Sévérine's bodyguard in Skyfall (2012). He is a well-recognized choreographer in Hollywood.[1]
Roger Yuan | |
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Born | Roger Winston Yuan January 25, 1961 Carbondale, Illinois, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Martial arts fight trainer, stunt coordinator, stunt performer, actor |
Years active | 1982–present |
Relatives | Ron Yuan (brother) |
Roger Yuan | |||||||
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Chinese | 袁之正 | ||||||
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Early life
Yuan was born in Carbondale, Illinois to Theresa and Roger Yuan, and is the older brother of Ron Yuan. He is a U.S.A black belt in Chun Kuk Do. He is also a member of The United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF). His first stunt double stint came in the 1986 film House.[2]
Career
As of 2017, Yuan has performed stunts in over 30 films, such as: Rapid Fire, Escape from L.A., Beverly Hills Ninja, Spawn, Blade[3] and also Warcraft and Jason Bourne.[4][5] In 2011, he trained Jennifer Lawrence and Jason Flemyng in X-Men: First Class[6] as well as Henry Cavill in Immortals. He also trained Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin.[7]
Yuan's first role as a professional actor is in The Perfect Weapon (1991), Yuan's first credited acting debut is in Red Corner (1997), alongside Richard Gere. He also appeared in Lethal Weapon 4, which is Jet Li's American film debut, as the role of Chu, a Chinese Triad gangster. In 2000, he played the main antagonist in the action-comedy Shanghai Noon alongside Jackie Chan, as the corrupt Imperial Guard Lo Fong, the role helped him become popular with audiences. In 2003, he appeared in the beginning of Bulletproof Monk, playing Chow Yun-fat's master. In Batman Begins, he appeared as the Hazmat Technician alongside Gary Oldman and as the Chinese Engineer in Syriana. In Skyfall, he also trained Daniel Craig and had a role as the Severine's bodyguard. Yuan also appeared in many TV Shows, he appeared in Walker Texas Ranger, playing different characters, and his most famous role is that of Lazarus in the episodes 'The Winds of Change' and 'Lazarus'.[8]
For fifteen years Yuan was based in Ireland.[9] In 2016, he starred in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, the sequel of the successful 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Besides working in the film industry, he also was invited by Country singer Tim McGraw to get him in shape for his 2012 Brothers of the Sun Tour.[10]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | American Kickboxer | Howard | |
1991 | The Perfect Weapon | Diamond | |
1991 | Showdown in Little Tokyo | Kickboxer #2 | |
1992 | Ulterior Motives | Yakuza #6 | |
1992 | American Streetfighter | Ito | |
1992 | Rage and Honor | Dave | |
1993 | Shootfighter: Fight to the Death | Po | |
1994 | Ring of Steel | Ninja | |
1994 | Death Match | Fighter | |
1994 | Double Dragon | Ninja Wraith | |
1997 | Once Upon a Time in China and America | Dick | |
1997 | Spawn | Korean Soldier | Uncredited |
1997 | Red Corner | Huan Minglu | |
1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 | Chu | |
2000 | Shanghai Noon | Lo Fong | |
2001 | The Silent Force | Jimmy Thai | |
2003 | Bulletproof Monk | Master Monk | |
2004 | Home on the Range | Additional Voice | Voice |
2005 | Batman Begins | Hazmat Technician | |
2005 | Syriana | Chinese Engineer | |
2005 | Vampires: The Turning | Kiko | |
2008 | The Fifth Commandment | Z | |
2009 | Chandni Chowk to China | Inspector Chiang Kohung | |
2009 | Black Dynamite | Fiendish Dr. Wu | |
2010 | Shanghai Blue | Husband | |
2012 | Skyfall | Severine's Bodyguard #2 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture |
2013 | Lua Phat | General Long | |
2016 | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny | Iron Crow | |
2018 | Accident Man | Swordmaster | |
2018 | Blindsided: The Game | Gordon | |
2018 | Venom | Village Eel Shop Owner | |
2019 | John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum | Huang | Uncredited |
2020 | Mulan | Duba Tegin | |
2020 | The Paper Tigers | Sifu Cheung | |
2021 | Dune | Lieutenant Lanville | Also stunts |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1993–2000 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Chen / Chia Ko / Lazarus | 5 episodes |
1994 | Vanishing Son | Button Man | TV movie |
1994 | Renegade | Glen Kawahowa / The Black Wind | Episode: "Black Wind" |
1997 | Tracey Takes On... | Guard at Palace | Episode: "Childhood" |
1998 | Brimstone | Da Ming Po | Episode: "Poem" |
1999 | Nash Bridges | Mr. Lee | Episode: "Girl Trouble" |
2001 | The District | Tuan Tran | Episode: "New World" |
2002 | Red Skies | Zhao Lo | TV movie |
2003 | Angel | Wo-Pang | Season 4; 2 episodes |
2008 | Fifth Street | Vincent | Short film |
2009 | Spooks | Heng | Series 8, Episode 8 |
2010 | CSI: Miami | Takashi Yamada | Episode: "Die by the Sword" |
2016 | Blindsided | Gordon | Short film |
References
- Roger Yuan, Hollywood.com, May 24, 2014, retrieved May 29, 2017
- "Roger Yuan". LinkedIn. June 19, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- Fogarty, Mary (March 6, 2013), "Karate club welcomes Hollywood stunt man", The Independent, retrieved May 29, 2017
- Andrews, Kenai (December 7, 2016), "Jason Bourne's Roger Yuan opens up on fight scenes, working with Matt Damon", MMA Crossfire, retrieved May 29, 2017
- "Action Reel - Roger Yuan", Demoreel.com, retrieved May 29, 2017
- How Roger Yuan Trains Actors For Their Roles As Super Heroes. June 19, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2017 – via YouTube.
- Brennan, Laura (March 29, 2017). "Stunt School Ireland Host Bourne Experience Course With Roger Yuan". IFTN. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- Kurchak, Sarah (November 4, 2015), "How Daniel Craig Developed James Bond's Fighting Skills", Vice, retrieved May 29, 2017
- Kenai Andrews (December 7, 2016). "Jason Bourne's Roger Yuan opens up on fight scenes, working with Matt Damon". MMA Crossfire.
- Miller, Gregory E. (31 October 2019). "How Tim McGraw went from 'inflated and doughy' to ripped". New York Post.