10) Wu Jing
If there’s anyone in the martial arts movie world that is truly enigmatic, it would have to be Wu Jing. He first kicked onto the scene in Yuen Wo Ping’s Tai Chi Boxer (aka Tai Chi 2) but didn’t really make an impression until he clashed with Donnie Yen in 2005’s SPL (aka Kill Zone).
His style very much resembles that of Jet Li (as they’re both Wu Shu champions) and his talent is unquestionable. So why is he enigmatic? Because he has been in some very decent films but still for some reason has not been able to rise very high on the Hollywood ladder. He is frequently cast in supporting roles and has headlined only a handful of films (including his co-directed effort Legendary Assassin), but these efforts thus far haven’t launched him as a bonafide star.
If anyone has seen him in action, his skill is nothing short of incredible. He is fast, agile, powerful, and his timing is impeccable, just watch his infamous alleyway fight against Donnie Yen in SPL and you’ll know exactly what I mean. He delivers strong and capable performances in each of his films and he should most definitely be more widely recognized than he is.