Tony Jaa
Biography
Tony Jaa, born Tatchakorn Yeerum on February 5 1976 in Surin, Thailand, is a male martial artist, actor and director who has been credited on thirty‑five productions. Also known as Panom Yeerum and by his Thai name ทัชชกร ยีรั, he trained in Muay Thai and gymnastics, developing a style noted for speed, agility and raw power. Inspired by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, Jaa entered the film industry as a stunt double on Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), where his athleticism attracted director Panna Rittikrai. Under Rittikrai’s mentorship he refined his craft and later headlined Ong‑Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003), a film celebrated for its real, wire‑free stunts and its impact on Thai action cinema.
Career overview
Tony Jaa, born Tatchakorn Yeerum on February 5 1976 in Surin, Thailand, is a male martial artist, actor, and director. He is also known by the names Panom Yeerum and จา พนม. Inspired by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li, Jaa trained in Muay Thai and gymnastics, developing a fighting style noted for its speed, agility, and raw power. His early work in the film industry began as a stunt double on the 1997 production Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, where his athleticism attracted the attention of director Panna Rittikrai.
Under Rittikrai’s mentorship, Jaa refined his craft and transitioned to leading roles. He achieved international recognition when he starred in the 2003 Thai action film Ong‑Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, a picture celebrated for its real, wire‑free stunts and intense Muay Thai combat sequences. The film’s success is credited with revitalizing Thai action cinema and showcasing Jaa’s acrobatic fighting style to a global audience. Throughout his career, Jaa has accumulated 35 acting credits, reflecting his continued presence in both film and television as a prominent figure in martial‑arts cinema.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Lakadbaggha 2: The Monkey Business (2026)
- Striking Rescue (2024) as Bai An
- Expend4bles (2023) as Decha
- Detective Chinatown 3 (2021) as Jack Jaa
- Detective Chinatown (2020) as Jack Jaa
- Monster Hunter (2020) as The Hunter
- The Art of Action (2020) as Self
- Jiu Jitsu (2020) as Kueng
- Triple Threat (2019) as Payu
- Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018) as Sadi the Warrior
- xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) as Talon
- Paradox (2017) as Tak
- Guardians of Martial Arts (2017) as Master Jaa
- Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) as Tony Jaa
- Furious 7 (2015) as Kiet
- SPL 2: A Time for Consequences (2015) as Chatchai
- Skin Trade (2014) as Tony Vitayakul
- The Protector 2 (2013) as Kham
- Ong Bak 3 (2010) as Tien
- Ong Bak 3 (2010) Director
- Ong Bak 3 (2010) Producer
- Ong Bak 3 (2010) Writer
- Ong Bak 3 (2010) Story
- Ong Bak 2 (2008) as Tien
- Ong Bak 2 (2008) Director
- Ong Bak 2 (2008) Producer
- Ong Bak 2 (2008) Writer
- The Bodyguard 2 (2007) as Piggy Bank Vendor
- The Protector (2005) as Kham
- The Protector (2005) Martial Arts Choreographer
- Crying Tiger (2005) as Self (archive footage)
- The Road to Glory: The Making of Ong-Bak (2005)
- The Bodyguard (2004) as Supermarket Fighter
- Ong-Bak (2003) as Ting
- Ong-Bak (2003) Martial Arts Choreographer
- Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) Stunt Double
- Puta khatha thalom khon (1997)
- Mission Hunter II (1996)
- Hard Gun (1996) as Sak
- The Rowdy Bunch (1994)
- Spirited Killer (1994)
- Siamese Lion (1992)
- Nonstop
- Untitled Amazon MGM action project