Tony Jaa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Jaa
Tony Jaa in 2005
Born	1976 (age 48–49) Surin, Thailand
Native name	จา พนม
Other names	Jaa Phanom Phanom Yeerum Thatchakon Yiram
Height	168.3 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Years active	1994–present
Occupation	Actor martial artist choreographer stuntman director
Spouse	Piyarat Chotiwat ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	2

Tony Jaa is a famous Thai martial artist, actor, and director. His real name is Tatchakorn Yeerum, but he is known around the world as Tony Jaa. In Thailand, people often call him Jaa Phanom. He is famous for his amazing martial arts skills and for doing his own stunts in movies without using wires or computer effects.

Tony Jaa became very well-known in 2003 with his movie Ong-Bak. This film made him an international star and led to two more movies in the series. He started training in Muay Thai when he was only 10 years old. Later, he became a professional Muay Thai fighter. He worked as a stuntman for many years before becoming a lead actor.

His movies have been very popular worldwide. Many people consider him one of the best martial arts stars ever. He helped make Thai action movies famous and showed the world different Thai fighting styles like Muay Thai and Muay Boran.

Early Life and Training

Tony Jaa was born and grew up in a countryside area in Surin Province, Thailand. When he was young, he loved watching movies starring martial arts legends like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. These films inspired him to learn martial arts himself. He would practice their moves in his father's rice paddy.

He once said that what Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan did was "beautiful" and "heroic." He practiced until he could do the moves just like them. He was also inspired by other martial arts stars like Jet Li and Donnie Yen.

Tony Jaa began training in Muay Thai at his local temple when he was 10. He later fought professionally. A filmmaker named Panna Rittikrai saw him and asked if he wanted to do stunts in movies. Tony Jaa then went to college to study physical education. His early training included Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Muay Boran, and Krabi-Krabong. He also focused on Gymnastics and Acrobatics. In his films, he has shown skills in many other martial arts, such as Kung-Fu, Judo, Aikido, Silat, and Jiu-Jitsu.

Career Highlights

Starting as a Stuntman

Tony Jaa first worked as a stuntman for about 14 years. He appeared in many films by Panna Rittikrai. For example, he was a stunt double for actor Sammo Hung in a commercial. He also worked as a stunt double in a Thai TV show called Insee Daeng (Red Eagle).

Becoming an International Star (2003–2008)

Tony Jaa in 2006

Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai spent four years training in Muay Boran, an ancient form of Muay Thai. They wanted to make a film about it. They created a short film to show what Tony Jaa could do. This led to the movie Ong-Bak in 2003, which was Tony Jaa's first main role.

In Ong-Bak, Tony Jaa did all his stunts without any special effects or wires. This movie showed off his amazing acrobatics and fast, dance-like moves. He even got some injuries while filming, like a sprained ankle. In one scene, he fought while his pants were on fire! He said he had to really focus because the flames spread quickly.

His next big movie was Tom-Yum-Goong (also known as The Protector in the US) in 2005. This film featured a unique Muay Thai style that copied elephant movements. By the mid-2000s, Tony Jaa's films were becoming popular worldwide. They were known for their fast-paced martial arts and stunts, making him a global action star.

Tony Jaa also directed and starred in Ong Bak 2, which came out in December 2008. His hero, Jackie Chan, even wanted Tony Jaa to be in his movie Rush Hour 3. However, Tony Jaa could not join because he was busy filming Ong Bak 2. He later starred in Ong Bak 3 in 2010, which finished the Ong Bak story.

Expanding His Career (2010–Present)

Tony Jaa (center) at a press conference for Skin Trade in 2015

After a break, Tony Jaa returned to filmmaking. He starred in Tom Yum Goong 2 (2013), where he worked with another international martial arts star, Jija Yanin. The director and choreographer from his earlier films also returned for this movie.

Tony Jaa then started working on Hollywood films. He co-starred in the big action movie Furious 7 (2015) with Vin Diesel. This was his first English-speaking role. He also appeared in the Hong Kong-Chinese action film SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015).

In 2017, he worked with Vin Diesel again in XXX: Return of Xander Cage. He also co-starred in Paradox that same year. Tony Jaa was honored in 2017 when he was added to the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame. His recent films include Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018), Triple Threat (2019), Jiu Jitsu (2020), Monster Hunter (2020), and Detective Chinatown 3 (2021). In 2023, he appeared in Expend4bles.

Personal Life

Tony Jaa married his longtime girlfriend, Piyarat Chotiwattananont, on May 3, 2012. They have two daughters together.

Filmography

Film

Television

Singles

Music Videos

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Tony Jaa para niños

• Panna Rittikrai
• Muay Thai Stunt