Is Scott Adkins the natural successor to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Why did Andrew Koji almost quit acting only months before landing the lead role in the beloved kung fu series, Warrior? And can we expect a rematch between Indonesian action stars Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais?
The answers to these questions and many more are revealed in Best of Actors, one of three compilation shows released simultaneously to celebrate the 100th episode of this podcast, which started life back in 2016. Over three episodes, I share some of my favourite conversations recorded over the last eight years of the show.
On this episode, you will hear from: Cynthia Rothrock, the undisputed queen of martial arts movies, who discusses her feelings about being a role model for women in action cinema and the martial arts; Andrew Koji, the British actor whose career has gone from strength to strength after securing the lead role in the Warrior TV show, inspired by the writings of Bruce Lee; Scott Adkins, who has made five appearances on the show since its inception, who discusses his career highlights including receiving awards in China from Jackie Chan; Michiko Nishiwaki, the Japanese bodybuilder who became an action star during the golden age of Hong Kong action cinema in the 1980s and 90s; and Joe Taslim, Indonesian judo champion and one of the biggest names in modern martial arts cinema, whose films include The Raid, The Night Comes for Us, and Mortal Kombat.
If you enjoyed this ‘best of’ compilation episode, remember to check out Best of Directors and Best of Stunts, which have also dropped at the same time as this episode. Listen to the full conversations with all my guests who have appeared on this show via the website, kungfumovieguide.com, and everywhere you get podcasts.