Tony Jaa

Tony Jaa
Tony Jaa in 2005
BornSurin, Thailand
Native nameจา พนม
Other names
  • Jaa Phanom
  • Phanom Yeerum
  • Thatchakon Yiram
Years active1994–present
Occupation
  • Actor
  • martial artist
  • choreographer
  • stuntman
  • director
  • traceur
Spouse
Piyarat Chotiwat
​
(m. 2011)​
Children2

Tatchakorn Yeerum[1] (Thai: ทัชชกร ยีรัมย์, RTGS: Thatchakon Yiram, pronounced [tʰát.t͡ɕʰā.kɔ̄ːn jīː.rām]; formerly Phanom Yeerum (Thai: พนม ยีรัมย์, [pʰā.nōm jīː.rām])), better known internationally as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Phanom (Thai: จา พนม, RTGS: Cha Phanom, [t͡ɕāː pʰā.nōm]), is a Thai martial artist, actor, action choreographer, stuntman, director, and traceur. Best known for his martial arts films, he is credited with helping establish the Thai action genre worldwide.[2] He was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame in 2017.[3]

Prior to becoming a leading actor, Jaa worked as a stuntman for Muay Thai Stunt for 14 years, appearing in many of his mentor Panna Rittikrai's films. His martial arts films are credited with helping to showcase the Thai combat systems of Muay Thai, Muay Boran, and "Muay Kotchasaan" (a fighting style Jaa and Rittikrai developed in 2005).[4][5] His Thai films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003), which earned him a Star Entertainment Award, Tom-Yum-Goong (2005), which earned him a Suphannahong National Film Award, Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (2008), which marked his directorial debut,[6] Ong Bak 3 (2010), and Tom Yum Goong 2 (2013).

After leaving the Thai movie company Sahamongkol Film International in 2013, Jaa signed with Universal Studios, and focused more on an international fan base.[7] He made his Hollywood debut with the action film Furious 7 (2015), and has since appeared in the commercially successful films SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015), XXX: Return of Xander Cage, Paradox (both 2017), and Detective Chinatown 3 (2021). He continued to appear in martial arts films, such as Gong Shou Dao (2017), Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018), and Jiu Jitsu (2020).

  1. ^ ""จา พนม" เปลี่ยนชื่อเสริมดวง เผย "องค์บาก3" จะไม่ยุ่งเรื่องเงิน". Manager Online (in Thai). 24 February 2009. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  2. ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN02255898/ [bare URL]
  3. ^ "Hall of Fame".
  4. ^ "Why Tony Jaa's Fight Style is So Different in Tom Yum Goong". Screen Rant. 20 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Where to Learn Muay Boran in Thailand".
  6. ^ https://www.vulture.com/2009/10/ong-bak_2s_tony_jaa_on_his_dir.html#:~:text=The%20film%20took%20two%20years,Bak%202%2C%20Jaa's%20directorial%20debut.
  7. ^ "5 Best Tony Jaa Movies, Ranked - Visual Cult Magazine". 11 February 2023.