‘A warrior with a heart full of love’: Action star Chuck Norris dies at 86
Chuck Norris, the martial arts champion who became one of Hollywood’s most enduring action heroes, has died at the age of 86, his family has announced.
The star, best known for playing Cordell “Cord” Walker in the long-running television series Walker, Texas Ranger, died “at peace” on Thursday surrounded by his family.
“He may have a warrior exterior, but his heart was so full of love,” his daughter Danilee said in a tribute.
Norris rose to fame as a karate champion before securing his big screen break alongside Bruce Lee in 1972’s Way of the Dragon. He went on to become a household name through dozens of action films and nearly 200 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, which ran for nine seasons.
In later years, Norris found a new generation of fans through internet memes that played up his tough-guy persona — with slogans including “in an emergency, 911 calls him” — something he enjoyed and encouraged.
Family tributes: ‘You made sure I knew how much you loved me’
Norris’ family announced his death in a statement, calling him a “devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family”.
His daughter Danilee described Norris as someone who “loved so deeply and cared for every single person in his life with so much tenderness”.
“My dad was my protector the moment I was born and as soon as he took me in his arms, I’ve always been his little girl,” she wrote on Instagram.
His son Dakota said: “You’ve been the man I looked up to my whole life. You made sure I knew how much you loved me. Honest to God, I didn’t think there was a single day that went by where you didn’t say it.”
Granddaughter Greta paid tribute to her “Papa”, saying: “You all knew Chuck Norris as the man that counted to infinity twice, the man who got bit by a cobra and the cobra died. He is the most down to earth person ever, in a room full of people he would make it known that he was listening to you and only you.”
From martial arts champion to Hollywood icon
Born in Oklahoma in 1940, Norris served in the US Air Force and began training in martial arts while stationed in Korea. He went on to become a karate champion in the 1960s before his friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play a villain in Way of the Dragon.
The film showcased Norris’ authentic combat skills to Hollywood casting directors at a time when movie stars overwhelmingly relied on stunt doubles for dangerous action scenes. Norris held multiple black belts in disciplines including Karate, Taekwondo, Jiu Jitsu and Judo.
His screen career spanned decades, with notable films including Lone Wolf McQuade (1983), Missing in Action (1984), Invasion USA (1985), and The Delta Force (1986). He later reached television audiences as the star of Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993 to 2001.
As he aged, Norris took on fewer roles but appeared in cameos in 2004’s Dodgeball and 2012’s The Expendables 2.
‘An absolute legend’: Hollywood pays tribute
Tributes have poured in from fellow action stars and entertainers.
Sylvester Stallone, who worked with Norris on The Expendables 2, said he “had a great time working with Chuck. He was All American in every way, a great man and my condolences to his wonderful family.”
Jean-Claude Van Damme wrote: “Deepest condolences on the passing of my friend, Chuck Norris. We knew each other from the early days, and I always respected the man he was. He will never be forgotten.”
Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren described Norris as a role model. “Ever since I was a young martial artist and later getting into movies, I always looked up to him as someone who had the respect, humility and strength it takes to be a man.”
British strongman Eddie Hall, who said the pair had “just started to message each other”, called Norris an “absolute legend of a man”.
Horror author Stephen King shared his favourite Chuck Norris jokes, writing: “My fave Chuck Norris joke: Chuck doesn’t flush the toilet, he scares the s*** out of it.”
Political connections and conservative legacy
Norris was outspoken in his support of conservative politics and formed friendships with high-profile political figures, including former US President George HW Bush, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: “Texas has lost a legend. He was not only a martial arts champion, action icon, and the one and only Walker, Texas Ranger. But he electrified generations of conservatives. He embodied the toughness, grit, and patriotism that makes Texas supreme.”
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel whom Norris supported in his 2008 Republican presidential bid, expressed his condolences, calling the news a “gut punch”.
A legacy beyond the screen
A 2015 documentary, Chuck Norris Vs Communism, explored the action star’s unlikely impact in Romania during the Cold War, where smuggled Western films featuring Norris gave Romanians “something to dream about”, according to translator Irina Nestor.
Norris is survived by his second wife Gena O’Kelly, whom he married in 1998, and his children. He was previously married to Dianne Holecheck, with whom he had two sons.
“Watch out evil world, there is an angel of consequence at the gates,” wrote actor Lorenzo Lamas, who trained at Norris’ martial arts studio.
His granddaughter Greta summed up the family’s sentiment: “The world truly lost an icon and I lost my grandpa.”
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