
Acting
Cynthia Rothrock
Born 1957-03-08 · Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Cynthia Rothrock (born March 8, 1957) is an American martial artist and actress in martial arts films. She holds black belt rankings in seven styles of martial arts and was a high-level competitor in martial arts before becoming an actress. In 2014, she was inducted into the International Sports Hall Of Fame. In 2016, Martial Arts History Museum bestowed Rothrock the official title of "The Queen Of Martial Arts." Rothrock was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and began training in martial arts at the age of 13. She quickly rose through the ranks, winning numerous championships in karate, kickboxing and taekwondo. In 1981, she was named World Champion in Forms and Weapons. In 1985, Rothrock made her film debut, alongside Michelle Yeoh, in the Hong Kong action film "Yes, Madam!" The film was a box office success and made Rothrock a star in Asia. She went on to star in several more Hong Kong films, including "Millionaires' Express" (1986), "Magic Crystal" (1986), "Righting Wrongs" (1986) and "Lady Reporter" (1989). Rothrock would return to the United States to further her acting career in many more martial arts films, including two "China O'Brien" movies in 1990, as well as "Lady Dragon" (1992), "Rage And Honor" (1992) and "Sworn To Justice" (1996). In 2024, Rothrock co-wrote, produced and starred in a crowd-funded martial arts western, entitled "Black Creek," for which there's also an accompanying graphic novel. Rothrock made history by becoming the inaugural woman to grace the cover of Karate Illustrated (August 1981)[20] and holds the distinction of being the first woman featured on the cover three times in the magazine's history. In March 2024, Black Belt Magazine named Rothrock in its list of "The Most Influential Women Martial Artists on the Planet." Along with teaching martial arts, Rothrock is also a successful businesswoman, with her own line of martial arts clothing and accessories.
Acting credits
5.6Russell Hatch, an Interpol operative who takes on the role of father figure to Jayden, the son of an informant killed in a routine raid gone wrong. Years later, Hatch finds himself protecting Jayden and his grandfather from a group of merciless gangs in an all-out turf war, stopping at nothing to protect Jayden and fight anyone getting in his way.
Darkness of Man
2025
6.7What happens when a glamorous express, with high government officials, wealthy merchants, concubines and a gang of brigands on board, speeds towards the small town of Hanshui, where escaping bank robbers, corrupt officials, and gamblers await? Well, let's just say the Titanic had a smoother maiden voyage.
Millionaires' Express
1986
6.3It's fire and brimstone time as grieving mother Karen McCann takes justice into her own hands when a kangaroo court in Los Angeles fails to convict Robert Doob, the monster who raped and murdered her 17-year-old daughter.
Eye for an Eye
1996
4.7Detective-turned-bodyguard Cynthia McKay is hired by a psychotic, icy seductress, Nina Lindell, the same woman who killed McKay's lover months earlier. With vendetta in her heart, McKay accompanies a flamboyantly playful womanizer through the glamorous world of the super-rich, as his protector. In a unique role reversal, it is the woman protecting the man from another woman, erupting into a deadly triangle of passion, suspense and action.
Guardian Angel
1994
6.2The film revolves around a crack squad of female police officers who have to deal with harassment and a lack of respect from their male colleagues, personal issues, as well as some serious criminals.
The Inspector Wears Skirts
1988
7.2Two unlucky thieves break into a just murdered man's hotel room and steal his passport, with a hidden microfilm, wanted by a triad boss. Two ass-kicking women cops—one Chinese, one British—are on the case.
Yes, Madam!
1985
3.4The film unfolds in Manila, Philippines, and in the jungles of the island of Boracay on a tropical island in the privacy of living Russian middle-aged man (Alexander Newsky). But the quiet life interrupted by the murder of one of the locals. In order to protect the daughter of the slain Filipino bandits Russian guy have to remember the past, he tried to bury.
Showdown in Manila
2016
6.8The fantastic story of how an ancient martial art, Chinese kung fu, conquered the world through the hundreds of films that were produced in Hong Kong over the decades, transformed Western action cinema and inspired the birth of cultural movements such as blaxploitation, hip hop music, parkour and Wakaliwood cinema.
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
2019
6.1Sean and Billie are undercover cops and martial arts masters. Investigating the death of a cop, they uncover a deadly ring of murder and corruption at a glitzy nightclub, where the rich are entertained by seductive women and protected by martial arts experts. Billie goes undercover to infiltrate the crime ring, leading to an explosive finale.
Martial Law II: Undercover
1991
6.0In this sequel, Scott Wylde, an American kickboxer, must go to Cambodia to rescue his Vietnamese girlfriend from Russian and Vietnamese troops.
No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder
1987
8.0Exploring the story behind the 1980s cult classic, examining the mix of Hong Kong action with Western storytelling, how Kurt McKinney inspired kids and teenagers to fight back against bullies, how the world was introduced to Jean Claude Van Damme, and how it impacted the VHS generation.
The Untold Story of No Retreat No Surrender
2026
7.6Jason Chan, a Hong Kong lawyer, is angry at the way the law protects criminals and decides to take the law into his own hands, dishing out vigilante justice when a key witness and his entire family are murdered. But hotshot cop Cindy Si is soon on Chan's case, and the situation unravels into a fight that only a few will survive.
Righting Wrongs
1986
5.1A diplomatic official is captured and imprisoned while touring a war zone, so a team of elite female commandos is assembled to infiltrate a women's prison for a daring rescue.
Mercenaries
2014
5.9Hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, this in-depth documentary offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the martial arts film -- from the genre's rebellious beginnings to high-flying modern epics. Jackson takes you through the best moments of 100 movies, including Charlie's Angels and Oscar winner Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Interviews with martial arts film veterans Sammo Hung, John Woo and Ang Lee round out the video.
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
2002
6.8When shady businessman Ron Hall kidnaps his daughter, retired karate champion Michael Rivers is forced to enter a deadly illegal Kumite tournament in Bulgaria. Enlisting the help of seasoned trainers Master Loren and Julie Jackson, he discovers other fighters face the same desperate struggle to save their loved ones.
The Last Kumite
2024
5.8An ex-FBI agent's fight against a crime syndicate becomes personal when they kidnap her granddaughter. She and her daughter, both martial arts masters, form an unstoppable team. Together, they outmaneuver and defeat the syndicate's henchmen in a calculated game of cat and mouse, on a relentless mission to save her and topple the criminal empire.
Lady Scorpions
2024
5.3The film follows Kristi Jones who, along with her gang, take part in Mafia-run street fights to earn money for her sister's college education. Kristi's sister hopes to become a doctor and pay for Kristi's education.
Undefeatable
1993
6.6Archaeologist Shum finds an antique jade with supernatural power in Greece. The stone is wanted both by KGB's agent Karoff and the Interpol. Shum asks his friend Nike for help. However, Shum is finally caught by KGB but the jade is slipped into the hands of a boy called Pan.
Magic Crystal
1986
6.5Cindy, an American FBI agent, travels to Hong Kong to investigate a newspaper editor, Wong Tak, who is suspected of printing counterfeit money using the newspaper’s presses. The American teams up with a rival reporter and her friend Yu, an undercover law enforcer. Cindy’s investigation takes a sharp turn, however, when Yu’s father, the prosecuting lawyer in the counterfeiting case, is kidnapped.
Lady Reporter
1989
6.81874, East Texas. Two friends pursue the Posse, a group of sadistic human traffickers who have kidnapped five women. Along with an Indian scout, they race against time to find and free the women before the traffickers sell them to sex-slave buyers at the Mexican border.
Taken from Rio Bravo
2024
NRAn aging hitman seeks redemption, gathering his assassin family amid mayhem and intrigue. As dark secrets unravel, loyalties shatter, blurring love and betrayal in an adrenaline-fueled tale where bullets fly and stakes are high.
Dying for Living
2025
4.3Betrayed government agent Julie Cosgrove runs for the border but risks her safety by aiding a couple being harassed by drug smugglers as Julie's pursuers search for her.
Outside the Law
2002
6.2When a troubled teen from Cleveland experiences bullying in Cocoa Beach, he soon learns Martial Arts to gain confidence and self-defense skills.
The Martial Arts Kid
2015
5.5Martial artists in America battle over the possession of three ancient Chinese statues.
Fight to Win
1987
Behind the camera
4.7A dark, gritty, dystopian, western action martial arts film featuring a strong 'no-holds-barred' female protagonist portrayed by action film star Cynthia Rothrock. The plot centers around a sheriff’s sister who seeks revenge against the terrifying leader of a group of outlaws after discovering he brutally murdered her brother, his wife, and other family members in a gritty southwestern town.
Black Creek
2024
4.7A dark, gritty, dystopian, western action martial arts film featuring a strong 'no-holds-barred' female protagonist portrayed by action film star Cynthia Rothrock. The plot centers around a sheriff’s sister who seeks revenge against the terrifying leader of a group of outlaws after discovering he brutally murdered her brother, his wife, and other family members in a gritty southwestern town.
Black Creek
2024
4.4FBI agent Tracey Pride is on a mission to capture businessman Jason Slade, who is involved in extortion and murder. Teaming up with her is her sister, Joyce, a news reporter; Dragon Lee, Tracey's partner in Hong Kong, and Jake, a bodyguard who worked for Slade. Can they stop Slade before it's too late?
Honor and Glory
1992
NRln 1891 Arizona, a gritty frontier sheriff wages a bloody war against a murderous cult leader and his crazed followers after they kill her deputy, forging an unlikely alliance with Apache warriors, a grizzled outlaw and a U.S. Marshal to bring retribution to the lawless outlying territory of Black Creek.
Black Creek: Retribution
2027
NRln 1891 Arizona, a gritty frontier sheriff wages a bloody war against a murderous cult leader and his crazed followers after they kill her deputy, forging an unlikely alliance with Apache warriors, a grizzled outlaw and a U.S. Marshal to bring retribution to the lawless outlying territory of Black Creek.
Black Creek: Retribution
2027