The 20 best black action heroes of all time

Rudy Ray Moore may have started out as a comedian, but beginning with his self-financed 1975 film "Dolemite," he would become a self-styled action hero. He may not have had the looks or the body, but as his alter ego Dolemite, Moore was a true hero of the hood, complete with kung-fu skills, a way with all the ladies and a soft spot for protecting his community. Moore brought Dolemite back to the screen in two sequels, "The Human Tornado" and "The Return of Dolemite."

You might not remember Woody Strode, but he serves as the archetype for all black action heroes to follow. Strode, like a number of actors on this list, started out playing professional football, parlaying his popularity into a career on screen. What made him different is that as a black actor, he accomplished this during a time when being black meant subservient roles with little impact. Strode broke free of that conception with a supporting role in the 1960 classic "Spartacus," playing a pivotal role depicting a black slave who not only stood up for himself, but also sparked a rebellion to come. That role earned him not only a Golden Globe nomination, but also consistent work in a number of western and action roles. As an action star, he was a pioneer in every sense of the word.

One of the youngest names on this list, John Boyega represents the future of black action heroes on screen. A British native, Boyega first showed his action chops in 2011's "Attack the Block" as a streetwise chav who led a group of ragtag hoodlums against an alien menace. The success of that film put him on the map, leading to being cast as Finn in the newest "Star Wars" trilogy. His easy charm and instant charisma match well with a toughness that will see him in more and more action roles, and with a head start this big, who can compare? We'll see him next in "Pacific Rim: Uprising" in theaters this summer.

At 41, Chadwick Boseman isn't necessarily a spring chicken, but with his turn as King T'Challa of Wakanda, better known as the Black Panther, his star couldn't be hotter. Stealing the show as the African king in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War," Boseman gets his chance to double down this year, first in "Black Panther" and later in "Avengers: Infinity War." Match that with a strong turn in revenge fable "A Message from the King," and Boseman has all the makings of an action star to watch this year and beyond.

Richard Roundtree may not be the first black action hero, but with his iconic turn as private detective John Shaft in four (and soon five) films, he's carved out a well-deserved place on this list. As Shaft, Roundtree was the archetype for the lethal ladies' man of the so-called Blaxploitation era. What set Roundtree apart from many of his contemporaries was that while many of his competition and imitators often played their roles for laughs, Roundtree was dead serious and the epitome of cool as the "black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks."

Of all the names on this list, Michael Jai White may be the most underrated. Despite being involved in action films his entire career, White didn't get his first starring role until 1997's "Spawn," an adaptation of the '90s comic book property. While he didn't set the world on fire with that performance, he would work consistently until he finally got the role he could comfortably be known for, that of "Black Dynamite." While the 2009 film was a spoof of '70s Blaxploitation, White lit up the screen in a role tailor made for him and his actual martial arts prowess, something that makes him a natural action star and one of our favorite heroes.

Bernie Casey spent the better part of the 1960s intimidating fellow players out on the football field as a wide receiver in the NFL, but once the curtain came down on his gridiron career, he took his chiseled features to the silver screen, following in the footsteps of contemporary Jim Brown, to star in a number of '70s action classics, from "Return of the Magnificent Seven" to charged racial stand-off flick "...tick...tick...tick..." alongside Brown. His best-known action starring role came in 1972, with his remake of "Get Carter" titled "Hit Man."

Like Michael Jai White, Jim Kelly parlayed actual skill in martial arts into a solid film career in a number of action vehicles in the 1970s, ranging from Blaxploitation fare like "Black Belt Jones" and "Black Samurai" to a starring role alongside Bruce Lee in the now-classic kung-fu action spectacle "Enter the Dragon." Known as much for his blown-out afro as his high kicks, Kelly eked out a fairly consistent career, never failing to impress with his shaolin signature displays of kung-fu mastery. 

Although his career in the NFL lasted only seven games, Carl Weathers was yet another export from the league to theaters in the 1970s. Despite his beginnings in Blaxploitation, his signature turn as Muhammad Ali clone Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" franchise brought him the sort of mainstream exposure many of his contemporaries never had the opportunity to enjoy. Weathers parlayed that wide exposure into a solid career in action films throughout the '80s and early '90s, from starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987's "Predator" to his own moment in the sun as "Action Jackson."

Another unlikely action hero, Danny Glover solidifies his place on our list with his portrayal as forever ready-to-retire Roger Murtaugh in the "Lethal Weapon" series. As the straight man and foil to the loose cannon wild card Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), Glover has had his opportunity to shine as a bona fide action hero, particularly in "Lethal Weapon 2" where he gave the term "diplomatic immunity" an entirely new spin. From "Lethal Weapon," Glover would secure the lead in 1990's "Predator 2."

Before becoming a mainstream household name for his role as Morpheus in the sci-fi classic "Matrix," he shined in action vehicles like "Deep Cover" and "Fled." However, Fishburne, despite having a career that spanned three decades, will almost always be known for his authoritative role in the "Matrix" franchise, not that it's a bad thing to be remembered for.

Like Rudy Ray Moore, Jamie Foxx started out in comedy, first as a bit player on television and then in minor films like "The Players Club," but it wasn't long before he found himself starring in action vehicles, like 2000's "Bait" and his star-making performance in 2004's "Collateral." Since then, Foxx successfully lit up the screen in a number of action-oriented films and doesn't look to be slowing any time soon.

America was shocked when Jim Brown walked away from the NFL while still in his prime. The public was just as shocked when he segued into cinemas, settling into a long career as a man to be reckoned with in films like "Slaughter," "The Dirty Dozen" and "100 Rifles." Browns' ability to intimidate on the football field carried over well into action films, as he delivered his lines convincingly and was never afraid to take a punch, both real and imagined. 

As the only woman on this list, Pam Grier set a tone of deadly sexuality that was every bit as vital and powerful as her male counterparts in the '70s. While the Blaxploitation era was an ever-moving pastiche of pimps and players sticking it to the man, Grier portrayed normal women often pushed too far. She was rarely portrayed as some helpless shrinking violet, and her efforts in placing female action heroes — of any color — on the map makes her an icon for life. Fearless, sexy and smart, from "Foxy Brown" to "Coffy" to "Jackie Brown," Grier’s bold attitude and fearlessness on screen had no equal among women and most men for that matter.

Not since Richard Roundtree made action heroes look as cool in the '70s has anyone done the same in just the way Samuel L. Jackson does, naturally. Maybe it's his sharp tongue, piercing eye, and his uncanny ability to take a script and deliver something both intense and unexpected, Jackson commands the screen, and whether it's as a Jedi master to a beleaguered private eye to a man who just wants to get some snakes off his plane, Jackson the action movie icon that, more often than not, delivers far more than he fails.

Wesley Snipes, thanks to his turn in the "Blade" franchise, is still regarded as one of the most engaging black action heroes to watch. Whether it's alongside Sylvester Stallone in "Demolition Man" or saving a plane full of hostages in "Passenger 57," Snipes embodied the best of what it meant to be an action hero of color in America. While Snipes spent the last few years with a much dimmer star due to legal issues, he now looks tanned, rested and ready to take the action world by storm once again.

Considered one of the best actors on stage and screen working today, Denzel's filmography is highlighted by his dramatic work, but when it comes to action, he takes no shorts, with strong titles such as "Ricochet", "Man on Fire", "Training Day" and his current "Equalizer" franchise. Bringing his stoic charm and gravitas to the action genre only seems like a natural fit and exactly why he's still snagging action roles now into his 60s.

Will Smith's transition from hip-hop to Hollywood is certainly the stuff that dreams are made of, but who would've thought that dream would lead to becoming the highest-paid actor on Earth with a string of star vehicles including "Independence Day," "Bad Boys" and "Men in Black'." While he no longer sees the same $20 million paydays he did a decade ago, Smith is still able to snag a hit here an there, including Netflix's original film "Bright," which set records for the online streaming service, leading to the announcement of a sequel, set to release in the next couple years.

Bulging with muscles and dripping with charisma, "The Rock" is the heir-apparent to the action heroes of the '80s and '90s. While he may have cut his teeth in action during his time with the WWE, this wrestler-turned-actor was able to successfully grow beyond the the ring with an early star-turn in 2003's "The Rundown." Since then, it's been onward and upward for Johnson, who's most recent action blockbuster "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is close to hitting the billion-dollar mark. Of all the talent on this list, right now, no one is as bankable at the box office as Johnson.

When it comes to black action heroes, nobody beats the Hammer, ever. Williamson earns the top spot on our list just by virtue of serving as the mold by with other action stars formed their own career. Throughout the '70s and '80s, Williamson was the black action hero, particularly in a time where not many were able to achieve his longevity and ability to sell a film. Williamson may never have been a marquee name, but go into any of those old places we used to call Video Stores, and it would be hard not to find him on a VHS box cover in films such as "Black Caesar," "Three the Hard Way," "The Big Score," or "Black Cobra." All black action heroes owe a debt to Fred Williamson, because he set the tone during a time before being black on screen had mass appeal.