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CYNTHIA ROTHROCK
Karate
From cynthiarothrock.org
Cynthia
Rothrock is one of the greatest martial arts/action film stars
in the world, Few other performers can match her presence and
energy on the silver screen. She is the undisputed "Queen
of Martial Arts films".
Cynthia
Rothrock is not only a great action star, but also an incredibly
accomplished martial artist. She holds 5 Black Belts in various
Far Eastern martial disciplines. These Arts include; Tang Soo
Do (Korean), Tae Kwon Do (Korean), Eagle Claw (Chinese), Wu Shu
(contemporary Chinese), and Northern Shaolin (classical Chinese).
When
she was a 13-year-old growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, she
started taking lessons at her parents best friends private gym.
Little did she know at the time that this casual interest would
lead to a full-time professional career. Her natural abilities
were quickly recognized by her martial arts teachers and they
encouraged her to enter open karate competition, By the time
she had earned her first Black Belt she was well on her way to
becoming a martial arts champion. By 1982 Cynthia was one of
the premier Kata (forms) and weapon competitors in the United
States. Competing in divisions that were not segregated by male-female
categories, she literally captured every title in both open and
closed karate competition. From 1981-1985 she was the undefeated
World Karate Champion in both forms and weapon competition. Establishing
a legacy of wins and accumulating hundreds of trophies for her
martial arts prowess; a feat that is unparalleled even to this
day! She is a consummate performer with such Chinese weapons
as the Chinese Double Broad Swords, Staff, Chinese Nine-section
Steel Whip Chain, Chinese Iron Fan, and an assortment of Okinawan
Kobudo and Japanese Bugei Weapons.
As
a Forms and Weapon Champion, Cynthia Rothrock has traveled the
world performing the intricacies of her martial arts arsenal.
With precision flare and panache she has demonstrated before
hundreds of thousands of spectators across the globe. Her "action-packed" self-defense
and fight scenario performances garnered her the reputation as
a consummate professional in the World of Martial Arts.
This
international exposure soon propelled her to martial arts celebrity
status and within a mere period of less than two years Cynthia
became a household name in martial arts circles. In addition
to being featured on the cover of virtually every martial arts
magazine in the world, Cynthia has been featured in over 300
stories and articles in national and international publications.
Some of these magazines include Black Belt Magazine (United States),
Inside Kung-Fu (United States), Martial Arts Training (United
States), Martial Arts Stars (United States), Inside Karate (United
States), Sensei (Spanish-Argentina), Australian Fighting Arts,
China Sports (Beijing, China), Budo (Brazil), Combat Sport (Spanish-Brazil),
Combat Magazine (England), Sushido (French), Kung-Fu Wu Shu (French),
Karate Budo Journal (Germany), Australian Tae Kwon Do, The Fighters
(England), Martial Arts Illustrated (England), Michael De Pasquale
Jr.'s Karate International (United States), Budo Karate (Japan),
Banzai International (Italy), Czarny Pas (Poland), Cinturon Negro
(Spain), Ninja Weapons (United States), El Budoka (Spain), Kicksider
(Germany), Impact Magazine (Germany), Karate Illustrated (United
States), The Swedish Fighter's International (Sweden), Master
(United States), Kung-Fu Illustrated (United States), The Fighter
(Thailand), Masters Series (United States), The Martial Arts
Gazette (United States), Karate Profiles (United States), Sport
Karate International (United States), The World of Martial Arts
(United States), The Dojo (United States), and hundreds of National
and International newspapers.
Cynthia
Rothrock is also one of the very select individuals to be inducted
into the Black Belt Hall of Fame and Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fame.
Inclusions in such renowned organizations as the Martial Arts
Gallery of Fame, MARTIAL ARTS, Traditions, History, People, The
Martial Arts Sourcebook, and dozens of other historical reference
books of martial significance.
Cinematically,
Cynthia burst onto the scene like a stick of dynamite after "starring" in
a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial in the early 1980s. Soon
there after Producers and Directors recognized her martial arts
skills and her career began a steady climb upward. Cynthia's
first full length motion picture was Yes Madam also starring
Michelle Yeoh. The movie turned out to be a hit and broke all
box office records in Hong Kong,
Cynthia
and Michelle were launched and on their way to becoming two of
the most successful female action stars in the world, Putting
it briefly, when Cynthia was invited to Hong Kong to appear in
motion pictures, she didn't know what to expect. She thought
they were going to do period pieces where she would have to wear
tight pigtails and traditional Chinese costuming. To her surprise
she soon thereafter discovered that she would be starring in
Chinese action films set in modern times with contemporary themes.
As
a result Cynthia Rothrock spent five years in Hong Kong starring
in Asian produced motion pictures. In that time she had starred
with kung-fu greats Samo Hung and Yuen Biao. She was even offered
a role opposite of Jackie Chan in Armour of Gods, but
Jackie got injured so the company instead put her in Righting
Wrongs with super star Yuen Biao. During that Asian tenure
she, unbeknownst to her, has set a record of becoming the very
first non-Chinese westerner to carry an action movie single-handedly
in Hong Kong. In fact, she left Hong Kong as one of the most
celebrated action stars in Hong Kong's cinematic history!
Hong
Kong based mega-film producing consortium Golden Harvest Productions
(co-producer of Enter the Dragon starring Bruce Lee with
Warner Brothers) decided to try and launch Cynthia's United States
film career with a series of action films called China O'Brien and China
O'Brien 2. Though not as popular in domestic theaters, these
movies went on to become favorites in international videos stores
and cable networks. Even today they are among some of the action
martial arts aficionado's all time favorites. Her astounding
motion picture career has earned her the indisputable tide throughout
the world as "Kung-fu Video Queen".
Her
array of foreign and domestic action-films are as impressive
as her martial arts and weapon talents. Cynthia has starred in
over 30 "action" films and/or video productions (made
for TV) including; Defend Yourself (1985 Sybervision Learning
Tape), Police Assassins (a.k.a. Yes, Madam 1985), Shanghai
Express (1986), NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER (1985), Magic
Crystal (1985), Above the Law (a.k.a. Righting Wrongs
1987), Inspectors Wear Skirts (1988), Blond Fury (a.k.a.
Lady Reporter 1988), China O'Brien II (1988), Martial
Law (1989), ANGEL OF FURY (1989), Prince of the
Sun (1989), Deadliest Art: BEST OF THE MARTIAL ARTS FILMS (1990), Fast
Getaway (1990), MARTIAL LAW II (1990), Lady Dragon (1990), Tiger
Claws (1990), Rage and Honor (1990), Rage and Honor
II (1991), Lady Dragon II (1991), UNDEFEATABLE (1992), CITY
COPS (1992), Irresistible Force (1993), GUARDIAN
ANGEL (1993). Fast Getaway II (1994), EYE FOR AND
EYE (1994), TIGER CLAWS II, (1995), Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys (Not Fade Away 1996), SWORN TO JUSTICE (1996), CHECKMATE (1995), Night
Vision (1996), Dukes of Hazard Reunion (1997), EEK
THE CAT (1997), AMERICAN TIGERS (1991) and HOSTAGE (1997),
Cynthia
Rothrock's movie career "shooting schedule" has taken
her to some of the most exotic locations on the planet. Paradoxically,
she has also endured some of the worse climatic conditions that
anyone in the moton picture could ever anticipate - all in the
name of making "action-adventure" motion pictures.
But,
Cynthia is quick to point out that the memories and enjoyment
of working with some of the top martial arts directors in the
business has all been worth it. Namely; outstanding directors
like Robert Clouse (Enter the Dragon starring Bruce Lee), Cory
Yuen (No Retreat, No Surrender end many more), Samo Hung (Shanghai
Express and many more), Guy Norris (Rage and Honor II), Kevin
Hooks (Irresistible Force, more), Oley Sassone (Fast Getaway
II, more), Paul Maslak (Blonde Justice, more), John Schlesinger
(Eye for an Eye, more), Brian Todd (Hostage, more). and Fred
Williamson (Night Vision, more).
William
Groak, an Editor for Black Belt Magazine, once compiled a dossier
that perhaps best sums up Cynthia's action-adventure martial
arts film career and work ethic when it comes to the film making
process. Simply stated, it reads, "Cynthia Rothrock: The
Next Action Hero. SUBJECT: Next Action Film Star. MISSION: Conquer
America. STATS: Can Fight, Punch, Maim, Shoot, Kick and Whip
155 Crazed Terrorists with nary a scratch. PROFILE: Sports a
Ponytail better than Seagal, Chest Superior to Arnold, Looks
Superior to Van Damme and Norris. And, unlike Stallone and Willis,
obliterates Bad Guys while perched on Three-Inch Heels."
She
has had her celebrated moments in the "spot light" as
a film personality that has been a true martial artist from the
beginning of her film career. Appearing at Arnold Schwarzenegger's
Fitness EXPO '98 brings back fond memories of Arnold actually
singing "Happy Birthday" to her on stage before a packed
house that drew 75,000 competitors and spectators for a weekend
in Columbus, Ohio in 1998. Much of that same notoriety has been
experienced at Film Festivals all over the world in addition
to countless hundreds and hundreds of karate and kung-fu tournaments
she has attended over the past decade. Being honored at the Crystal
Awards (comparable to Hollywood's Academy Award "Oscars")
had it's finer moments as well. Cynthia was presented with the
Lifetime Achievement Award for popularizing martial arts around
the world through the film media.
Publicity
has followed Cynthia Rothrock through every stage of her illustrious
career. She is the "media darling" of virtually every
reporter, writer, and martial arts magazine in the world. They
know that she draws readers by the thousands to their publication.
In fact, her "image" and "career" is perhaps
followed more closely (by martial arts enthusiast) than any other "martial
arts" actors except Chuck Norris or Jackie Chan.
Many of these
are due to the "love" for the martial arts and the "seminars" she
conducts to share her knowledge and "experiences" with
serious martial artists that wish to make "film" and "performing" their
careers. She has had a profound impact on thousands of kids and
adults alike who are trying to break into the "action-adventure
martial arts" film industry. Eric Lee (Legends of the Millennium
Chairman of the Board) and herself travel and co-op "seminars" that
teach almost every aspect of the martial arts and film business,
Teaching action-film stunt fighting, choreography, self-defense,
camera angles, acting, winning with world class championship
kata (forms) - both empty-hand and weapons, chi gung, understanding
the film making process, longevity exercises, etc. are among
a few of the various courses that one can expect to learn at
these exciting teaching/training seminars.
As
a Corporate Board Member of LEGENDS of the MILLENIUM Corporation,
Cynthia directs, advises, and brings with her the experience
of a lifetime of involvement in the martial arts. This, combined
with her celebrity status as a major film star within the genre
of action-adventure martial arts motion pictures enables her
to direct the Corporations "public Relations" endeavors
like no one else in the martial arts "theme-restaurant" business.
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