6. Tony Jaa
Adored all over the world, Jaa is one of the greatest stars of modern action cinema, but his work has gone mostly underappreciated to Western audiences. Like many great action stars, Jaa is first and foremost a martial artist. His natural charisma and flair for the movies have resulted in him becoming a true icon of Thai cinema. His stunt-work jaw-dropping and his choreography is brilliantly imaginative. His emergence was a fresh addition to the struggling genre of action. Ong-Bak is his most well known work though still barely seen in the US and UK, which is a shame as it showcases the virtuoso talents of Jaa in a myriad of exotic ways. Even some of his lesser films are worth seeking out to see the sheer audacity of his stunt-work and martial arts skill. Jackie Chan desperately wanted him to appear in Rush Hour 3, but thankfully his schedule was busy, though if he had appeared then maybe more people would seek out his films. His decision to become a Buddhist monk has hindered the momentum of his career greatly, but his comeback in The Protector 2, next year, alongside Jija Yanin is highly anticipated, and will hopefully brighten his star in the US.