Considered one of the most important action movie stars in cinema history, Chuck Norris passed away on Thursday at the age of 86 in Hawaii. He was hospitalized on the island of Kauai, where he owned property.
In the statement issued by his family this Friday, shared on the actor's Instagram profile, they highlighted that "to the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a dedicated husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family." They have requested privacy to mourn.
Chuck Norris's (Charles Ray Norris) childhood, who turned 86 on the 10th of this month, was marked by melancholy, little interest in studies, and the poor economic situation of the family.
Upon reaching adulthood, he married his high school sweetheart Dianne Kay Holechek and enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he was assigned to South Korea. His comrades nicknamed him Chuck, and his passion for martial arts emerged, becoming an expert in tangsudo, a combination of Japanese karate, modern taekwondo, and Chinese kung fu.
In 1962, after four years of service to his country, he settled in California where he applied to become a police officer. While waiting for permission, he opened a martial arts school and participated in specialized karate competitions.
As he was doing well financially, Chuck and Dianne decided to start a family, and thus Mike (64) and Eric (61) were born. As a result of an affair, he had a daughter named Dina (64), whose existence he was unaware of until she contacted the already Hollywood star in 1991. He accepted her immediately. "I didn't need DNA or blood tests," he declared later, as at the time of the formal introduction, he felt like he had known her all his life.
The turning point in Chuck Norris's life came in 1968 when he met Bruce Lee at the All-American Karate Championship at Madison Square Garden in New York. Four years later, Lee offered his friend the role of the villain in Way of the Dragon (1972), which allowed him to venture into the world of Hollywood for the first time.
"Bruce Lee had poor eyesight and one leg shorter than the other, but he had a mental image of what he wanted and became the quintessential martial artist and the first Chinese superstar in American movies," Norris stated in one of his interviews. Their beautiful friendship ended abruptly when Bruce Lee passed away at the age of 32 in 1973.
From that moment on, Chuck was determined to pursue a career in the film industry, with the support of the icon Steve McQueen - star of The Great Escape (1963) and Papillon (1973) - who was one of his famous students alongside Priscilla Presley and Marie Osmond and who recommended that he take classes at MGM Studios.
This is how in the 70s and 80s, his legacy began to take shape with titles like Good Guys Wear Black (1978), Code of Silence (1985), or Delta Force (1986). But undoubtedly, his most legendary role that brought him worldwide popularity was in the series Walker, Texas Ranger (1993-2001), for which he had an initial salary of 100,000 dollars per episode.
Chuck and Dianne divorced in 1988 after three decades of marriage. He highlighted about the first great love of his life: "She has always supported me in my goals. She has never complained, not even when we had to tighten our belts and cut corners."
In 1998, the actor married model Gena O'Kelly, nearly 25 years his junior. The couple had two children, twins Dakota (25) and Danilee (25). When his wife was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2013, Norris largely set aside his professional duties.
"I gave up my film career to take care of Gena; my whole life has been dedicated to ensuring she has the best quality of life. I think it's very important." The star stated that they had spent over two million dollars on her treatment.
The actor was one of the first celebrities to publicly show support for the Republican Party, aligning with the far right and from the beginning becoming a staunch supporter of Proposition 8 which opposed same-sex marriage. Ultimately, the Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional.
Author of numerous martial arts books, as he was also a specialist in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, hapkido, and boxing, Chuck Norris has been one of the great action movie heroes.
His loved ones emphasized in the press release that "he lived his life with faith, purpose, and unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions worldwide and left a lasting impact on many lives."
And they added: "Although our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him. The love and support he received from fans worldwide meant a lot to him, and our family is truly grateful for it. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends."
The actor leaves behind an inheritance that, according to American media, amounts to 70 million dollars thanks to his work as an actor and business investments. In 2023, he sued CBS for unpaid royalties from the series Walker, Texas Ranger, for which Chuck Norris ultimately pocketed 30 million dollars.