Richard Norton, a veteran acrobatics interpreter, actor and martial artist who exchanged blows with action icons, including Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan, died. He was 75 years old.
Norton's wife, Judy Norton, announced the death of her husband in an emotional Instagram publication shared during the weekend. “I am numb and devastated, I have no words, I have lost everything,” said Judy Norton. The publication did not reveal additional information, including a cause of death. Norton was 75 years old.
“I know there is, and it will be a lot of love and shock that we lost to this incredible human being. The love of my life,” he added. “I am using this time to reach an agreement with my great loss.”
Norton, born in Croydon, Australia, in January 1950, enjoyed a varied race that ranged from the 1980s to 2024 and resulted in battles on the screen against Norris in “The Octagon” and Chan in “City Hunter”. He also faced Hong Kong's action star, Sammo, hung in several films, including “Mr. Nice Guy” and fought with the Queen of Martial Arts Cynthia Rothrock in “China O'Brien”, “Lady Dragon” and more.
Norris cried the loss of his “dear friend and brother” on Sunday, sharing photos and photos behind the scene of his battles on the screen on Instagram. He said that Norton “made me not only a better martial artist but a better person” and that the interpreter's legacy will live. For Norris, Norton was “one of the best men I've met.”
“I long for more time together, but I comfort myself that we will meet again,” Norris wrote, before sending his love to Norton's family.
The filmmaker of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and head of DC Studios, James Gunn, also paid tribute to Norton during the weekend, remembering his work in “The Suicide Squad” as a fight choreographer. Gunn said on a Sunday Instagram post that he and Norton joined for his love for Hong Kong's films of the 90s, and that he was “particularly surprised” to learn about Norton's death because he said that the martial arts expert became much younger than it really was. Gunn sent his condolences to the family and collaborators of Norton.
“The world of cinema will be a less vibrant place without him,” Gunn said. “Rest in peace, friend.”
Norton's action loans also include “Force: Five”, “Gymkata”, “Furious: A Mad Max Saga”, “Magic Crystal”, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars”, “The Amazing Spider-Man” and the CBS series “Walker, Texas Ranger”. In addition to showing their action skills, Norton also helped several a-listsrs improve their own. Liam Neeson, Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron, Anya Taylor-Joy, Will Smith and Ben Affleck are among the actors who trained under Norton throughout their career.
Norton, whose dynamic struggle style obtained praise from Chan, began his career in martial arts at age 11 after joining a neighbor to his judo class, according to an interview on his website.
“I ended up going with him one night and I was absolutely intrigued by that. The only inconvenience was that it was quite small and thin as an 11 -year -old boy, so I ended up being a cannon fodder for some of the older and larger students,” he said.
Before his Hollywood career, Norton channeled his physical skills as a club security guard and, finally, a bodyguard for musical acts, including David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, Abba and Fleetwood Mac in the 70s. Norton, a black belt of sixth grade, also created the Brazilian Jiujitsu Association of Richard Norton, which helped bring martial art to several clubs and organizations throughout the south of Wales, Australia and the United Federation Fighting Arts de Norris.
