Who was Richard Norton? Stunt coordinator who trained celebrities like Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson dies 75

Richard Norton, the world-renowned stunt coordinator, martial artist, and actor, is dead at 75. His wife, Judy Green, announced his death in a heart-wrenching post on Instagram, describing her pain and sense of loss.

Although his cause of death is yet to be revealed, Norton’s death has been met with tributes across the entertainment industry, with people and artists saluting Norton as a talented professional and a beloved friend.

Born on January 6, 1950, in Croydon, Australia, Norton developed a love for martial arts at a young age. Beginning judo at 11, he later branched into karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu , and other fighting styles.

His skill led him into the security business, where he became a bodyguard to international music legends like The Rolling Stones, ABBA, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, and David Bowie. Ronstadt, seeing Norton's success, encouraged him to seek work in Hollywood.

Richard Norton made his film debut in 1980’s The Octagon, in which he played the masked ninja villain Kyo. alongside Chuck Norris. This was the start of a long and successful career in action films, especially in the martial arts scene in Hong Kong.

He had worked with Jackie Chan in films like City Hunter (1993) and Mr. Nice Guy (1997) and also played roles opposite Sammo Hung in Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars (1985).

A look into Richard Norton’s career as a fight choreographer and stunt coordinator

Outside of acting, Richard Norton gained recognition as a fight choreographer and stunt coordinator. He was instrumental in high-profile Hollywood projects, including Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and its 2024 prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Norton also worked as a stunt coordinator on Suicide Squad (2016), The Suicide Squad (2021), Blacklight (2022), and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019).

He also worked in television, serving as a fight choreographer on Walker, Texas Ranger. Norton’s influence went beyond the screen, as he came to be sought out as a trainer by some of Hollywood’s biggest names. His roster of students included Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Ben Affleck.

Tributes from colleagues and industry professionals following news of his passing emphasized Richard Norton’s dedication, skill and generosity. The Suicide Squad director James Gunn, who collaborated with Norton on the film, lauded him.

"He was a tough but sweet Australian dude with a hearty laugh and a million stories about his years making movies." Gunn said.

Amongst many other industry workers, Robert Patrick also paid tribute to Norton’s contributions, describing him as a “towering figure in the martial arts community.”