Chuck Norris, the iconic martial artist and actor known for films such as The Delta Force and Missing in Action, and for portraying Texas Ranger Cordell Walker on CBS, has died at the age of 86.
The news, first reported by TMZ, was confirmed by Norris’s family, who said, “It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday [Thursday] morning. While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.”
The family added that Norris “lived life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved.”
Born in Oklahoma in 1940, Norris served in the US Air Force between 1958 and 1962.
He earned black belts in multiple martial arts disciplines and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989.
In 2010, he became an honorary Texas Ranger, reflecting his long association with the state and his popular television role.
Over his career, Norris became a global symbol of martial arts and action cinema in the 1980s and 1990s.
He starred alongside Bruce Lee in the 1972 film The Way of the Dragon, and the two maintained a close personal and professional relationship.
While Norris largely stepped back from acting in recent years, he made occasional appearances, including a minor role in The Expendables 2 in 2012.
Even in his later years, Norris remained active on social media, where fans frequently shared memes celebrating his legendary toughness.
He marked his 86th birthday on March 10 with a post from Hawaii, joking, “I don’t age … I level up.”
Norris’s personal life included two marriages and five children, including actor Mike Norris and NASCAR driver Eric Norris.
In recent years, he endured the loss of several close family members, including his mother in 2024 and his first wife, Dianne Holechek, in December.
Chuck Norris’s passing marks the end of an era for martial arts cinema and television action heroes.
