From Vin Diesel To Pam Grier: Legendary Black Action Heroes
These stars brought excitement to the big screen.
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In honor of Vin Diesel's 56th birthday, we are honoring Black action heroes in film. After breaking onto Hollywood's A-list with his role in the Oscar-winning war movie Saving Private Ryan, Vin Diesel became a top action hero. He's played the lead in blockbuster action franchises from The Chronicles of Riddick to the Fast and the Furious. (Photo: Universal Pictures)
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Jim Kelly was one of the first Black action superheroes of the big screen. Kelly became a superstar when he was hired to star alongside Bruce Lee in the karate classic Enter the Dragon. Afterwards, Kelly (literally) kicked down the doors for future Black action stars when he landed leading roles in '70s blaxploitation hits like Black Belt Jones and Three the Hard Way. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)
Photo By Photo: Warner Bros Pictures
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More than becoming an action star, Wesley Snipes became the first Black actor to land a hit action hero film franchise in the successful Blade series. As Blade, a superhero based on the Marvel Comics character, Snipes played a human-vampire hybrid out to protect humans from vampires. (Photo: New Line Cinema)
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Will Smith proved he was hero material after taking down international criminals in Bad Boys and saving America from space creatures in Independence Day. But there is also the Men in Black franchise. Starring as Jay, an agent battling undercover aliens, Smith delivers hilarious one-liners while battling his celestial foes. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
Photo By Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures
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While Zoe Saldana is considered one of Hollywood's sexiest actresses, she can also be a she-roic badass. After showing her battle chops in the crime action drama Colombiana, she brought Uhura back to life for the Star Trek franchise. (Photo: Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions)
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