Chuck Norris — the legendary martial artist and action movie icon known for films like The Delta Force and Missing in Action — has died at 86, according to reports.
His family confirmed he passed away Thursday morning in Hawaii, sharing an emotional statement:
“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.”
They added, “He lived life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved.”
According to TMZ, Chuck had reportedly been hospitalized just a day or two earlier, and the situation appeared sudden. According to a source who spoke with him on Wednesday, he had been working out and was in an upbeat, jovial mood.
A true icon of the 1980s action era, Norris became a household name through his martial arts films and later as Cordell Walker on the hit TV series Walker, Texas Ranger.
Though he stepped back from major acting roles in recent years, he made occasional appearances, including in The Expendables 2 (2012).
Beyond Hollywood, Norris was a highly accomplished martial artist, earning black belts in multiple disciplines. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 and was even named an honorary Texas Ranger in 2010.
He also shared a long-standing friendship with martial arts legend Bruce Lee — the two trained together in the 1960s and co-starred in the 1972 film The Way of the Dragon.
In recent years, Norris endured personal loss, including the deaths of his mother in 2024 and his first wife, Dianne Holechek, in December.
Still, he remained active and connected with fans. Just days ago, in a post celebrating his 86th birthday, he joked, “I don’t age … I level up.”
Even off-screen, Norris stayed a cultural phenomenon, with viral memes cementing his reputation as an unstoppable force.
Born in Oklahoma in 1940, Norris served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958 to 1962. He is survived by his children, including actor Mike Norris and NASCAR driver Eric Norris.
A larger-than-life figure both on and off the screen, Chuck Norris leaves behind a legacy that defined an era of action entertainment.
Rest in peace, Chuck!
