They have the body. They have the hair. They even have the training and the degree to match that of their on-screen alter-egos. In short, they slay. Here are six actresses on television today who prove that casting real-life BAMFs for hardcore roles is the only way to go.
Number Six: Arden Cho as Kira Yukimura (Teen Wolf). Kira Yukimura came into the third season of Teen Wolf filled with adorable clumsiness, optimism, and mad katana-wielding skills. Much like her character on the show, Arden Cho also has a talent for the slice and dice. The vlogger has a third degree black belt in jiu jitsu and has training in gymnastics. She can’t really use her katana prop, but she’s pretty well-versed in swinging a pair of nunchucks.
Number Five: Katrina Law as Nyssa Al-Ghul (Arrow). Katrina Law, also known for her role as Mira in Spartacus, plays the morally ambiguous Nyssa Al-Ghul in The CW’s Arrow. Nyssa Al-Ghul is the daughter of Ra’s Al-Ghul, the ex-lover of Sara Lance, and the almost-bride of Oliver ‘Al Sah-him’ Queen. Unlike most of her co-actors, Law is an actual archer in the art of the bow and arrow. This fact, added with her black belt in taekwondo, leads to Law doing almost all of her stunts herself.
Number Four: Caity Lotz as Canary (Arrow) and White Canary (Legends of Tomorrow). The actress behind Sara Lance may not be a black belt, but she’s been trained in so many forms of martial arts that she may as well be one. Caity Lotz is a practitioner of Parkour and Tricking. More than that, however, Lotz is also disciplined in various forms of martial arts. She has training in Muay Thai, Wushu, Taekwondo, and a Yellow belt in Filipino martial arts under the guidance of the legendary Dan Inosanto.
Number Three: Ming-Na Wen as Melinda May (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Everybody knows her as the voice of Mulan. Nowadays, though, she’s been getting a brand new reputation as the double-edged sword that is Agent Melinda May of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Ming-Na Wen is studied in several forms of martial art, but she’s not a black belt holder herself. Who cares, though? Her Wushu training obviously works her choreographed fight scenes to perfection.
Number Two: Maggy Q as Nikita (Nikita). It’s Maggy Q. Just being her is enough epic-ness to get anyone through a lifetime. To add to her general state of awesomeness, though, is her affinity for practicing martial arts. The Nikita star studied Qi Gong, Wing Chun, and filipino martial arts after entering show business.
Number One: Lucy Liu as Joan Watson (Elementary). She was one of Charlie’s angels. She was the deadly Cottonmouth in Kill Bill. Now, she’s none other than Joan Watson. Lucy Liu currently plays the female counterpart of John Watson in the TV series known as Elementary. With a skillset that includes skiing, rock climbing, and Kali-Eskrima-Silat (knife-and-stick fighting), Lucy Liu brings a whole new level of physicality to the classic Mr. Watson character.
