Chuck Norris, the legendary American actor and martial artist whose name became synonymous with toughness and action cinema, has passed away. He died on Thursday morning in Hawaii, according to a post by his family.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the family asked for privacy and noted that he was surrounded by loved ones at the time of his passing.
"It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning. While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.
"To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family," the statement read.
The death appeared to come suddenly.
Reports indicate that Norris was hospitalised either Wednesday or Thursday, and sources close to the star noted that as recently as Wednesday he had been working out and was described as being in an upbeat and jovial mood, making the news all the more shocking to those who knew him.
Norris built one of Hollywood's most iconic careers on the back of his extraordinary martial arts background and magnetic screen presence.
He rose to prominence through a string of intense action films in the 1980s, becoming one of the decade's biggest box office draws and a cultural symbol of American toughness.
Away from Hollywood, Norris was no less impressive. He held black belts in multiple martial arts disciplines, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989, and was officially inducted as an actual Texas Ranger in 2010.
One of the most celebrated chapters of Norris's life was his close friendship and training partnership with martial arts icon Bruce Lee. The two trained together in the mid-1960s and later co-starred in the 1972 classic 'The Way of the Dragon.'
In his later years, Norris stepped back from acting, making only occasional appearances, most notably a cameo in 'The Expendables 2' in 2012.
His final years were also marked by personal loss, including the death of his mother in 2024 and the passing of his first wife, Dianne Holechek, in December.
He leaves behind a legacy that stretches far beyond film — one built on discipline, resilience and a career that turned his very name into a cultural phenomenon.
See the post by his family below:
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