Today we talk with Chris Collins, a former U.S. Marine with deep roots in Wing Chun and Jiu-Jitsu, as well as an actor and action choreographer known for his work in Ip Man 4, Paradox, and Raging Fire. He shares his journey through martial arts, filmmaking, action choreography, and the philosophy that shapes both his teaching and on-screen combat.
What led you to martial arts? From what I understand, you originally focused more on boxing and grappling.
My dad got me and my brother started very young in boxing and later wrestling, so combat sports were always a big part of our lives. Then, when I was a teenager, my dad—toward the end of his Navy career—introduced me to jiu-jitsu through a friend of his on the base.
How did you discover Wing Chun, and what made you decide to study it? Who was your instructor?
Wing Chun was something I discovered on my own while serving in the Marines. I became fascinated by its methodology and decided to pursue it after a chance meeting with an older Chinese man in a park near 29 Palms, California. I loved how efficient the system was and its ambidextrous nature.
After we had a friendly conversation, I asked him where I could properly learn Wing Chun. He simply told me, “You have to go to Hong Kong.”
Once I returned to my unit, I requested permission to formally train in Hong Kong. Permission was granted, and six months later I was there.
After visiting many different schools in Hong Kong, I decided to train under Great Grandmaster Sifu Cheng Chuen Fun and Grandmaster Sifu Leung Ting. Sifu Cheng ran the headquarters there, while Sifu Leung handled the overseas teaching and international expansion of the system.
Why do you think Wing Chun has become so popular?
I think its popularity really started with Bruce Lee. Bruce was—and still is—one of my biggest inspirations. People wanted to understand the original art he came from, and that was Wing Chun.
I think what makes it so attractive is its efficiency. You don’t need to be in fighter shape or be some elite athlete to benefit from it. And once you really get into it, it becomes a lot of fun.
It’s also a very cerebral martial art. The way you train forces you to think differently, and that can actually become transformative in how you approach learning and problem-solving in general.
As a Wing Chun practitioner, what stands out most to you about the style? What can any martial artist take from it to improve their technique?
For me, the best embodiment of Wing Chun is my Sifu, Ngan Tak Yee. We’ve been friends for nearly 30 years now. He reminds me a lot of Bruce Lee – small in size, but incredibly fit and explosive. His arms moved like snakes, combined with a ferocious spirit and a deep love for the art.
I think Wing Chun, in general, can benefit any martial artist because it really helps you become more comfortable at medium to close range—being “in the pocket.” Your reactions improve because your coordination and understanding of vector force increase dramatically.
What motivated you to add Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to your training? Who is your instructor, and what have you gained from it?
I came back to BJJ a few times over the years—it was kind of an on-and-off relationship. But around 2012 or 2013, I really started focusing on bringing it into my school. I think by that point I was finally ready to fully commit my energy to it after spending so many years in boxing, Wing Chun, and Kali.
My professor is Clark Gracie, son of Carley Gracie and grandson of Carlos Gracie. I always say Wing Chun changed my life, but Jiu-Jitsu saved my life. After undergoing spinal surgery, I used Jiu-Jitsu as part of my therapy and recovery process.
How do you blend Wing Chun with BJJ, and can that combination be seen in your film work?
I blend everything together—it’s an organic synergy. I teach and train MMA, so it naturally gives all the systems room to grow together. In Jiu-Jitsu, my Wing Chun background definitely gives me an advantage in hand fighting. On the other side, in Wing Chun, the Jiu-Jitsu experience gives me a strong awareness of balance and destabilization, which makes it much easier to apply control while striking. I actually developed my own teaching system called the Universal Method around this concept.
In film, I’m playing a character, so it depends on how the director wants that character portrayed. But in general, I always try to bring something from all my disciplines onto the screen. My new movie, Silent Ecko, will be the first time I can fully integrate my entire philosophy. I’m putting everything on the line for this one.
I’ve heard you run a security company – what led you in that direction?
I ran a security company for about seven or eight years. I wanted to continue the kind of work I was doing in the Marines, so I decided to build it myself—first as a training center focused on tactical firearms instruction for civilians, law enforcement, military personnel, and security professionals.
My business partner and I developed a full pipeline that allowed people to grow from technical courses into tactical training, then close-quarters combat, vehicle tactics, and beyond. We covered everything, and honestly, it was a lot of fun.
Eventually, we started taking on regular security work and later worked closely with the NBI in the Philippines as one of their training providers. But after a while, it became difficult balancing my academy, overseas seminars, film career, and running a security company all at the same time.
How were you first introduced to the filmmaking world?
Initially, it happened through a security company in Hong Kong. Most of the guys there would do side gigs as extras, and in some cases as stuntmen. I only started doing it to make a little extra money outside of work.
But honestly, I got bored with it pretty quickly because you spend hours just sitting around on set. I was in Hong Kong to train Wing Chun, not to make movies.
Can you share any stories from the set of Gen-X Cops (1999) and your experience working with Benny Chan?
Wow, that brings back memories. I was originally asked just to play a bodyguard in a scene where I pull out my gun and get shot down. Benny really liked my reactions, and Nicky Li asked me to stay and do more. But at the time, I just wasn’t that into it. Crazy how things turn out.
Fast forward to 2012, I think Nicky saw one of my firearms training courses in the Philippines and asked me to come on as a consultant for The White Storm, directed by Benny Chan and starring Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, and Lau Ching-wan.
That was a great experience. We filmed in Thailand and Hong Kong. Nicky brought me to meet Benny at his office, and Benny looked at him and said, “What do you want, Nicky?” Nicky said, “I want Chris to help me with the action scenes and also train the actors.”
Benny immediately said yes, and then he asked me to play one of the henchmen too. He told me, “You should be in front of the camera.” I was pumped. I said, “Let’s do it.”
There were a lot of memorable moments on set.
In 2015, you worked with Wu Jing on Wolf Warrior – what was that experience like?
That project happened through Nicky again. He asked me to come in as a consultant and also offered me the role of Cowboy alongside Scott Adkins. Wu Jing was incredibly determined to make that movie work. I honestly think he put all of his own money into it. And it paid off, because afterward he basically became the Chinese Rambo—the biggest actor in the world after that.
Nicky had me training the actors and helping design the action scenes, and then Wu Jing would come in and adjust things his own way.
At one point, I even had to teach one of the actors how to drive a Humvee because he couldn’t drive at all. So I got the keys to the 5-ton truck and started driving it around Nanjing. That was crazy. The next day, the actor got into the Humvee and had forgotten everything, so Nicky looked at me and I just said, “I’ll drive.”
Then Wu Jing got into the Humvee with Scott and said, “Show me you can drive.” I told him, “Hold on.”
I took off through the forest trails like a bat out of hell. For context, I’m Humvee-certified from my time in the Marines, and my dad was a race car driver. So I was flying through the trails, drifting around corners, spinning the vehicle into a 180, and bringing them back.
When we stopped, both Wu Jing and Scott were completely pale. It was hilarious. I loved that moment.
So I ended up driving the Humvee during the shoot, and then we had Chinese Blackhawks chasing us—which is another crazy story on its own. It was honestly a fantastic time.
Wu Jing also wanted to work on knife fighting, so we got to do that on set as well. I taught him some Kali techniques. He’s a terrific martial artist.
Can you talk about your experience working on SPL 2 and with Tony Jaa on SPL 3: Paradox?
On SPL 2, I was helping Nicky again with the action. He actually trained with me quite a bit during that period. The cast included Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, and Max Zhang. It was during the filming of their final fight scene that Nicky Li introduced me to Paco Wong, who later became my manager.
At first, I was mainly training actors and working as a consultant, but Paco saw me as a potential action star. That really set me on the path toward SPL 3: Paradox.
In Paradox, I got to play the lead villain—and I became the only guy to kill Tony Jaa on screen. That was a blast. The whole experience is one of my favorite memories.
From my first meeting with Sammo Hung and the stunt team, to fighting Wu Yue using choreography I came up with during rehearsals—it was all incredible. Sammo is just so cool.
Then there was the rooftop fight with Tony, which was amazing to shoot. And of course, that’s also where my cigar obsession began.
Tony himself was really wonderful. We would eat together on set, and he always said that when you put love out into the world, you get love back in return.
Can you share any interesting moments from the set of Ip Man 4?
We filmed that outside of Shanghai in a massive studio that’s been used for a lot of great kung fu films. I was really impressed by all the different areas they had built for shooting—from San Francisco Chinatown to Hong Kong streets, even the airplane set. It was incredible.
We did rehearsals nearby at a Wushu academy. Most of my days were spent filming, training at the gym, or working out at my friend’s jiu-jitsu academy.
For me, it was a huge learning experience working with Donnie and spending time talking with the camera crew. Director Wilson is a very interesting person, and I always enjoyed our conversations. That’s actually how Ip Man 4 came about.
We used to talk on the set of SPL: Paradox about Wing Chun and my background in the Marines. So when I later read the story for Ip Man 4, I was surprised—it was pretty cool.
What made me laugh was that I ended up playing a karate guy, even though I’ve never actually trained in karate and I’m really the Wing Chun guy. But Director Wilson liked my animated personality and energy, so it was an honor to play the role.
Can you share any stories from filming Raging Fire with Donnie Yen?
There were a lot of great moments. On the very first day on set, Donnie asked for a strong knife-fighting scene. Luckily, I was carrying my training knives, so I came up with a nice bit of choreography that we added right there on the spot. That was pretty cool.
My favorite part was helping design the street shootout sequence. I trained all the actors on shooting, movement, and doing smooth transitions. Then I thought it would be cool if Donnie grabbed the shotgun, jumped into the car, and rammed the SUV, which led into the chase scene toward the church. That whole sequence was really exciting.
The coolest part, though, was Donnie’s final fight with the villain. We got to create some really great moments, blending Kali, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and Wing Tsun together. It was a lot of fun, and I appreciated how open Donnie was to my ideas.
At the same time, I learned so much from him about action choreography, timing, and rhythm.
What was the most challenging part on the sets?
The most challenging part is knowing when to share an idea. There’s always a lot going on—Director Benny has ideas, Donnie has ideas, and Kenji has ideas. So I have to find the right moments to make suggestions.
And when Donnie suddenly goes, “Hey Chris,” I need to be ready immediately with several options and be able to show them quickly. Or explain clearly why something should—or shouldn’t—be done.
What is Donnie Yen’s approach to choreography?
Donnie is one of the best to ever do it. His ideas feel very modern, and he’s always thinking of something new. The way he puts action together is like a composer conducting an orchestra.
Is he open to ideas and giving performers a chance to showcase their strengths?
I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me personally, he was great to work with. He was very open to my ideas, and at the same time, he shared a lot of ideas and knowledge from his own experience. I’m hoping to put a lot of what I learned from him into action on my next project.
What advice would you give stunt performers looking to improve their speed?
I’d say don’t worry too much about speed. You can always shoot at 22 or 23 frames per second. I think it’s more important to focus on clean execution and developing something original.
How do you teach martial arts at your academy? Do you have your own method?
I’ve been teaching for nearly 30 years, and I’ve always looked for ways to improve my teaching methods. That’s what led me to develop what I call THE UNIVERSAL METHOD. It’s the system I use to teach everything. It applies not only to martial arts, but really to any physical activity or sport.
You’re now based in Hong Kong – what made you decide to leave the U.S.?
finished my service in the USMC in 2004 and brought my wife back to the States. We worked hard and did well until 2008, when our son Nicolas was born. At the time, I was teaching martial arts out of my garage while still working full-time during the day.
One day, I was training in the garage while my son sat there in his car seat watching me. I remember thinking to myself, “If I’m going to tell him to chase his dreams, then I better do the same.”
So we packed everything up and moved back to Hong Kong.
What are your top three favorite martial arts films of all time?
Ooh that’s tough.
- Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon.
- Donnie Yen in Flash Point.
- Tony Jaa in Ong Bak.
- Sammo Hung in Prodigal Son.
It’s funny after reading that. I followed Bruce and I’ve worked with Tony, Sammo and Donnie. That’s pretty cool.
What are your two favorite fight scenes in film history?
- Donnie Yen vs Colin Chou in Flash Point
- Charles Bronson in Hard Times
- Sylvester Stallone vs Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV
Hopefully my fight scene once I get the green light on Silent Ecko.
Which three recent action movies would you recommend watching?
The Punisher: One Last Kill. And I heard Furious is really good, I think that hits theatres next month.
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