Most Hong Kong action cinema aficionados would, at some point while watching a martial arts movie from the late 80s/early 90s, notice this gorgeous and deadly Caucasian woman who gets to kick loads and loads of ass and hold her own even against Hong Kong's greatest action legends, at which point they would end up questioning: "Who's that blonde chick fighting Sammo Hung? Didn't she fight Yuen Biao yesterday? And now... she's teaming up with Michelle Yeoh and Sibelle Hu to kick ass?"
Cynthia Ann Christine Rothrock (born March 8, 1957, in Wilmington, Delaware) is an American martial artist and actress frequently appearing in martial arts films, making her debut in Hong Kong cinema (usually as the gweilo henchwoman, but sometimes in important leading roles) and a household name in B-grade cinema. Ever since learning martial arts at age 13, Rothrock holds black belt rankings in seven styles of martial arts and is a high-level competitor in martial arts tournaments.
Rothrock is one of the few western performers to achieve genuine stardom in the Hong Kong film industry before success in the States. Making her film debut in Yes, Madam, Rothrock would stay in Hong Kong and kick ass alongside various martial arts icons. Along the way, she dated Mang Hoi (her co-star in Yes Madam, part of "Hung's Troupe" associated with Sammo Hung, and best known as "Mr. Vampire" Lam Ching-ying's apprentice in Vampire Expert II). Initially, Rothrock spoke no Cantonese, and Mang no English; Michelle Yeoh became their translator. After some years of dating, the pair eventually separated. When Mang died of cancer in October 2023, Rothrock mourned him on social media.
She was credited as 羅芙洛 ("Fu-Lok Law" or "Foo-Lok Law") in her Hong Kong movies.
Rothrock is notably the inspiration behind Sonya Blade from Mortal Kombat. Also known for being Allison Pregler's favorite action film actress, much in the same vein as Pierre Kirby of Godfrey Ho Ninja Movies fame for Brad Jones.
Cynthia Rothrock's selected works:
- Blonde Fury
- City Cops
- Honor and Glory
- The Magic Crystal
- Mercenaries
- Millionaires' Express
- Prince Of The Sun
- Angel The Kickboxer - much of this film is made with footage from Honor and Glory spliced together with an unrelated Hong Kong film, with few minutes of original footage starring Yukari Oshima. The result is as hilariously uneven and confusing as it sounds.
- No Retreat No Surrender 2 Raging Thunder
- Righting Wrongs
- The Inspector Wears Skirts
- Undefeatable
- Yes, Madam
- Eye for an Eye - as a self-defense instructor called Tina.
- She appeared as the Monster of the Week in the episode "Not Fade Away" of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, where she fights fellow martial artist Karen Sheperd.
Tropes associated with her:
- Action Girl: Both in movies and in real life. She's a black belt in 7 different martial arts and was a 5 times undefeated world champion in both forms and weapons between 1981 and 1985, a record still unbroken to this day. Naturally, this translates into most of her roles in movies being women who kick loads of asses.
- B-Movie: While she had a strong amount of success in Hong Kong cinema, something rare for a white actress, her in-country career mostly just saw her get employed in B-movies.
- Celebrity Voice Actor: In Cool Car Kids Superhero, the recut version of Cool Cat Saves the Kids she provides Momma Cat's voice, replacing April Ann Reese for reasons best not discussed here.
- Expy: That is to say she has one. She inspired the fighting game character Sonya Blade from Mortal Kombat.
- Kick Chick:
- Her fighting style primarily employs her fluid and precise kicking technique, particularly noticeable in her opening scene in No retreat no surrender 2
, where she literally kicks some poor sucker around. - She also has a signature move called the scorpion kick, which is quite useful to get herself out of headlocking holds.
- Her fighting style primarily employs her fluid and precise kicking technique, particularly noticeable in her opening scene in No retreat no surrender 2
- Pint-Sized Powerhouse: 1.6m (5'3''), between 110 and 120 lbs and yet she could still mop the floor with you in less than a minute, even at the age of 63.
- Significant Birth Date: She was very conveniently born on March 8, aka International Women's Day.note
