"Grateful for the inspiration": Akshay Kumar pays tribute to late action star Chuck Norris

Taking to his X handle, Akshay Kumar recalled the role of Chuck Norris in his life, saying that he helped him to adopt qualities like discipline.

"Growing up as a martial artist, watching Chuck Norris in Way of the Dragon, Missing in Action and many more wasn't just entertainment...it was education. The discipline, strength, and that effortless command he brought on screen stayed with me. Grateful for the inspiration that shaped a part of me," wrote Akshay Kumar.

https://x.com/akshaykumar/status/2035008794254876789?

Actor Chuck Norris, who is known for his roles in 'Walker Texas Ranger' and gained fame due to his martial arts, passed away at the age of 86 on Thursday.

The family of the actor announced the news of the actor's demise through Norris's Instagram handle.

"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," wrote the family on their Instagram handle.

Earlier, Sylvester Stallone condoled the demise of the actor Chuck Norris. The actor shared the throwback photo with Chuck Norris while remembering his good old days with the actor.

Both artists have worked together in the film 'The Expendables 2'.

"I had a great time working with Chuck. He was an All-American in every way. Great man and my condolences to his wonderful family," wrote Stallone.

According to Deadline, the late actor had black belts in karate, taekwondo, tang soo bo, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo over the years.

That background set him up for roles in the likes of 'Return of the Dragon' (aka The Way of the Dragon), in which he appeared opposite Bruce Lee.

After appearing in a string of action pics, he was cast to lead the CBS crime drama 'Walker Texas Ranger', in which he played a member of the Texas Ranger Division for nine seasons.

His film credits include Missing in Action, Code of Silence and Firewalker, having broken through in 1983 in Lone Wolf McQuade. Many of his characters were tough guys who would only resort to violence if provoked.

Later in his career, his role as Cordell Walker, a former US Marine, in Walker, Texas Ranger, saw him appear on TV screens for nearly 200 episodes. A reboot of the series starring Jared Padalecki launched on The CW in 2020 and ran until 2024. (ANI)