Al Leong, the veteran stuntman and actor known for roles in Die Hard and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, has been rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke, according to reports. The 74-year-old reportedly suffered the health incident in California last week, with his family requesting privacy.
Career spanning decades
Leong is best known for playing Uli, a terrorist in the 1988 film Die Hard, which starred Bruce Willis. His character was part of a group that took over L.A.'s Nakatomi Plaza, meeting a grisly end at the hands of Willis's character, NYPD cop John McClane.
His career dates back to 1981, when he landed a role as a circus performer in his first film, Going Ape. He went on to appear in Big Trouble in Little China and, in 1987, played mercenary Endo in Lethal Weapon alongside Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.
Notable roles and martial arts legacy
Two years after Die Hard, Leong starred as Genghis Khan in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. In 1993, in Last Action Hero, his character was wiped out with a flying ice-cream cone to the back of the head by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Speaking about the scene, he said: "I think I am hired to die because they’ve seen me on another show and said, ‘We wanna bring this guy in. I like the way this guy dies.' I’m fine with that. Dying is basically what they wanted me to do. Nobody showed me how to die. I’m a stunt person, I’m not an actor. I can hit the ground any which way. I’ve been a martial-arts guy so all that stuff was easy for me to do."
On television, Leong featured in shows including TJ Hooker, The Fall Guy, and Knight Rider. In 2014, he was inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame.
Current condition unclear
Sources speaking to TMZ could not confirm whether Leong was still in hospital or reveal his current condition. The veteran actor's condition remains unclear at present.
