by Cynthia Rothrock
From 1981-1985, Cynthia Rothrock was the top-rated forms competitor in the United States, winning every forms competition at every tournament she attended during that span-and she attended many. In 1983, Rothrock was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as the first Female Competitor of the Year. Originally a tang soo do stylist, Rothrock was later introduced to eagle claw kung fu, and eventually trained in tae kwon do, wushu and shaolin kung fu.
In 1985, Rothrock moved to Hong Kong to begin an acting career. Eighteen films later, she is one of Hong Kong’s most successfulactresses, and has blazed a trail for other female martial artists to break into the film market. Rothrock, who recently appeared in Tiger Claws with Bolo Yeung, has come a long way since her initial role in a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial. The budding starlet took time between films recently to recount her journey to the top. –Editor
I started in tang soo do when I was 13 years old. Back then, karate was kind of a secret thing; not many people knew about it. I earned my black belt in tang soo do before moving to eagle claw kung fu. From there I got a black belt in tae kwon do, and I studied extensively in northern shaolin kung fu and wushu. The kung fu styles were especially helpful when I was competing in national forms competition. I went undefeated for five years, and part of my success was due to the originality of my forms.
Back then, Karen Shepard was really my only competition. She was number one when I came on the scene, so she was the one I had to beat. I think that because I was a lot stronger than Karen, I emphasized my strength and flexibility. I tried to bring a lot of dynamics into my forms, and make them very expressive and aesthetic, but still very powerful.
When I went professional, I specialized in forms and weapons. I never really competed in sparring on the national level. I didn’t care about fighting. I wanted to be the best in forms and weapons, and I had the drive for that. Whenever I did a form, I was thinking “I’ve got to win. I’ve got to win.” But when I fought, it was just for fun.
I retired from competition in 1985 because I broke into the martial arts movie industry and I had to go to Hong Kong. Two years earlier, in 1983, while I was on Ernie Reyes’ West Coast Demonstration Team, Ernie heard that some Hong Kong producers were in Los Angeles auditioning for a new Bruce Lee. So all the members of the team went down to audition, and I went with them. When I got here, the producers asked me if I wanted to show them something. So I did a form. Then they asked if I could do self-defense. So I did some self-defense techniques. They asked if I could fight. So I fought. They asked if I could do weapons. So I demonstrated some weapons. Then they went into an office, and when they came out they told me they had decided to sign me instead of any of the guys. Two years later I was off to Hong Kong, shooting my first film.
My first film was called Yes, Madam. If I had to choose any of the films that I’ve done to be my first movie, that would have been it, because I think it was a good one to help establish my career. It was a good introduction for me into the Asian and European film markets.
I did six more films in Hong Kong and lived there until 1988. At that time, I decided that I had built a big enough name for myself in foreign markets. It was time to come back to the United States and try to establish myself as a box-office draw.
It’s hard to be a woman star in the martial arts movie business. When it comes to getting into the major studios, it’s not easy. I think that throughout my entire career, I’ve had this major drawback of being a woman. Back in 1982 when I was competing, there was no weapons division for women, so I had to compete in the men’s divisions. That was pretty hard to do, but I was still the number-one competitor. It’s the same way today in film. Producers say “A woman as an action star? I don’t know.”
This is, however, the right era for women in martial arts movies, I think. People are more ready to see women in action roles. Films like Thelma and Louise, and actresses like Linda Hamilton, Sigourney Weaver and Kathleen Turner have helped change people’s minds. Before, an action role for a woman only came in exploitation-type films– soft-porn movies or “women in prison” movies.
I almost quit martial arts when I was 13 because I didn’t like it. I was the only girl in the class, and I couldn’t yell right, and I felt very uncoordinated. But one day the instructor gave our class a speech, saying that you’re never going to get better unless you practice and put your mind to it. I thought that he was directing the speech at me, so I decided to practice wholeheartedly. When I went to my first tournament a few months later, there was a division for women, but it encompassed all levels, including black belt. Although I was only an orange belt, I took second place, and at that point I knew I could make it.
I’ve pioneered women’s competition in sport karate. I’ve pioneered the woman’s role in the Hong Kong movie industry. Now I’m ready to try Hollywood.
September 1992
