She’s been starring in TV shows and films since the ’80s, quietly building up her name and filmography as a respected Hollywood actress. Now 59 years old, her physical vitality and effervescence at a time when most entertainers would be looking to wind down their careers speaks volumes of a performer who keeps growing in stature.Ming-Na Wenis best known for the long-standing role she played on the hit medical al show,ER,and later cemented herself as a fan favorite on major franchise shows likeAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.andThe Mandalorian.
In both of the latter shows, viewers became better acquainted with her intense skills as an action star. While video game fans probably knew that a long time ago (she also played the iconic character Chun-Li inStreet Fighter),a new generation of fans was now learning that Ming-Na Wen was a formidable actress in ways that went far beyond her diminutive build and stunning looks.
Having proven her chops as an action star with a ton ofgreat butt-kicking sequencesfrom her most famous characters Agent May (Agents of S.H.I.E.LD)andFennec Shand (The Mandalorian),what many viewers may have been unaware of is that Wen also does most of her own stunts. As we pay homage to an actress with an amazing career, and an even more impressive repertoire as an action star, here’s a look at Ming-Na Wen’s best stunts.
10Agent May vs. Izel
As Agent Melinda May, Ming-Na Wen had many great fight scenes during the course of her run on Marvel’sAgents of S.H.I.E.LD.One scene that definitely stuck out was her fight with the villain, Izel, in Season 6. What made this fight cool was the fact that it became a whirlwind of deftness and athleticism that required flips, spins, and some fancy evasive moves.
Related:Best Ming-Na Wen Performances, Ranked
The best part about it, though, was that it was essentially a sword fight. Additionally, May was already injured when she took on Izel by herself. In the end, it was a short fight, but one that packed in the kind of action and great choreography that fans have come to love Marvel for.
9Chun-Li vs. Bison
Back in 1994, Ming-Na Wen made one of her first and most iconic roles in a film. In the film adaption based on the legendary video game,Street Fighter,Wen played the titillating character, Chun-Li. Despite appearing to be a meek reporter, she allows herself to be captured by the film’s main antagonist, the formidable General Bison. While he has her tied up and toys with her, Chun-Li tells him the story of how Bison murdered her father.
As he realizes her capture was planned, Chun-Li then snaps her restraints and jump kicks Bison, before using her martial arts skills to basically wipe the floor with him. It was an iconic scene that mirrored Chun-Li’s backstory from the game and an early indicator Ming-Na Wen’s action skills — made more awesome by the fact that she performed the entire scene inthe character’s iconic costume, showing her deftness and agility despite being in high heels.
8Fight with Toro Calican
After herAgents of S.H.I.E.LDfame was already cemented, Ming-Na Wen’s stake as an actress and an international icon took another huge leap when she was cast as the awesome bounty hunter, Fennec Shand, in theStar Warsuniverse. She first joined the cast ofThe Mandalorianbefore reprising the role in its spin-off show,The Book of Boba Fett.
In Season 1 ofThe Mandalorian,Shand displays her skills and fighting prowess early on as she destroys the Mandalorian’s speeder bike as he and another character, Toro Calican, attempt to capture her. This leads her to a one-on-one fight with Toro. Even though the scene takes place in the dark, the fighting is still intense with Shand using amazing moves to easily defeat Toro in hand-to-hand combat.
7Fighting Assassins with Boba Fett
With both herStar Warsshows backed with some amazing action sequences, Wen had many opportunities to shine in them as Fennec Shand. In one of Shand’smost memorable fights, she helps Boba Fett fight off assassins in the first episode of the pair’s spin-off show.
While the assassins initially seem to gain the upper hand, once reinforcements arrive, Shand is able to drive them back with some amazing moves. With her Kung Fu style kicks and fluid fighting style, the scene set the tone for the show and further entrenched Shand as one of theStar Warsuniverse’s most beloved characters from its modern renditions.
6Fennec Taking Down Pykes
The Book of Boba Fettmay have only lasted seven episodes, but that was more than enough time to pack in plenty of amazing action scenes. Fennec Shand shows throughout her two shows just how devastating she can be. In the series finale, she has a very personal reason for going after one of the antagonists known as Pykes.
While Pykes thinks he is holed up safely, Fennec uses her amazing skills to take out all his guards from above the enclave. We don’t see her until the end as she stealthily cleans out everyone, before entering from the top and landing behind Pykes to finally take him down.
5Shootout in the Desert
Given how manyawesome action scenesFennec Shand had in her time on screen, the character was always bound to feature often in this list. This time, the scene came from Ming-Na Wen’s appearance in Season 2 ofThe Mandalorian.Showing off her character’s lethal aim and her own athleticism, Shand takes the high ground and shows great agility to evade being shot by Stormtroopers while she takes a bunch of them out herself with some brilliant shooting.
The scene made for some slick action as Fennec uses everything from her gun, to boulders, and even her own helmet to leave a slew of dismantled Troopers in her wake. The scene was one that was so well done, it’s hard to believe that we live in a time when such spectacular scenes are seen in TV shows now, and not just reserved for blockbuster films alone.
4Three vs. One
By having the lethal skills of a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent, even being held captive in a room with three massive men and tied up wasn’t enough to hold Agent May. Wen’s moves as May when she escaped captivity and debilitated three baddies before calmly stepping over their crumpled bodies caused many fans to liken her to the Black Widow.
The comparisons are certainly justified since her moves are just as breathtaking as she uses a combination of Kung Fu, the agility of a gymnast, and super quick thinking to fight her way out of the room against what seemed like impossible odds.
3Rooftop Fight
In another classic fight scene that displayed Fennec Shand’s jaw-dropping abilities, she finds herself surroundedon a rooftop by assassinswielding the kind of high-tech weapons thatStar Warsfans have come to love so much. Despite being outnumbered and bare-handed, Shand uses her agility and speed instead.
Related:The Book of Boba Fett: What We Hope to See if Season 2 Happens
By skipping along roofs with the poise of a Parkour master, doing everything from flipping past opponents to jumping off rooftops to evade and then disarm them, Shand eventually defeats them in some style. Since she often wore a helmet as Fennec Shand, it’s difficult to say exactly how many of Shand’s stunts Ming-Na Wen performs herself, but they’re still pretty cool regardless.
Wen has made no secret of how much she loves her character and has credited Fennec Shand and her time in theStar Warsas being a dream role in a featurette on theStar Wars YouTube channel.
“I was investing so much of myself into this role. It’s really a dream role of a lifetime.”
2Staircase Fight
In one of Agent Melinda May’s best fight scenes, she enters a building Parkour-style and comes across a bunch of guards in her way. Fighting her way past them gave audiences a stunningly choreographed scene reminiscent of Captain America’s stairwell action sequence inCaptain America: Civil War.
Leaping over railings, flips, ninja kicks, and using her surroundings in a manner that would have even made Bruce Lee smile, Agent May displays some remarkable speed, agility, and fighting skills to win this one. The sequence goes straight into another fight from there, and although she’s beaten and badly injured, the scene will always go down asone of May’s most awesome fight scenes.
1May vs. May
Since Ming-Na Wen gave us so many memorable action sequences and brilliantly choreographed fight scenes as Agent May, it seems only fitting that we should end with her most iconic one. In an episode entitled “Face my Enemy,” May takes on a brainwashed former agent named 33. Wearing a “nanomask” that made her look like May, the real Melinda May essentially has to fight herself.
In reality, both parts were played by Ming-Na Wen and the amazing scene was accomplished using a mixture of choreographed fighting, CGI, and Wen’s stunt double. However, this all made for one electric scene as Agent May appears to basically fight herself. Adding to all the intrigue, one of them has to fight in a flashy silver, sequined evening dress while the other dons what can only be described as a cross between a night dress and weird lingerie.
The result was one amazing scene that forever lives rent-free in the minds of all Ming-Na Wen fans. The entire sequence lasts over a minute and sees the pair fight across counters and through a kitchen while trying to use any weapon they can reach to gain an advantage. In the end, the real May triumphs, but not before viewers are treated to one of the most epic fight scenes in the show’s entire seven-season run.
