Chuck Norris worked and formed friendships with high-profile political figures in the United States, and internationally.

Among those he grew to know well were former US President George HW Bush Sr, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Norris "will be remembered not only for his many talents, but for the warmth and friendship he extended to those who knew him," the George and Barbara Bush Foundation says in an Instagram post.

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Swedish actor and martial artist Dolph Lundgren, who starred alongside Norris in the 2012 action film The Expendables 2, is paying tribute to his former co-star.

"Ever since I was a young martial artist and later getting into movies, I always looked up to him as a role model," Lundgren writes of Norris. "Someone who had the respect, humility and strength it takes to be a man."

And actor Lorenzo Lamas, who trained at Norris' martial arts studio, is offering his "prayers" to Norris' family.

"Watch out evil world, there is an angel of consequence at the gates," Lamas writes on social media.

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The widespread significance of Chuck Norris is explored in a 2015 documentary, titled Chuck Norris Vs Communism. It looked at the impact of the action star in Romania, during the Cold War.

The film tells the story of Irina Nestor, who translated over 3,000 Western films, smuggled into Romania illegally, into English.

Nestor credits Chuck Norris films as giving Romanians "something to dream about".

"The idea was that he would come and save us", she says, "like an international bodyguard".

You can watch an interview with the director of the documentary in this BBC report from 2015.

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Paying tribute on Instagram, actor Sylvester Stallone says he "had a great time working with Chuck".

"He was All American in every way", and a "great man and my condolences to his wonderful family", he adds.

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"Deepest condolences on the passing of my friend, Chuck Norris," says Belgian martial arts star and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.

The pair starred alongside each other in the 2012 action film The Expendables 2 with Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Bruce Willis.

"We knew each other from the early days, and I always respected the man he was," he says on Instagram.

"My heart and prayers are with his family. He will never be forgotten."

Danilee Norris, Chuck Norris' daughter with his second wife Gena O'Kelly, has paid tribute to her "safe person these past 24 years".

"My dad was my protector the moment I was born and as soon as he took me in his arms, I've always been his little girl," she says on Instagram.

She says that her dad "loved so deeply and cared for every single person in his life with so much tenderness".

"He may have a warrior exterior, but his heart was so full of love", she says. "To say I am thankful for him being my dad is an understatement."

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American writer Stephen King - the author of iconic horror books like The Shining, Carrie, and IT - says one Chuck Norris movie scared even him.

"Seriously, I thought he was great. SILENT RAGE scared hell out of my boys...and me," King writes on social media.

The 1982 film Silent Rage saw Norris play a sheriff trying to stop the killing spree of a silent maniacal murderer who has the ability to self-heal.

King also shares a few of his favourite Chuck Norris jokes. "My fave Chuck Norris joke: Chuck doesn't flush the toilet, he scares the s*** out of it," he writes.

"Second fave: When he was born, Chuck Norris drove his mother home from the hospital," King remembers in another post.

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter

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The huge number of internet memes featuring Chuck Norris, external usually made light of his tough-guy image and the ruthless characters he often played in movies.

One particularly memorable one poked fun at Kanye West's famous interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs in 2009.

"Yo Chuck, I'ma let you finish, but... you know what, you go right ahead and finish," says an apparently terrified Ye in the meme.

Another showed Liam Neeson delivering his famous speech in Taken before realising Chuck Norris is on the other end of the call: "I will look for you, I will find you, and... oh, my apologies, I seem to have dialled the wrong number."

Others feature pictures of Chuck Norris's face with slogans such as: "Guns carry him for protection" and "in an emergency, 911 calls him".

A few more favourites:

• When Chuck Norris left for college, he told his father: You're the man of the house now
• When Chuck Norris does push-ups, he doesn't push himself up, he forces the earth down

• Chuck Norris has a grizzly bear carpet in his room. It's not dead, it's just afraid to move
• Chuck Norris uses a stunt double... for crying scenes

Chuck Norris was outspoken in his support of conservative politics.

We're now seeing tributes from Republican lawmakers, including Conservative Texas Governor Greg Abbott who says "Texas has lost a legend" in remembering Norris.

"He was not only a martial arts champion, action icon, and the one and only Walker, Texas Ranger. But he electrified generations of conservatives. He embodied the toughness, grit, and patriotism that makes Texas supreme," Abbott says.

Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, also expressed his condolences. Norris supported Huckabee's 2008 Republican presidential bit.

"Saddest piece of news I've heard in a while. I'll reflect why I loved this amazing American icon in another post. Still processing the gut punch of his death," Huckabee writes on X.

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Chuck Norris starred in the action-packed TV series Walker, Texas Ranger for nine seasons, running from 1993 to 2001.

Norris plays a former Marine turned Texas ranger, Cordell Walker, who uses his martial arts skills to fight crime.

The plot of the series - which, as the video below shows, was full of high-stakes stunts - was spun off from the 1983 action western film Lone Wolf McQuade, which also starred Norris.

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Through memes, Chuck Norris became known as a figure who was impossible to compete with and his family said he was "a symbol of strength".

As tributes for the late action movie star are beginning to trickle in, retired British strongman competitor Eddie Hall has called Norris an "absolute legend of a man".

Hall says on Instagram that the two had "just started to message each other", and that he "was hoping to meet him someday".

"He just turned 86 and looked fantastic", Hall adds. "Makes you cherish your loves ones a bit harder when stuff like this happens."

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter

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Chuck Norris' hugely popular movies were the perfect vehicle for him to show of the martial arts skills he had developed over many years to a mass audience.

Norris had joined the US Air Force as a teenager, and began training in martial arts while stationed in Korea.

He went on to become a karate champion in the 1960s before landing his first major movie role when his friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play a villain in 1972's The Way of the Dragon.

The film showed audiences - as well as Hollywood's casting directors, just what Norris could do. He seamlessly integrated his authentic combat skills into his screen work.

Remember - movie stars overwhelmingly rely on stunt doubles or special effects when it comes to filming dangerous action scenes.

But Norris was the real deal, and he utilised his expertise in martial arts such as Karate, Taekwondo, Jiu Jitsu and Judo to help him launch a decades-long screen career.

Norris led a life of variety.

From competing in martial arts contests in his youth, to his family life and outspoken support of US Conservative politics, we've taken a look back at some of the defining images of his life away from his action movie career.

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Chuck Norris will always be remembered for his iconic films and television series like Walker, Texas Ranger, but many young people know his face best as one that will be forever immortalised as one of the stars of the early-2010s memes.

His face was often accompanied with white block text superimposed on top, often exalting the actor as a legend and someone impossible to compete with.

Examples include:

"Chuck Norris can pass a vision test with his eyes closed"

"When the Hulk gets really angry, he turns into Chuck Norris"

"The flu has to get a Chuck Norris shot once a year"

"Chuck Norris doesn't turn on the shower, he stares at it until it starts to cry"

Greta Norris, the granddaughter of Chuck Norris has paid tribute to him on Instagram.

"You all knew Chuck Norris as the man that counted to infinity twice, the man who got bit by a cobra and the cobra died," she says.

She says her grandfather was "known for many amazing things but what I am most proud of is I got to know him as my Papa... A grandfather that would sit on his rocking chair and and listen to me tell him stories".

"He is the most down to earth person ever, in a room full of people he would make it known that he was listening to you and only you," she adds.

"The world truly lost an icon and I lost my grandpa."

Chuck Norris was a household name in the American martial arts scene, as well as an actor known for his action film roles.

Born in Oklahoma in 1940, he served in the United States Air Force before establishing himself as a star of martial arts - for which he held multiple black belts including in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Judo and Brazilian jiu jitsu.

He rose to fame as an actor in 1972, after he appeared in Way of the Dragon, alongside martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Some of Norris's other films include Delta Force and Missing in Action.

But he is perhaps best known for playing Cordell "Cord" Walker in the long-running television series Walker, Texas Ranger.

He is survived by his five children and wife, Gena O’Kelley.

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Norris was hospitalised in Hawaii for an medical emergency before his death, TMZ originally reported.

In their statement, his family said they prefer to keep the circumstances private, but described Norris' loss as "sudden".

"We know many of you had heard about his recent hospitalization, and we are truly grateful for the prayers and support you sent his way," they wrote.

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Announcing Chuck Norris's death, his family write on Instagram:

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.

To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family.

He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.

While our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him. The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends.

We know many of you had heard about his recent hospitalisation, and we are truly grateful for the prayers and support you sent his way.

As we grieve this loss, we kindly ask for privacy for our family during this time. Thank you for loving him with us.

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Actor and martial artist Chuck Norris died yesterday morning aged 86, his family has announced on Instagram.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow.