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James Lew, Emmy-Winning Stunt Coordinator, Dies at 73

Industry tributes note his decades-long influence on action choreography and no cause of death has been disclosed.

Overview

  • His wife, Jordanna Potter, confirmed on Instagram that Lew died Sunday, Aug. 23, in Los Angeles after a recent period of unspecified health problems, and multiple outlets reported the family announcement.
  • Lew won a Primetime Emmy in 2017 for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Marvel’s Luke Cage, a credential widely cited in remembrances of his work.
  • He built a decades-long career as a stunt performer, fight choreographer and actor with credits on Big Trouble in Little China, Rush Hour, Star Trek, Inception and many other films and TV shows.
  • Coverage notes varying tallies of his screen work on aggregated sites, with outlets citing roughly 150–180 credits and several recent or in‑production projects listed on IMDb.
  • Colleagues and trade outlets praised Lew’s mentorship and technical influence—including wire-assisted choreography—and his death creates a gap in the community that trained many modern stunt teams.