Muscular African American sports star, actor, media identity and inventor of the phenomenally popular "Tae Bo" fitness system, derived from his extensive martial arts training. Blanks was born in Eerie, Pennsylvania in 1955 amongst humble backgrounds and grew up as one of 15 children, battling dyslexia and tendon problems. However that didn't stop him from starting his martial arts training at age 14 and eventually achieving black belts in tae kwon do & several other arts, and winning numerous US martial arts tournaments. Blanks first popped up on movie screens in the mid 1980s in tough guy parts utilizing his athletic background and grim faced looks. Films roles included Tango & Cash (1989), Driving Force (1989) and A.W.O.L.: Absent Without Leave (1990). Things looked up in 1991, when Blanks scored the minor role of drug addicted running back "Billy Cole" in the explosive The Last Boy Scout (1991)....and further work followed often sharing lead billing in low budget - high action fare such as Talons of the Eagle (1992), TC 2000 (1993) and Expect No Mercy (1995). In the late 1990s, Billy's innovative and exciting "Tae Bo" workout routine swept around the world like wildfire, and propelled him into the position of one of the world's most recognizable and biggest selling fitness trainers. The remarkable Blanks continues to refine and promote his unique "Tae Bo" fitness system, and he operates the Billy Blanks World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, California. 7th Degree Black Belt Billy Blanks had one of the greatest karate fight records in the sport's long history. Blanks was a 7-time world karate champion, the first Amateur Athletic Union Champ in 1975, the 1984 Massachusetts Golden Gloves Boxing Champion, and the Tri-State Golden Gloves Champion of Champions. He was the captain of the United States Karate Team and won over 30 gold medals in international competition. He was the number 1 or number 2 rated full-contact karate fighter in the United States for almost seven straight years. His epic battles with "Nasty" Anderson are legends among martial arts fans. He posted over 300 career victories. In 1982, Billy Blanks was honored by being inducted into the Karate Hall of Fame.

Filmography

• 2024The Circuit 4: Faith Fighter — Samson
• 2024The Last Kumite — Master Loren
• 2018The Clapper — Billy Blanks
• 2017Almost Amazing — Mr. Wilson
• 2017The Ultimate Goal
• 2015Dark Moon Rising — Sheriff Tom
• 2012Billy Blanks Tae Bo Express — Instructor
• 2011Jack and Jill — Billy Blanks
• 2007Billy Blanks Tae Bo: Amped Fat Burn Accelerator — Billy Blanks
• 2007Billy Blanks: Ultimate Tae Bo — Billy Blanks
• 2006Billy's BootCamp Elite: 8 Minute Supercharge Cardio
• 2006Billy's BootCamp Elite: Mission One - Get Started
• 2006Billy's BootCamp Elite: Mission Three - Rock Solid Abs
• 2006Billy's BootCamp Elite: Mission Two - Maximum Power
• 2006Billy's Bootcamp Elite: Mission Spot Training - Lower Body
• 2005Billy's BootCamp: Basic Training Bootcamp — Billy Blanks
• 2004Billy Blanks - Tae Bo: Strength Power — Billy Blanks
• 2004Billy's Bootcamp: Cardio Bootcamp Live!
• 2003Billy Blanks: Tae Bo Cardio
• 2003Billy Blanks: Tae Bo Flex
• 2003Billy's Bootcamp 1: Tae Bo
• 2003Billy's Bootcamp 2: Tae Bo
• 2001TaeBo II: Get Ripped - Basic 1 Workout
• The Fairly OddParents — Billy Blanks (voice)
• 1999Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: 8-Minute Workout — Himself, Director, Producer, Writer
• The Parkers
• Martial Law — Travis King
• 1997Assault on Devil's Island — Craegan
• 1997Kiss the Girls — Instructor
• 1996Balance of Power — Niko
• 1996Kazaam — Stunts
• Sabrina, the Teenage Witch — Billy Blanks
• 1995Expect No Mercy — Justin Vanier
• The Parent 'Hood
• 1995Tough and Deadly — John Portland
• 1994Back in Action — Billy
• ER — Tae-Bo Instructor
• 1993Showdown — Billy Grant
• 1993TC 2000 — Jason Storm
• 1992Invincible — Billy
• Melrose Place
• 1992Talons of the Eagle — Tyler Wilson
• 1992The Master — Hawks Gang Member
• 1991The Last Boy Scout — Billy Cole
• 1991Timebomb — Mr. Brown
• 1990China O'Brien II — Baskin's Fighter #1 (uncredited), Stunts
• 1990Driving Force — Pool
• 1990Lionheart — African Legionnaire
• 1990The King of the Kickboxers — Khan
• 1989Bloodfist — Black Rose
• 1989Tango & Cash — Prison Thug (uncredited)
• 1986Low Blow — Guard
• Devotion — Billy Blanks

Appearances as themselves (31)

• 2024American Expendables: The Films of North American Pictures — Self (archive footage)
• 2019Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks — Self
• 2015The Real Miyagi — Self
• 2014Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: Body Shape — Self
• 2014Billy Blanks: Tae Bo Platinum Collection — Self
• 2010Billy Blanks Tae Bo: Insane Abs — Self
• 2010Billy Blanks: This Is Tae Bo — Himself
• 2005Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: Total Body Fat Blaster — Himself
• 2005Billy Blanks: Tae Bo Kicks — Himself
• 2005Billy's BootCamp: Ultimate BootCamp — Himself
• 2004Billy Blanks Tae Bo 2004 Capture the Power POWER — Himself
• 2004Billy Blanks Tae Bo 2004 Capture the Power STRENGTH — Himself
• 2004Billy Blanks' Tae Bo Extreme: Push Your Limits — Himself
• The Tony Danza Show — Self
• 2003Billy Blanks' TaeBo Believer's Workout: The Strength Within — Himself
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show — Self
• 2002The Best of TaeBo: Ultimate Upper Body — Himself
• 2001TaeBo II: Get Ripped - 8-Minute Workout — Himself
• 2001TaeBo II: Get Ripped - Advanced 1 Workout — Himself
• 2001TaeBo II: Get Ripped - Advanced 2 Workout — Himself
• 2000Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: Gold — Himself
• 1999Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: Advanced Workout — Himself
• 1999Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: Basic Workout — Himself
• 1999Billy Blanks' Tae Bo: Instructional — Himself
• 1998Masters of the Martial Arts Presented by Wesley Snipes — Self
• V.I.P. — Self
• 1995Encyclopedia of Martial Arts: Hollywood Celebrities — Self
• Billy Blanks - Tae Bo - Amped Full Throttle — Himself
• Billy Blanks Tae Bo 2004 Capture the Power ENERGY — Himself
• Billy Blanks: Bootcamp Cardio Inferno — Himself
• Billy's Bootcamp: Cardio Bootcamp — Himself